Installing Raid0 with Win7

Im installing win7 for the first time. I want to set it up in a raid0 config.
does it matter whether I use the 64 or 32bit discs? to my understanding the 64bit allows me to use more ram in the future, is that correct?

so should go with that?

also, have seen several posts saying that win7 has the necessary drivers for raid0 contained on it and I don't need to download them separately. could someone Confirm/deny this ?

I have had vista set up and running in raid0 config on this system so I know it will work, just want to make sure I do it right the first time with win7.

Q - is there a link on this board anywhere to a guild for a raid0 install for win7? I've checked the stickys but I can't seem to see one.


many thanks

also - the drivers that Im supposed to download they are for the mobo correct? not the video card?

this is my mobo

http://support.asus.com/download/dow...Language=en-us

so I should download v1.16? 2007 doesn't seem very recent to me.

This is just a general guide RAID

that guide is a little outdated. I was hoping to find something that was specifically for windows7, just so I'd have a frame of reference in case I ran into any problems or needed to do some troubleshooting.

Guide for Windows 7 How to Set Up RAID on Your PC - PC World

hrm

Hrm that explains what a raid is but not much in the way of specifics of a win7 install
ty anyways tho

There has to be something out there for you
how to install Raid 0 on Windows 7 - Google Search=

Do you have Vista installed in RAID0 at the moment? If so, simply boot up from the Windows 7 disk (make sure that the boot order is set to boot up from DVD first in your BIOS) and see if it picks up the full size of the array. It will be using the appropriate driver that it loads into RAM - this comes from the DVD and not your HDD. The Windows 7 DVD contains more drivers than the Vista DVDs and, as a case in point, correctly identified my RAID0 array whereas Vista could only identify it after being provided with 3rd party drivers.

If this proves successful, then you should be ready to go. If your system supports 64-bit, then I would go with that.

Apart from optionally providing storage drivers (if the array is not detected) at the appropriate point in installing Windows 7, the actual installation between RAIDed and none-RAIDed systems is identical.

LieutenantFrost said:

Hrm that explains what a raid is but not much in the way of specifics of a win7 install
ty anyways tho

Click to expand...

I do not recommend using RAID on a desktop PC. For all the time consuming, complicated configuration, and maintenance effort required, the benefits are minuscule.

However, for those who insist (I have some experience with desktop RAID, so others should also have that opportunity also), you will find information at Microsoft about Windows Server 2003 that will apply to Windows 7 desktops. How much and how well has not been documented so you proceed at your own risk:

HOW TO: Establish a Striped Volume (RAID 0) in Windows Server 2003

Create a striped volume: Storage Services; Local File Systems; File and Storage Services

Cheers!
Robert

I have an experience with it too .... all bad. I'll never have that set-up again.

negative experience?

what negative experience have you had? and why would you not recommend it?

LieutenantFrost said:

what negative experience have you had? and why would you not recommend it?

Click to expand...

Welcome to Windows 7 Support Forums,
Its hard to give you a definitive answer since your system specs are incomplete.
Using redundant drives for a desktop will pose challenges if you are doing a clean install over a previous OS. If the previous install was not RAID configured BIOS settings will need to be changed, depending on SATA/IDE connections AHCI will need to be enabled. RAID configured drives are best set as 00, 01 02 etc.
If you have the time and the patience and have the pre-existing hardware by all means you will have the additional safety of file backup.
The wonderful thing about Windows 7 is the image backup option which makes it a heck of lot easier to just back the entire drive up to an inexpensive external/internal drive.

Regards,
Adrian