RAID 0 SSDs - worse performance?

I got two 2TB Crucial MX500 SATA SSDs on to replace my internal storage drives, of which are HDDs. OS is on a separate NVMe Drive. After installing the 2 blank ssds, I put them in RAID 0 using storage spaces in Windows 10. But RAID 0 didn't seem to offer much performance gains, and even did worse in the last two 4K tests.

Am I possibly missing something to boost RAID 0 performance, and will configuring RAID via BIOS be
better?

 

I always configure the RAID in the BIOS.

Never had any performance issues your 4K Random Read/Write is horrible.

Also, I set the Data Stripe Size to 64K which gives the best balance of performance in workflows ranging from small to large files.

These are my IRST Settings:



AS SSD Benchmark 3x 960 PRO



You also didn't mention what is your Intel Rapid Storage Technology version

 

This is a test I took just now with all the software installed including the antivirus (NOD32) and the latest IRST Drivers: Intel Rapid Storage Technology 16.7.8.1024 / RAID Driver 16.7.8.1024

 

Like UltraMale said you must set Stripe to 64K and it feels RAID 0 isn't activated and configured properly through IRST. Use IRST 16.7.x and make sure you uninstall older IRST before installing new ones. I don't know if uninstalling IRST removes disk arrays. If it does, just upgrade the IRST driver through inf/setup.exe in IRST package.
Also make sure most drivers are UWP or modern framework based to extract max performance. Use MEI from win-raid,Network drivers, chipset software(optional),touchpad,sd card(station-drivers) etc..

 

If you are in the GP mode... Maybe try v16.7.9.1027 WHQL

 

Thanks. My IRST is 16.7.9.1027. But I'm probably missing the RAID drivers - how do I obtain them for my particular RST version?

The thing is, when I created the array in the BIOS under IRST menu, it wouldn't boot to Windows even though my OS is on a separate Samsung 950 Pro.

Basically my BIOS settings after creating the firmware RAID were:
Sata config: RAID
Boot: UEFI

What would be the correct procedure to get firmware RAID working in this case?

 

You don't need to install the RAID Drivers separately as it's already included in the Intel Rapid Storage Technology app but what you can do is place a copy of the RAID Driver (Extracted offcourse) in your Windows 10 USB Installation Disk.

also, when you download any file from the internet, make sure you follow this guide to unblock the file and/or any ZIP file before extracting it:

"Are you sure you want to run this file?" [Yes or No]

Here's how I do it:

1) Set the boot mode in your BIOS to Intel Rapid Storage (AKA RAID)
2) Create the RAID Array from the BIOS for the required SSDs and set the Data Stripe Size to 64K
3) Boot from the Windows 10 Installation Disk
4) When it prompts you to install Windows and shows you the drive, don't create the partition yet, instead, hit Load Driver then navigate to the root of your Windows 10 USB Flash Disk then point it to the folder which contains the RAID Driver and let it load the first driver (you usually see 2 choices)
5) Now create the partition and install Windows on it
6) Configure everything as you like then install all your drivers
7) Now after Windows loads, wait for about 2 minutes until you see the Rapid Storage Technology icon in the taskbar, then head to the performance tab and set the options like this:

8) Restart
9) Wait for 3 minutes till the system is idle, then run a benchmark

 

Awesome, thanks. However currently my OS is on a separate disk, and my original goal was to only RAID the two SATA drives for storage. So OS on M.2 (no raid), and Data on these 2 sata drives in raid. Is there a way to RAID the storage drives on BIOS without reinstalling Windows?

 

You'll see Intel RAID Controller in device manager.

 

You can't do that. All RAID or none at all!

 

Not sure as I've never done OS RAID and never will touch it but are you telling me that your boot mode in BIOS is set to AHCI and that's how you've installed Windows? If that's the case then that might be your problem. Even if you want to install the OS on a single m.2 SATA SSD, you can do that even with the BIOS set to RAID that way you have your OS on a single drive and you get the max benefits/performance out of your RAID Array that you've setup separately for data storage.

