New Build: How do I NOT screw up Windows?

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Hello man

Hello man

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Aug 11, 2013
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Hey guys,

So this definately isn't my first rodeo, but I just bit the bullet and bought a Strix X370-F mobo, some Team Delta RGB DDR4 and will be ordering my R5 1600 shortly. However, EVERY time I do a build or rebuild rather, I get stuck re-installing Windows and lose all my data, files, applications etc. I swear I see Linus Tech Tips grab random SSD's with Windows on them and magically use them to boot with all sorts of different hardware configs. Am I missing something really basic?

I also have somewhat of a unique storage situation. I have 1 250GB SSD (OS Drive), 1 320GB spinning drive for games, and TWO 3TB drives running in software RAID, formatted as RE-FS and holding critical photos (I am a photographer). Will I lose the data if I have to re-install Windows and am using a new motherboard?

Thanks a mucho
 
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So-the new build is up and running!! Here is the amazing thing-I never had to re install windows in the first place. I was convinced I would have to. I attempted for about 3 hours to successfully make a Windows 10 installation disk on a USB drive but it failed about 100 times and I resolved to just try and upgrade again from 7 Ultimate. (I know the upgrade option is technically closed, but that isn't really the case-it still works).

Anyways, plugged everything in, powered up, and to my surprise, Windows said something to the effect of "loading drivers" and shortly thereafter started up. Sure, I had to spend an hour with support getting...
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RektSkrubz

RektSkrubz

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Sep 12, 2015
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Windows HATES new chipsets and motherboards. In fact, I'm waiting for a new drive to put windows on for my second PC. I really don't know how Linus does it, but I just keep my second OS on another drive (or clone it to another), then install Windows new on the primary drive.
 
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Hello man

Hello man

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Aug 11, 2013
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You can make an installation disk out of a thumb drive corect? Only reason I ask is I did the upgrade to Windows 10 Pro from Win 7 Ultimate and now don't have an install disk for 10 because of this.
 
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Flyfisherman

Flyfisherman

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May 29, 2012
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No at all. As Long as You separate Windows installation drive from all other psychical droves where You store Your personal data, documents photos, films etc You will be safe.

Best regards from Sweden :)

 
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Hello man

Hello man

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What about the RAID array? Do you think it will just show up as two different drives with exactly the same data? It is software RAID, so no controler is physically present in the system. I just fear that if I have to rebuild the disk it will make me remove the data from them.
 
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USAFRet

USAFRet

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Mar 16, 2013
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This depends...what RAID level?
0, 1, other?

Personally, I think there are much better ways to safeguard your data.
Actual backups, because RAID is not a 'backup'. It is only for availability.

Data on a single RAID array is not much different than having it on single drive. Very vulnerable to all sorts of losses.


Bottom line...rebuilding the system with new hardware, a new OS, or whatever...should never, ever impact your personal data.
Read here for some backup scenarios: http://www.tomshardware.com/forum/id-3383768/backup-situation-home.html
The first post is my personal procedure.
 
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Hello man

Hello man

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Aug 11, 2013
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It is raid 1. I read a lot of articles on the merits of software RAID in Windows V.S. physical RAID and decided to do software. Mostly just in case I had drive failure or something. The drives are a newer file system, they are RE FS which is supposed to be a more resillient file system. It is more an issue of because WIndows created the redunstnat array, not the BIOS, a new install won't know they were.
 
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USAFRet

USAFRet

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Right.
And this is where the backup comes into play.
If you have to rebuild the RAID for whatever reason, no big deal.
Rebuild it, and then copy the data back over from your actual backup.

Data in a RAID array is still only 1 copy of that data. Virus, accidental deletion, etc, etc...All can make that file go away forever.

For your photography, each and every file needs to exist in at least 2, preferably more, places.
A RAID 1 array is but a single place.

For instance, my similar files (hobbyist photographer) lives in at least 2, generally 3 places.
On my PC, a full backup to the RAID 5 NAS box every night, and then a weekly backup every wednesday of the entire NAS box.

If my PC dies or needs to be rebuilt, no problem. The data on the NAS is never more than 24 hours old.
If the NAS dies, the data is still on the PC and in the NAS backup.
If both my PS and the NAS box melt into a pile of goo at the same time, at most I've lost is a weeks worth of data.
 
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Hello man

Hello man

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Aug 11, 2013
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Yeah, read your post on the backup system you use. Seems like a pretty fool-proof system. I have long wanted to build a NAS, mostly because I find consumer ones to be overpriced for the services/hardware they offer. Do you reccomend a backup software? I am assuming full bootable images are preferable over just files?
 
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USAFRet

USAFRet

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The single manual part of my entire backup routine is to power cycle the external USB dock on Wednesday morning.
Wednesday at 7AM, the NAS box starts its own backup routine to an 8TB drive connected via USB. At the end of that process...2-3 hours, it automatically Ejects that drive. Powers it off and disconnect.
Wednesday as I go out the door for work, power cycle that USB dock, to wake up the drive and let the NAS box see it.

Everything else is fully automated.

Fully bootable images? No.
I prefer images and Incremental or Differential backups.
Currently, I recover the whole system, or any individual drive, from its condition in any of the last 14 days.
A single fully bootable image is just that...1, instead of a granular 14 iterations.

And the software I use, Macrium Reflect, allows you to reach into any individual 'image', and recover a single file.

So lets say I have a treasured image, and make edits to that over several days. If I really needed, I could recover the file as it was last Tuesday at 2AM. Or Wednesday, Or the previous Friday.
 
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Hello man

Hello man

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Aug 11, 2013
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Thanks for all the help thus far. My motherboard, RAM, 140mm fan and LED strips all slowed up today. The R5 1600 should arrive tomorrow. Presuming this new RAM from Team works with Ryzen (not sure, but fingers crossed) I will be able to get my build together tomorrow.

I am currently making a backup of the RAID array and my boot SSD. This brings me to one last (hah) question. My games are on the old 320gb drive, so I don't have to worry about re-installing them in the new windows installation. However, is there any way I can get around re-installing all my programs that are on the boot drive? This would be stuff like adobe lightroom, after effects, EVGA Precision X, Mozilla thunderbird etc. Same thing applies to keeping my preferences within Windows.
 
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Hello man

Hello man

Honorable
Aug 11, 2013
1,826
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12,465


So-the new build is up and running!! Here is the amazing thing-I never had to re install windows in the first place. I was convinced I would have to. I attempted for about 3 hours to successfully make a Windows 10 installation disk on a USB drive but it failed about 100 times and I resolved to just try and upgrade again from 7 Ultimate. (I know the upgrade option is technically closed, but that isn't really the case-it still works).

Anyways, plugged everything in, powered up, and to my surprise, Windows said something to the effect of "loading drivers" and shortly thereafter started up. Sure, I had to spend an hour with support getting Windows activated again, but that was due more to a glitch on their end. They even gave me a new windows 10 product key for free!

Anyways, here is what you really want-some shots of the build!

It looks like the color scheme of the LEDs is pink and white, but in reality is pink and blue, the blue just didn't really show well in the photos when drowned in so much pink...






 
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