Setting up raid 0 on my system (need suggestions)

[Marshall Moore]

My system now has one HDD and one SSD. I have found a good price finally on an identical HDD. I have my OS installed on my SSD. Is it possible to simply backup my data from my HDD. Install the new HDD. Set these two drives to raid 0. Restore the data.

Any suggestion, Marshall Moore

 

[Golden]

Yes, no problem Marshall. Be sure to backup your data regularly from the RAID0 once its up & running to avoid catastrophic data loss in the event that one of the member disks of the RAID array fails on you.

Some background reading on RAID0, if you aren't familiar with it:
Standard RAID levels - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

 

[NoN]

Some tutorials:

How to Set Up RAID on Your PC

How to setup a Raid

Guide for installing and configuring Raid

 

[Marshall Moore]

Thank you for your response. I am familiar with raid configurations I learned about it in Computer School, however I have never physically set one up. I have one more thought and would like to ask you. I have many programs installed to my HDD. If my backup is done with an image backup and I restore back to the raid 0 shouldn't my system be just the same as before (identical) user experience except for now a performance boost?

Thanks, Marshall

 

[NoN]

Thank you for your response. I am familiar with raid configurations I learned about it in Computer School, however I have never physically set one up. I have one more thought and would like to ask you. I have many programs installed to my HDD. If my backup is done with an image backup and I restore back to the raid 0 shouldn't my system be just the same as before (identical) user experience except for now a performance boost?

Thanks, Marshall

If your programs are just data, and not launch from the actual SSD it shouldn't be a problem.

For Raid configuration you should see what kind of Raid Array you'd like, one for better Performance (Raid 0) or better data protection (Raid 5).

 

[kbrady1979]

What do you have on your HDD that you need the performance of RAID 0 for? I would use RAID 1 for redundancy and backups and keep everything that needs to run faster on the SSD. Just my thoughts.

 

[Golden]

I have many programs installed to my HDD. If my backup is done with an image backup and I restore back to the raid 0 shouldn't my system be just the same as before (identical) user experience except for now a performance boost?

Yes, thats correct - you should get a performance increase, but it depends on the application. What are you using to create/restore the image? I recommend Macrium for that:

http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/73828-imaging-free-macrium.html

Whilst I don't believe in lecturing people not to use RAID (I use it myself) I try to remind people to familiarise themselves with the risks associated with any RAID setup before they proceed:
RAID, not such a clever idea for a home pc

 

[Marshall Moore]

Clarifying my reason for the question.

I want to explain why I am doing this raid thing. I an enthusiast when it comes to PC's, so much so that I do things just to learn through experience. I have no real life need to set up a raid configuration. I just like to experiment. I am 53 and about two classes shy of an AAS degree in computer science. I may set up a raid 0 and after I have experienced the benefits I will know whether its practicable or not. Then I may just change it to a raid 1. I may even just build another PC and use the extra HDD in it. To me it is fun to do. I built this PC I have now with an 2600k just to play around and learn a little about overclocking. I have since returned the CPU settings back to default because I don't really need it. Had fun though playing around and experimenting, I even installed a nice CPU cooler so I wouldn't have to worry about overheating. Part of my motivation for doing these things is to gain pure hands on experience. I hope to some day become somewhat of an expert on PC's and I feel I can take the classroom knowledge to a new level by doing things hands on. Like I said earlier I have fun doing it too. I appreciate your opinions and advice. I am experimenting with the PC I use daily (in this case) so if I make mistakes assuming I can do a system image and a image restore without problems and it turns out I do, I will have to suffer the consequences. That is why I check with you guys first. I am going to try this I guess because no one has indicated that it will not work. I will restate what I am going to do. I have an SSD with the OS installed. I have one HDD with 2 partitions. I plan to make a system image of the HDD (Do nothing to the SSD). Install the identical HDD. Set the BIOS to raid 0. Restore the system image to the two HDD's setup in raid 0.
If anyone thinks I will encounter a problem please let me know. Thanks, Marshall

 

[Golden]

Hi,

Its great to experiment and see how it works first-hand. What you might also try (as a fail-safe for the image restore) is to manually copy your data to an external device (USB for example). That way, if the restore to the RAID fails (and I don't think it will), you can simply copy the data from the external to the RAID - this will definitely work as I have done this many times with both my RAID0 and RAID5.