 

He needs selective RAID for his SATA SSDs while he originally installed OS in AHCI mode. The OP can use safe mode to switch between AHCI/RAID w/o data loss.

 

When I installed Windows like 3 years ago it was set to AHCI. So had I set it to RAID back then, I would have been able to boot into my OS after recently making that raid array in BIOS. Dammit.

So are there any alternative software RAID methods within the OS I could use that would be better than the Windows storage spaces raid 0 method?

 

You can use msconfig to boot into safe mode minimal and set BIOS to use RAID and boot into safe mode to uninstall AHCI intel driver provided you uncheck delete driver software and then use msconfig to boot into normal mode with RAID mode.

 

I shouldn't have to install the intel RAID driver after uninstalling AHCI right? Upon boot with RAID enabled it should install itself correct?

 

Since you didn't install the OS on the RAID Array, I don't see any reason why you can't simply delete it from the software and create it in the BIOS

 

I lost you there, can you please elaborate with more detail

 

So this is the device to uninstall right?


Do I need to uninstall IRST as well?

 

I agree BIOS RAID should perform much better. I've tried software RAID once, never again.

I also have 2 SATA SSDs like you and this is what I'm getting on 2x 840 Pro SSDs with RST 12.9:

 

Not true. I have been running 3 drives in systems since IDE. OS on 1, Games on the RAID 0.

Sent from my SM-N950U using Tapatalk

 

Are you sure you can do that on laptop BIOS?

Isn't IRST based RAID on laptops's just a SW RAID?

 

Set the drives as 1st to sata, 2nd and 3rd to raid. Or if you single drive shows as Drive2 then 1 and 3 as RAID and 2 as SaTa.

Sent from my SM-N950U using Tapatalk

 

Most BGA owners don't have that flexible BIOS like desktop. Even modded BIOS is quite limited.
Maybe @Prema can help. @Lightning_- can you check Prema BIOS Readme file on how to configure it. @Papusan do you remember seeing it?

 

Prema Bios is on my machine but I don't have the readme file. Clevo reseller didn't include it.

 

It's the same exact RAID you get in the BIOS on desktops as well...

Unless you have a dedicated RAID card.

 

If the BIOS has raid capability, you have the ability to set your raid. If it forces you to use all drives installed as 1 raid drive, it's a piece of ****.



Sent from my SM-N950U using Tapatalk

 

You enable Raid and then you run the Intel Raid utility pressing Ctrl+I when it shows up during boot(or enter it via a menu in BIOS) and then you config the raid mode, and what disks make part of the RAID array, just like in a desktop..

 

Looks like this - can only configure Sata Mode as AHCI or RAID for all SATA Ports.

 

I can set-up as many independent raids as I want. Since my laptop can support six total drives I can set-up three total raids in the BIOS.

Then again my laptop is from 2012. These days all the laptops are so restricted it sucks.

 

Set the BIOS to RAID then also turn on legacy boot mode.

Once you restart see if you have an extra screen before the BIOS loads to configure RAID.

 

Since the last Windows update a few days back I can't just hit F2 to get into the BIOS to change stuff anymore - have to go do the shift+restart method each time. And BIOS says Fast startup is disabled, so that's not it. Anyone know how to fix this?

 

Thanks Vasudev! Followed all the steps and booted into normal mode now with RAID in BIOS. This is the correct RAID driver right? If so I won't have to install anything else?

 

Intel RST wants me to update it to 16.7.0.1009 before running (after clicking the link). But this is older than the version currently installed (16.7.9.1027). How should I proceed here?

 

Some useful info for you about IRST drivers https://www.win-raid.com/t25f23-Which-are-the-quot-best-quot-Intel-AHCI-RAID-drivers.html

 

That's more like it! Thanks for all your help everyone!


Another thing - is there an optimal allocation size when the volume is initialized in Windows Disk Manager, or is "Auto" good enough? As @Ultra Male recommended I set stripe size to 64KB, so should that also be the allocation size in disk mgr?

