Windows 7: Backup RAID0/Recover to new drive/Need advice

Hi, until recently I had an XP PC with a single main OS IDE HD. To backup I performed monthly an Acronis clone to an identical 2nd IDE HD that I bought for this purpose. Easy.
Now I have a Windows 7 PC with two identical SSD's in RAID0 as main OS drive and a 2nd internal HD. I would like to perform a backup of this system so that I can later restore it to any HD configuration I choose (for example a single SSD, or a single HD, etc). Is this possible or the restore will need to be done to the same original configuration (two SSD's in RAID0+2nd int HD)? What would be the simplest software that will accomplish this? Thanks for your suggestions

Hello Antares,

It doesn't matter if they are in RAID or single so long as they are large enough to restore the image to.

RAID is treated just like any single drive, but you would just need to have RAID setup how you like before restoring the clone to it.

Hope this helps,
Shawn

Hi Shawn, you say "restore the clone"...it's my understanding that a "clone" does not need to be "restored" because it's an identical bootable copy of the original (you just physically replace the failed drives with the clone). So isn't it better to say "restore/recover the backup" or "restore/recover the image"?
So basically you are saying that after the backup is created (for example to an external USB drive), then I install the new drive/s in the PC (either single, or multiple in any RAID config that I setup from BIOS, Ctrl-I), boot from the Backup Software Boot DVD and restore the backup? What backup solution (free or paid) would be the most simple? Being that it's RAID0 I'd need to perform backups regularly.

You could use any system image program you like.

If you have Acronis True Image, then you could continue to use it. Some other good ones is Macrium Reflect, and the built in System Image feature in Windows 7.

i think some data recovery software may help (like power data recovery by MiniTool ) but i am not sure.