RAID 0 on the G50V-A1

So, I'll be getting my G50V-A1 tomorrow (assuming fedex doesn't screw it up...we all know how that goes).
First thing I want to do is this, I want to enable RAID and create 2 volumes. One around 60GB for the OS itself, and the rest for documents and programs. How do I do this? Does anybody have any experience with changing the system properties for the program files folder? I know how to change the directory for the "my documents" folder, at least in XP, but not in vista.
All I want on the 60 gig is Vista itself, and patches and whatnot, everything else I'd like on the 400gb partition. I also want to create a RAID 0 volume for the 400gb. Or both, really doesn't matter.
I haven't had any experience with a hardware RAID controller either, just software done through diskmgt on XP.
Any help would be greatly appreciated!

 

I am going to be doing this, it should be rather straight forward with vista you wont even need to install drivers.

I guess I can post this first thing and then just add it into my review at the end.

 

Right; I guess what my question is...obviously I will have to wipe the volume. How do I create a new one without an OS? If I enable RAID in the BIOS then won't the current partition be unreadable? If I do this can I reinstall everything the way it comes from the factory, along with the recovery partition?

 

You can do that by go into BIOS and change SATA mode from Enhance to RAID.
Save the settings and exit, press CTRL+I to enter Intel Matrix Storage manager, choose create new volume and enter the capacity size you want to create.

 

You will lose everything on the disks and that includes the recovery partition if there is one (unless you leave it unformatted but while in raid it wont be usable) but you get a disk with the G50 with the OS and software on it so its not a big deal. I will probably use the Asus install disk and wipe any bloat ware off after the fact but I may also just opt to install my own copy of Vista on there that I know is bloatware free.

By the way Ken does the Asus install disk have SP1 integrated?

 

Yes it's SP1.

Even use the RAID BIOS to create different size of partition still won't work, because when use Asus recovery DVD it'll repartition the hard drive to either 1 partition or 50/50.

One solution is:
1: create RAID with one new volume.
2: use Asus recovery DVD to recover Windows with two partition (50/50).
3: when finish, boot to Windows and use Windows disk management to shrink or extend partition.

 

Okay, that is what I was trying to find out, how to create a new volume. Can I create more than one on a RAID 0?

Know anything about changing the program directory? ...Actually, on second thought, may I can make the OS directory a little larger and install programs there, and keep all my data somewhere else. Maybe something like 100GB for OS & Programs, and 400GB for documents and whatnot.

Okay, so once I wipe and create new volumes, if I use the disks to restore, will it be -exactly- the same install with all the "bloatware" and whatnot? Believe it or not, I want it to be, haha.

 

Gotcha, so I can do 50/50 RAID 0, will the recovery dvd auto-config vista to use the second partition for documents?
Does disk mgmt do a good job or should I use a third party tool such as Partition Magic or Acronis?

 

Yes the recovery DVD auto-config HD partition to 50/50, you can move Document folders to D: by change the drive path.

Vista disk management works fine, at least it hasn't crash my hard drive.

 

Vistas built in tool works, its not as powerful as say Partition Magic but its free.

The whole reason I split my drives into multiple partitions is so that if the time comes that I need to re-install the OS I can only redo the OS partition and have all my data/media left untouched.

However as Ken just said the recovery dvd is just that, it recovers the system to its original state including partition settings. That means its going to wipe any/all partitions when you do a re-install. That makes having separate partitions totally pointless if you think about it.

 

Interesting.
There's got to be a way to make this work efficiently.
My plan so far, as soon as I get the laptop in my possession, I'll wipe the HD's, enable RAID 0, use the recovery discs to do a 50/50 split. I'll probably shrink the OS partition to around 100, and enlarge the other to fill the space.

A question that still remains unanswered, will the 50/50 setup automatically change the drive paths?

 

You mean in windows? yeah the OS side will be C: while the other side will be D:

Its looking like the only way to be able to do a re-install of the OS without disturbing the other partition(s) would be with your own OS disk, unless there is an advanced install option for the recovery disk. I have never used a recovery disk tho so that is foreign to me.

 

Same...

Here's some better info, seems like a more efficient way and more thorough way to change the paths.
http://caskater4.blogspot.com/2007/09/moving-your-data-where-you-want-in.html

 

Is SLO really Bay Area? Really? Thanks for starting this thread, this was a huge question for me too, except Im going with RAID 1 cause Im paranoid about losing a hdd... Will keep tabs on this thread.

 

Im not catching what the point is. I know how to move and relocate files but the only reason I have ever done so, or seen a recomendation for doing so is so that your OS and Static files can be seperated in the case you need to do a new OS install.

Regardless of where its located if the recovery disk is going to wipe everything out and start you back off at ground 0 it wont matter. May as well have it all in one place.

Raid 0 is over rated, from the get go, best thing to do is just install the OS on one drive and leave the other drive alone. This will double your data security and allow the 2nd drive to act independently of the OS drive (that means while windows is reading files in the background it wont even effect the 2nd hdd)

For my final setup it will probably be like this, I was just going to do the raid 0 to give instructions on how to do it and include raid performance evaluations in my review. Ken has the instructions covered tho so I may not worry about Raid at all.

 

Wirelessly posted via Sprint Touch.

trust me, SLO is not bay area. I'll be down in SLO soon, but born and raised here in the bay.

anyway, vicious, I know you know how to change the directory, however, doing it the standard way introduces complications. I linked to that page because it offers an alternative route that provides a better solution.
RAID 0 is overrated to a degree, but it does serve a purpose. instead on writing with one hand, imagine being able to fluently write with two hands on two sheets of paper at the same time. it does provide some benefit.
I have a hunch that in case of OS corruption, all you do is use the recovery discs to create a new OS install over the old ones. every recovery disc I have used has had this ability.