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    Adding RAID-0 storage w/o reinstalling Windows?

    Discussion in 'Hardware Components and Aftermarket Upgrades' started by saturnotaku, Feb 3, 2016.

  1. saturnotaku

    saturnotaku Notebook Nobel Laureate

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    I'm thinking about altering the storage configuration on my new notebook. Currently, both 2.5" drive bays are filled with a Samsung 850 Pro for the OS and an HGST 1TB 7200 rpm hard drive for storage.

    I would like to change it up by replacing the 850 with an NVME drive and adding a second 7200 rpm storage drive, running the latter in RAID-0. Can this be done without needing to reinstall the OS?


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    saturnotaku, Feb 3, 2016
    #1
  2. pathfindercod

    pathfindercod Notebook Virtuoso

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    You'd be better off reinstalling
     
    pathfindercod, Feb 3, 2016
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  3. tijo

    tijo Sacred Blame

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    If you want to install your OS on the NVMe drive, you are better off reinstalling in my opinion, especially if you want it to load the NVMe drivers under UEFI and secure boot. Assume your OS isn't going to be in the drives you want to RAID, you should be able to create the array without reinstalling provided your computer BIOS is setup properly for RAID.
     
    tijo, Feb 3, 2016
    #3
  4. tilleroftheearth

    tilleroftheearth Wisdom listens quietly...

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    Backup your data to 2 different locations and do a clean install for maximum life expectancy of this new direction you want to take your notebook to.
    • Reason 1:
      • To do a proper O/S install (i.e. 'clean') you will need to remove all other drives in the system.
    • Reason 2:
      • When you create the RAID0 array, your data 'may' be destroyed, depending on the particular RAID (hardware/software) and options you set.
    • Reason 3:
      • Is RAID0 needed for 'performance' or for capacity?
        • If for 'performance' you need an SSD. RAID0 (especially w/HDD's) is a joke.
        • If for 'capacity' you need an SSD (yeah; Samsung 850 EVO 2TB).
      • In other words, no reason for RAID today (and for me, the past 8/9 years or more).
    Yeah, there are ways to frankenbuild the system to do it on an existing O/S install. But in my experience, that system will be as reliable as running Windows 95 in a browser.

    I for one am curious what you end up doing in the end. Keep us posted.

    Good luck.
     
    tilleroftheearth, Feb 3, 2016
    #4