 

I never messed with the allocation size, I just format it as usual and let Windows manage this:

But for reference, AS SSD Benchmark says my allocation size is.

C: 630784K (RAID Volume)
D: 16384K (Single 4TB 850 EVO SSD)

 

Sure, thanks. My OS drive (950 PRO 512gb) is almost full with installed programs. Now you mentioned that OS Raid 0 isn't worth it right?

 

nope, you won't tell a difference unless you are copying like 10GB of data then yes the RAID will be faster but in day to day usage, gaming, it's the same. In fact sometimes a single drive will have lower latency and faster random read/write speeds which are the biggest determining factor to when it comes to the "snappiness" feeling

 

but you didn't tell us what did you actually do to fix it?

 

Okay. Since my OS drive is almost full with programs is there a way to extend the drive to another m.2 ssd to increase space for programs?

 

Yes, it's called Spanned Disk

How to combine multiple hard drives into one volume on Windows 10

 

Yup right here just a few posts up...

 

To summarize for others who might have a similar issue, ie. TLDR: I wanted to RAID 0 2x2TB SATA SSDs. My OS is on a separate M.2. I started with Windows software raid (Storage Spaces in windows) but got HORRIBLE performance. Already had IRST installed. @Ultra Male recommended to do firmware raid in Bios. One problem - Windows was installed with Sata on AHCI mode a while back. When I tried raiding the two ssds, I couldn't boot into windows. So to solve this @Vasudev told me to switch from AHCI to Sata (yes, it's possible without having to wipe and reinstall Windows):

- Msconfig -> boot into safe mode minimal
- reboot to BIOS, set SATA config to RAID
- Exit BIOS and continue to Windows 10
- uninstall ahci controller from Device Manager
- msconfig -> boot normal
- reboot to windows
- uninstall IRST
- Install IRST
- Reboot to BIOS and create RAID 0 array under "Intel Rapid Storage Technology" menu. 64KB stripe size.
Then initialized the volume in Windows Disk management with default allocation size. Currently migrating data from HDDs to the new volume. Benchmarks for comparison (->single, windows raid 0, firmware raid 0). As you can see, windows raid is useless compared to firmware raid:

 

That's really better.

 

raid increases latency. unless you really want to up your sequential speed then no point of doing it.

go for a single NVMe SSD and you're set.

 

Yes, you can create the new RAID0 drive membership with a second matching M.2 using Intel RST. Same process you did in the BIOS. Remember to select 64K stripe size, not the 16K default. It will take a while to convert your Windows volume to RAID0, so be patient. DO NOT reboot until the process is complete, or your Windows installation will likely be ruined. After the conversion is done, reboot. Then go into the Windows Disk Management utility and expand the volume to use up the unallocated disk space. (The unallocated disk space is the capacity of the added M.2 drive, or 50% of the RAID volume capacity.)

 

So if done this way my OS drive will convert to a raid array without getting wiped?

 

Yes, I have done this at least a dozen times before and it works flawlessly. Just be prepared to let it run 30 minutes to an hour, or even longer, depending on how large the drives are and how much data is on the current drive that has files on it. The reason it takes a long time is because it has to copy half the files to the other drive(s) in the membership and it verifies file integrity on all files copied.

I would always either find something else to do, or start the process when I was about ready to go to bed and then I never noticed or cared how long it took. It is still much faster than reinstalling the OS and all of your programs, tweaks, etc.

When you are setting it up in the RST Control Center, just be sure that you choose the correct drive as the one to keep the data from and be sure to set the 64K (or 128K) stripe size. I personally like 128K because it favors larger file transfer speeds, but 64K does better with smaller files as others have suggested.

 

Great, thanks. My current drive is the 950 pro. If I added an HP EX920 (512gb) would Raid 0 work fine? Apart from the fact that 950 pro is slower than the ex920.

 

Its not recommended to do RAID on disks of different make/model.