Want to convert to a raid array but I don't have a Windows cd anymore.

ctobrien84 · Sep 7, 2016

Hi everyone. I currently have 4 hard drives. 2 of them are 500gb ssd's, both of them are the same exact drive, then I have a 1tb hdd, and a 4tb external. I want to combine the two ssd's in a raid, but I know that they'll have to be formatted. The issue is that I don't have a windows cd anymore. I've been upgrading since XP, and have since lost all of the media during moves and whatnot. So I have the option of backing up all of the data from the ssd's to one of my other drives, but how would I recover that data without being able to first install an OS? And if I backup my data now from the ssd's, will the data be able to be completely recovered and copied onto the single drive that the raid array will create? Thanks for the help.

drtweak · Sep 8, 2016

Ok quite a few things you need to do.

To use a RAID 0 on a OS drive you MUST have a hardware RAID. If you don't know if your motherboard does it or not post what your motherboard make is here.

ALSO! If one drive failes YOU WILL LOSE ALL FILES ON THAT RAID 0! SO HAVE A BACKUP! A lot of people are just like DON"T DO IT! Me I have nothing but RAID 0's but i have backups though.

First thing is follow the directions for converting to use to RAID here

http://www.overclock.net/t/1227636/how-to-change-sata-modes-after-windows-installation

reboot your PC and make sure it boots.

Then download and install Macirum Reflect. it is free. Make the rescue CD or a USB boot drive. Set aside.

Reboot the PC and go into the BIOS. Change of AHCI to RAID. Make sure your PC boots. If not go back and reset back to AHCI and check the registry settings.

If the PC boots go and use macrium reflect to make a backup to one of your other drives. Once the backup is done (I would verify it just to make sure the image is good) you want to turn off the PC. disconnect ALL drives but the 2 SSDs. When you start up there should be the option to enter the RAID configuations utility. Go though and make a RAID 0 of the two SSDs.

Turn off the PC, reconnect the hard drive. Go into the BIOS and set the RAID to the primary boot drive. Now boot from that rescue media.

Once loaded click on the restore tab, browse for an image, find your image you made, and then restore it to the new 1TB RAID 0. Once that is done restart your PC and you should be good! You may have to go in and expand the partition to get the rest of the space.

ctobrien84 · Sep 10, 2016

drtweak :

Ok quite a few things you need to do.

To use a RAID 0 on a OS drive you MUST have a hardware RAID. If you don't know if your motherboard does it or not post what your motherboard make is here.

ALSO! If one drive failes YOU WILL LOSE ALL FILES ON THAT RAID 0! SO HAVE A BACKUP! A lot of people are just like DON"T DO IT! Me I have nothing but RAID 0's but i have backups though.

First thing is follow the directions for converting to use to RAID here

http://www.overclock.net/t/1227636/how-to-change-sata-modes-after-windows-installation

reboot your PC and make sure it boots.

Then download and install Macirum Reflect. it is free. Make the rescue CD or a USB boot drive. Set aside.

Reboot the PC and go into the BIOS. Change of AHCI to RAID. Make sure your PC boots. If not go back and reset back to AHCI and check the registry settings.

If the PC boots go and use macrium reflect to make a backup to one of your other drives. Once the backup is done (I would verify it just to make sure the image is good) you want to turn off the PC. disconnect ALL drives but the 2 SSDs. When you start up there should be the option to enter the RAID configuations utility. Go though and make a RAID 0 of the two SSDs.

Turn off the PC, reconnect the hard drive. Go into the BIOS and set the RAID to the primary boot drive. Now boot from that rescue media.

Once loaded click on the restore tab, browse for an image, find your image you made, and then restore it to the new 1TB RAID 0. Once that is done restart your PC and you should be good! You may have to go in and expand the partition to get the rest of the space.

Thank you so much for the comprehensive answer! I really appreciate that. I do have one question though. Can I make install media with Windows 10 on a USB for instance, and backup my data, set my SSD's to raid effectively wiping them, then use the Win 10 install usb to re-install Win 10, then restore my backed up data?

drtweak · Sep 10, 2016

Yes. You can backup your data, then just make the RAID and reinstall (Which most people would say is the better way)

or if you don't want to reinstall follow my directions above.

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Want to convert to a raid array but I don't have a Windows cd anymore.

ctobrien84

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drtweak

drtweak

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ctobrien84

Reputable

drtweak

Illustrious

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