Windows 7 - setting up a RAID0

pjreis · 12-04-2010

Looking to set up a Raid0 with 2 x 1 TB drives. Only problem is the drives are from 2 different companies. 1 is a HITACHI Deskstar 1TB 7200 RPM SATA 3.0gb/s, the other is SAMSUNG Spinpoint F3 HD103SJ 1TB 7200 RPM SATA 3.0Gb/s. Am i able still able to combine these 2 drives to make Raid0 array?

PooMan UK · 12-04-2010

Welcome to the forums pal.

Yep you will be fine, same size (make a model has no difference)

pjreis · 12-04-2010

Thanks!!

I was looking to set up this RAID0 with a vertex2 60gb SSD for my OS drive. Does anyone know if I will lose TRIM feature using this setup and if I do lose TRIM is there any way around that? Do i need to secure sweep drive every 6 mos or so to keep drive optimal?

Icarus · 12-09-2010

No Trim in Raid. Does your drives have any garbage collection of any kind? That should still work as it's in the firmware...

mpcrsc562 · 12-09-2010

Quote: Originally Posted by PooMan UK

Welcome to the forums pal.

Yep you will be fine, same size (make a model has no difference)

That's not necessarily true. The drive controllers may interact differently when connected in RAID 0. I had RAID 0 a WD 320 GB Caviar Blue drive and a Hitachi Deskstar 320 GB drive in a Windows Vista setup and got Operating System corruption errors and BSODs when using the RAID. Individually, each drive worked great and each drive was tested by the manufacturer testing tools (like SeaTools for Seagate drives).

Simply put, both drives together in a RAID 0 config did not play nice with each other. The possibility exists that you could run into the same problem(s) with drives from different manufacturers

I'd try it but don't install any valuable files until you can have a very sure idea that the array will work.

PooMan UK · 12-09-2010

Well that's Vista for you pal

Raid requirements are set up in the BIOS or via a controller card (no drivers required). Additionally the OS may need drivers to manage the RAID config, but this is normally not necessary. I have set up many a RAID config and have never had an issue between drives from different manufacturers causing bsod, maybe you were unlucky but I still stand by my guns by saying that the OP should be OK when using 2 different manufacturers drives with the same spec.
Obviously test this out first (even if they are the same make/model) but do the config via the RAID utility as a RAID configured at a hardware level, should be transparent to the OS and is always preferable

mpcrsc562 · 12-09-2010

I am in no way trying to say that you are wrong. I was giving my input with my experience with drives from two different manufacturers. When I referred to the controller, I was referring to the actual disk controller--different drives, possible different disk controller, possibility of not working together quite right when used in a RAID 0 config.

By all means, stand by your guns -- again, I wasn't trying to say that you were wrong or didn't know what you were talking about. I'm just saying "Be careful and a problem could crop up--stay alert and be aware."

Peace!

Tweek · 03-10-2011

Quote: Originally Posted by mpcrsc562

I am in no way trying to say that you are wrong. I was giving my input with my experience with drives from two different manufacturers. When I referred to the controller, I was referring to the actual disk controller--different drives, possible different disk controller, possibility of not working together quite right when used in a RAID 0 config.

By all means, stand by your guns -- again, I wasn't trying to say that you were wrong or didn't know what you were talking about. I'm just saying "Be careful and a problem could crop up--stay alert and be aware."

Peace!

several months back i was trying to hook up a friend of mine with a RAID setup of some kinds, and I tried using a pair of WD 1Tb Drives, Both Caviars, equal specs, one WD1001FYPS and one WD10EACS, Both 1TB 16MB Cache SATAII Drives, Highpoint RocketRAID 2310 Controller, Couldn't read the Array or even really get them to stay initialized at all... Turns out one of those wasn't a full 7200? anyways I ended up giving in on the attempt with those and went another route when setting that system up...

It's not always an issue, but sometimes it's just so much easier to stick with identical drives, If not, you'll be fine if ALL the specs match...

cheers

Windows 7 - setting up a RAID0

setting up a RAID0 problems?