Switching to RAID 0 from single SSD O Z Vertex4 on win7 64bit Pro

[Xrkc6x]

Ehi guys question is simple, I've just installed my new machine and I want to add a second SSD to create a RAID 0, do I need to install win again or I just need to configure the raid on the bios and create the array? If nit how? I gave a rampage IV extreme motherboard

Thx

 

[Kaapstad]

Yes you have to configure RAID0 to create the array and reinstall windows.

 

[Xrkc6x]

Cool no way then to do it without reinstalling everything

 

[Friss]

If your chipset RAID controller is intel rapid storage, ite can migrate a "RAID ready" system to RAID 0. "migrate" _should_ keep data/programs/everything, but I would back up in case it goes wrong...

To make your system RAID ready, first Windows needs the RAID drivers, which can be fixed here: http://support.microsoft.com/kb/922976#method2

Then set the SATA mode to RAID in bios, and install the Intel rapid storage GUI.

It's probably best to just reinstall windows like Kaapstad says though...

 

[wazza300]

Wouldn't cloning the windows install to a spare hdd then setup the ssd raid 0 and clone the hdd back to the raid 0 work?

You would need to do the reg tweak to enable you to install raid drivers from within windows before you cloned your pre raid drive,hope that made sense

 

[Chicken #16]

I wanted to install windows on raid0 ssd drives but I read people suggesting it wasn't the best idea, saying the extra loading of the drivers at startup would do away with any benefit.

 

[Kaapstad]

I wanted to install windows on raid0 ssd drives but I read people suggesting it wasn't the best idea, saying the extra loading of the drivers at startup would do away with any benefit.

Yes it takes a few seconds longer to boot up but remember you only have to do that once to use the PC.

The real downside with raid0 is 2 or more SSDs = 2 or more possible drive failures. If you are doing anything that needs reliability avoid raid0. For me I have no problem with raid0 as I use my PCs for gaming and any important data I backup.

 

[Xrkc6x]

Thanks a lot guys to you all fir all these useful information, I'm sure ill go for a fresh install:

1. Install the second ssd
2. Configure the bios
3. Create the array
4. Install windows
5. Install intel raid technology driver/software

Btw the thing is, I need more space so ill add one more ssd and just cause my pc is a really high spec pc, why don't do raid 0? ill have my sensible data on a 2TB sata 3 hard drive and my os and games on the raid

Thanks!

 

[Xrkc6x]

If your chipset RAID controller is intel rapid storage, ite can migrate a "RAID ready" system to RAID 0. "migrate" _should_ keep data/programs/everything, but I would back up in case it goes wrong...

To make your system RAID ready, first Windows needs the RAID drivers, which can be fixed here: http://support.microsoft.com/kb/922976#method2

Then set the SATA mode to RAID in bios, and install the Intel rapid storage GUI.

It's probably best to just reinstall windows like Kaapstad says though...

PS just to clarify, I need to install the fix ONLY if I won't perform a fresh install of windows correct?

 

[passey89]

PS just to clarify, I need to install the fix ONLY if I won't perform a fresh install of windows correct?

yeh thats right.

Do a fresh install as doing that probably wont do it properly.

I'm running RAID 0 on my crucial M4's and its fine atm. takes about 3 seconds longer to boot than in AHCI but once in windows speeds are twice as fast.

Yeh ur stepds are right

1. set storage to RAID
2. Create RAID array
3. install windows
4. install mobo drivers (latest ones out).

 

[Xrkc6x]

yeh thats right.

Do a fresh install as doing that probably wont do it properly.

I'm running RAID 0 on my crucial M4's and its fine atm. takes about 3 seconds longer to boot than in AHCI but once in windows speeds are twice as fast.

Yeh ur stepds are right

1. set storage to RAID
2. Create RAID array
3. install windows
4. install mobo drivers (latest ones out).

thanks a lot!, i will give it a try tonight, just got my second vertex 4 ssd , i will let you know by performing a benchmark using HD Tune PRO before and after (nnow i'm around 300/400 Mb/s) but the system was downloading as well @1,2Mb/s so maybe it was not "idle"

ps yep i have downloaded it on the asus website, they are marked oct2012

 

[Xrkc6x]

after creating the raid array i had to install the drivers copying the RST Intel for RAID controllers on a usb stick 2.0 otherwise the installation was not "able" to speak with disk

 

[Xrkc6x]

And i add also cs maybe will be useful, I had to install the rst drivers again once windows started cause first time I didn't and on restart I got "error reading from disk please reboot" loooool so I formatted again, installed and everything was correct, I hope, could somebody confirm this thing? Also what about performances? It's not exactly 1000mb/s right?