Noob Win7 + SSD +Raid array install

tigerstyle

tigerstyle

tigerstyle

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I've only ever installed onto a single HDD before, but for my new build will be using an SSD as the boot drive (Crucial 64G M4) and then two Samsung 1Tb HDDs in RAID1

I'm unclear as to what bios settings I need to set during install, or setup of the RAID, or to have the HDDs unplugged for the initial install and add them later?

What changes I need to make to the Win7 install to keep the SSD happy (if any) Or if the boot order is going to mess up, you know noob things :)

Got any good links to refresh the skills :)
 
tigerstyle said:
I've only ever installed onto a single HDD before, but for my new build will be using an SSD as the boot drive (Crucial 64G M4) and then two Samsung 1Tb HDDs in RAID1

I'm unclear as to what bios settings I need to set during install, or setup of the RAID, or to have the HDDs unplugged for the initial install and add them later?

What changes I need to make to the Win7 install to keep the SSD happy (if any) Or if the boot order is going to mess up, you know noob things :)

Got any good links to refresh the skills :)
Click to expand...

For the SSD set the SATA controller its attached too from IDE to AHCI mode.

Attach the two HDD's too SATA ports that are using a different SATA controller than the SSD is attached too, then set the RAID mode in the BIOS for that.

Then do a Windows install and it will either recognise the RAID array, or you will have to install drivers/software for it.

But thats all I know about it, I havent used RAID for years, last time I used it I had to add RAID drivers to the Windows installation during the first parts of the installation with the drivers on a USB thumb drive.
 
Last edited:
P3N9U1N said:
You may want to have a look at this for SSD setup

http://www.zdnet.com/blog/bott/wind...up-tweaks/2910?pg=2&tag=content;siu-container
Click to expand...

Handy thanks, the ones I'd found were all fairly old, I know there have been changes in the hardware that those older guides might not reflect.

I forgot to mention it;s going to be an ASRock Z68 Pro motherboard, so the SSD can sit on the 6Gbps channel by itself with the two HDDs on the 'slower' 3GPBS channel, my recent reading tells me the HDDs won't really mind the slower channels despite the new drives being labelled as 6Gbps?

The DVD drive can sit on the same 6Gbps controller as the SSD ok?

Sounds like fun!
 
I would set up the ssd in ahci mode before plugging in the samsungs. You may need to set the controller to raid. Not all disks connected to a controller need be part of a raid

Install windows,

Connect raided disks then set up the raid array.
 
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