Software Raid 1 question

[jimskeet2002]

Hi
I just got a new SSD as my system drive and now I want to get 2 300gb hdds as raid 1 for more security on my personal files.
i plan to do this by using windows 7 software raid feature. My question is. If one of them fails, will the second boot normally? Also if one fails can I just replace it and rebuild the 2nd drive without losing my files? Last thing I want to ask is that do the drives need to be identical to use raid 1 in windows software raid? Or will it work with 2 drives with different size but just use as size the smallest one?

I am new to raid so any help will be welcome

 

[noidea_77]

All your assumptions are right - in theory! One disk will work, you can replace the second one with a bigger disk and so on. But a raid1 adds only very little security to your personal file! Any unintentional delete and any virus will be mirrored to the second drive and destroy your files. Beside that your raid totally relies on the raid driver for your mobo. It's unlikely to get a raid to run on a different mobo. My recommendation: just run the two drives and sync them frequently with MS SyncToy for example.

 

[JeauxBleaux]

Hi
I just got a new SSD as my system drive and now I want to get 2 300gb hdds as raid 1 for more security on my personal files.

The second drive will not "boot" at all since your system files are on your SSD and the SSD is the drive your system wil boot from. Perhaps it's a matter of semantics, your second (or surviving ) HDD will spinup and continue to provide access to your files in the event you lose the other HDD. And yes, you can count on being able to rebuild the drive you replaced.

The drives do not need to be identically sized but you will lose all access to the excess size of the larger of the two.

 

[jimskeet2002]

Thanks for the answer. I didn't mean if my ssd fails for the system to boot. My current setup is 1 ssd as system drive. 1 800gb hdd and one 300gb hdd. I want to place another 300gb hdd and raid 1 it with the other 300gb hdd. When I asked about drive failure i meant that if one of the 2 300gb drives fails the other one will boot normally when i log into windows. I will be able to access my files on this one, right? And if one fails I just get a new one and I will be able to rebuild it based on the remaining one? All these with software raid in windows 7?

 

[noidea_77]

Yes, but the rebuild will only work with a drive of at least the same size. If you replace the broken drive with a different model, that is only one 512 byte block smaller, it will not work.

 

[jimskeet2002]

Oh thanks. I might use the sync tool you mentioned. thanks again.!!