Regards,
Golden

 

[Marshall Moore]

I have a 1 TB external HDD I plan to use. My internal is a 1.5 TB. Luckily I have a little less than 1 TB on it so my external should hold it. I wiped the external drive to empty it just for this. I will wipe it clean again afterwords if all goes well and use the external for normal backup use. I would have to buy another external to just transfer files. I guess I won't be doing that. I wish I had another to use and I sure would do that. If I bought another one I would only really need it once. So I hope it all goes well. If you have one I could borrow, I would appreciate it (just joking).

 

[Marshall Moore]

WOW thought of a new question

I have a new question. I will have 3 drives (2 HDD and 1 SSD). My motherboard has 2 (6 gb/s) sata connectors and 4 (3 gb's) sata connectors. I guess I should connect the SSD to a 3 gb/s and the HDD's to the 6gb's. What do you think?

 

[NoN]

I have a new question. I will have 3 drives (2 HDD and 1 SSD). My motherboard has 2 (6 gb/s) sata connectors and 4 (3 gb's) sata connectors. I guess I should connect the SSD to a 3 gb/s and the HDD's to the 6gb's. What do you think?

Yes, it is in that manner you should plug the SSD in SATA II and HDD in SATA III but only if you plan to use the SSD for caching.

Also, if you have the two HDD in Sata 6Gb/s and doing RAID with them, The SSD can go on Sata 3Gb/s.

OR

In the opposite situation, two HDD in Sata 3Gb/s plugs and the SSD for the O.S in Sata 6Gb/s.

What are the Speed specs of your Hard drives include SSD?

In Bios don't forget to set in Raid mode for Caching or other.

Install the Sata Raid drivers in F6 mode during the OS install.

 

[Golden]

All of them can go in the 3Gb/s slots - there isn't a disk yet made that fully utilise the 3Gb/s capacity, let alone the 6Gb/s. It also simplifies the controller (Intel presumably) since the 6Gb/s often require the installation of the Marvell controller to work in RAID (this is motherboard dependent) which complicates it a bit.

 

[NoN]

All of them can go in the 3Gb/s slots - there isn't a disk yet made that fully utilise the 3Gb/s capacity, let alone the 6Gb/s. It also simplifies the controller (Intel presumably) since the 6Gb/s often require the installation of the Marvell controller to work in RAID (this is motherboard dependent) which complicates it a bit.

Sorry, but my main hard drive is on Sata 6Gb/s and the controler Intel tells well it is on Sata 6Gb/s Generation. As the SSD when not Caching can show Sata 6Gb/s.

You cannot plug the SSD in Sata 6Gb/s when using it in Raid mode coupled with a hard drive. OS Limitation downgrade it to Sata 3Gb/s.

But SSD can be use alone on the Sata 6Gb/s.

Just don't forget to do a F6 Install with a thumb drive

GA-Z68X-UD5-B3: (according to specs, it doesn't need the marvel controller to be set yet, as it is e-sata controller on back panel)

 

[Marshall Moore]

Both the HDD's are 6gb/s compatable. They are Hitachi Deskstar 7K3000's 64 cache.
SSD is OCZ Vertex 3.

 

[NoN]

Both the HDD's are 6gb/s compatable. They are Hitachi Deskstar 7K3000's 64 cache.
SSD is OCZ Vertex 3.

Since all three of them are in SATA 6Gb/s.

I suppose you should let the SSD on Sata 6Gb/s with OS and put the two HDD on sata 3Gb/s plugs.

I do not know if it really important to set the jumpers on the Hard Drives Hitachi to reduce the spinning at Sata 3Gb/s for more efficiency & stability. Or should the MB does it for you.

Maybe have a closer read at their Data Sheet HERE