Hi all. This is my first post so please be gentle! I used to think I was fairly computer savvy (built a couple, know enough to do basic BIOS stuff), until I started to look at raid. After 5yrs and 3 unfortunate hard drive failures I have decided to upgrade and at the same time install a raid 1 array. I have an asus p8p67 Deluxe, OCZ vertex 3 120GB SSD to mount the OS and the most used programs and all My Documents info, mujsic video and pics will be on a pair of Samsung 2TB F4's. Obviously these are the two I will Raid. Problem is I've read elswhere about installing the OS (windows 7 home premium 64bit) under AHCI as its newer than Raid, but mobo manual is saying use raid in bios setting. Also I believe windows 7 has software raid, but I can also use hardware raid and then there is an Intel Bios Raid or something? I know what Raid is, there just seems to be such a number of ways of doing it, I'm getting lost! Apologies if there is already a thread for this, I did search but missed it if it was out there. I would appreciate any advice people can give. Finally, I don't think this is possible - I am consolidating a bunch of smaller drives to a 2TB. Can I do this and then raid the disks, or will they have to be formatted to set up the array? Thanks for reading!
Novice Raid Advice
- Thread starter BlindXX
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The P8P67 Deluxe haws an Intel and Marvell controller, you want to use the Intel, which has 2 x SATA6 and 4 x SATA3 ports, connect your Vertex to a SATA6 port (grey in colour), and select RAID in BIOS (but do NOT go into Intel RAID BIOS), this will then run the Vertex 3 in AHCI mode and install Win 7, then connect your 2 x 2TB Samsungs to 2 x SATA3 (blue in colour), go into Intel RAID BIOS (press CTRL + I) and create your RAID1 volume, then exit, I would then install Intel Rapid Storage Technology software (which will also update drivers) and Intel chipset drivers, latest are available from Intel downloads.
However, for less hassle, I would not bother setting up your 2TB Samsungs in RAID1, but simply connect them to the Intel cont and run them as single drives, and duplicate the data you want to backup on both drives (so before you install Win 7 on your Vertex 3, select AHCI mode in BIOS and not RAID).
Also, be sure to read the section in the Asus manual about setting up and using the Intel controller...
However, for less hassle, I would not bother setting up your 2TB Samsungs in RAID1, but simply connect them to the Intel cont and run them as single drives, and duplicate the data you want to backup on both drives (so before you install Win 7 on your Vertex 3, select AHCI mode in BIOS and not RAID).
Also, be sure to read the section in the Asus manual about setting up and using the Intel controller...
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Thanks, thats made it a lot clearer. I usually do an external back-up every month or so, but always seem to have a drive failure just before I'm due to back-up again, hence the RAID setup in addition. I also forget/can't be bothered to back-up quite as often as I should! Seems fairly straightforward now you've put it in plain speak!
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your setup sounds similar to mine, except I don't have an SSD, I use a raptor for my OS.
Simply set the storage controller to RAID mode and put your two 2TB drives in a RAID1 (Mirror) - preferbly different brand/batch. This will erase the 2TB drives btw
If your SSD is on the same controller, you will need to modify the registry before doing this so the OS is no longer expecting AHCI, you may even have to re-install windows.
Since you are on windows 7: make 4 folders (music, videos, documents and pictures), configure the libraries to include these folders from your 2TB RAID. Perhaps make two more folders: downloads/software which are not part of the library. Backup or re-direct your internet favourtes to the drive also.
Sorted.
Simply set the storage controller to RAID mode and put your two 2TB drives in a RAID1 (Mirror) - preferbly different brand/batch. This will erase the 2TB drives btw
If your SSD is on the same controller, you will need to modify the registry before doing this so the OS is no longer expecting AHCI, you may even have to re-install windows.
Since you are on windows 7: make 4 folders (music, videos, documents and pictures), configure the libraries to include these folders from your 2TB RAID. Perhaps make two more folders: downloads/software which are not part of the library. Backup or re-direct your internet favourtes to the drive also.
Sorted.
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use the Intel RAID as it supprots TRIM passthrough as long as it's set to "AHCI RAID". Put the SSD on the 6Gb/s, and the 2x 2TB drives on the 3Gb/s ports (make sure your board is a B3 revised one).
Yeah, it's a B3 revision, or will be when it arrives! OK, so this may be a REALLY dumb question. "AHCI RAID" is not an option in the bios (at least according to the manual). Is this as simple as setting RAID before installing Windows as Jbloggs above said? Apologies if I'm being stupid here.
Soldato
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depending on how your drives are failing, having a raid 1 array might ensure that both your copies of data are nuked when one or other drive fails for whatever reason.
I read the manual, but was still unclear, looked on a few forums and then got more confused as there seemed to be conflicting advice. The main issue was installing OS under AHCI or RAID - Wiki stated that RAID was an older tech so I assumed it would not support AHCI. Then I saw a therad that said you can't use trim, then I got really confused and posted here. I think I know what I need to do now, thanks to all the help and as its a new install there's not too much that can go horrible wrong. Worst comes to teh worst I'll run them in tandem and just copy across as was suggested. Thanks for all the advice.