Raid 0 setup question for a noob

[letsrahk]

So currently I have a WD 640gb with my OS and everything but only like 100gb on it. I'm wanting to to get another WD 640gb to start a RAID 0 setup. But, I don't want to have to reinstall everything. So I saw that there was a guide on this. I have an old 120gb HD that I don't use right now. So before I get started I wanted to make sure I can do what I am thinking about doing...

1. Buying a new identical 640gb to the one I'm using now.
2. Clone the 640gb drive I'm using now to my extra 120gb drive using Acronis True Image
3. Boot from my 120gb drive and then set up the RAID 0 array with the two 640gb drives in RAID 0.
4. And then Clone the 120gb drive to the RAID 0 array, and then remove the 120gb drive and boot up from the RAID 0 array

Now before I start my step 3, do I need to reformat my 640gb drive that I have been using?

Does it matter what SATA ports I use on my MOBO? Like right now SATA0 boots up my comp. If I set up the array on SATA1 and SATA2, and then remove SATA0 when I'm done, will this cause any problems?

 

[thently]

Ok well you are about to start on quite an adventure here I have a 5 disk rado 0 and it is quite nice.. The Idea you have here is valid and no you will not have to format that will all be done through the raid utility when it creates the volume it formats it so sequintial bytes or on diffrent disks and such. Now back to your list I would more than highly recomend you doing a full reinstall onto the raid it will be much cleaner and will feel alot snapier IMHO... and installing to a raid is quite fast. Plus I would bet you could do a reinstall faster than 2 complete 100gig images back and forth but that is just my opinion. Oh and if you go with your list you will find no problem removing the 120 after you might have to change the boot order to raid though depending on your bios.

T

 

[goobaah]

There are some things that might hang you up with what you are trying. First off, if you controller is not setup as RAID (not IDE or AHCI) on your current 640, then windows does not have the correct driver installed to. Have acronis copy the image to the 120. Next, make sure you can boot off the 120. If this works and is stable, setup your RAID. Boot the computer off the 120 with the RAID configured. This will let your OS see the RAID 1.2 TB drive and it will be recognized and the drivers will be installed. At this point you can image the 120 to the RAID. Change the boot order and see if you can boot off the RAID at this point. If it does not work, there is a sticky in the storage forum with instructions on getting the RAID drivers installed on an OS that was not installed on a RAID.

Just do things piecewise. As far as re-installing clean, that is up to you. You know what time you have involved in getting you system setup. Plus, clean installs run faster for a while. Copying that image back an forth should take less than 30 minutes in either direction.

Good luck.