[SOLVED] ASUS TUF B550-Plus Setup

[griffmaestro]

This is only my 2nd computer build, so thanks in advance for your advice! Two questions:

1. I have two identical M.2 4.0 1TB cards installed, and I'm wondering if I can/should use them in a RAID setup so that I can use a "single" 2TB drive for my OS and programs/games? NOTE: on the ASUS TUF B550-Plus motherboard, one M.2 slot is PCIe 4.0, and the other is only 3.0.
-If YES, how do I do this (I've never set up RAID before).
-If NO, do you have suggestions for the best use of each drive separately? (dedicated OS drive (and which one?) and games/programs drive?)

2. Which of the ASUS programs/drivers do I actually need for this mobo?

Other rig info:
CPU: AMD Ryzen 5600X
GPU: MSI Mech Radeon 5700

 

[jojesa]

These are the steps I performed to set RAID on a similar ASUS B550 board

Create a Windows 10 installation media on a USB flash drive from Microsoft Website.
Download the RAID driver for your B550 chipset from AMD website.
Extract the RAID driver and save the folder to the Windows 10 installation media USB flash drive.
Plug the Windows 10 installation flash drive.
Go into the BIOS, click the Advanced tab and select SATA Configuration.
First, change RAID NVMe RAID mode to Enabled, then change SATA mode to RAID
Click the Boot tab and select CSM.
Change Launch CSM to Disabled.
Save changes and exit the BIOS.
Go back to the BIOS to select RAID mode (RAID0)
Click the Advanced tab and select RAIDXpert2.
Select Array Management and click on Create Array.
Select RAID Level (RAID0).
Click on Select Physical Disks and change Select Media Type to SSD.
Both NVMe disk will be listed, select On for both disks and click Apply Changes button.
Click on Create Array, Manage Array Properties and on Select Array: select Array 7
Click the Boot tab and change OS Type to Windows UEFI mode.
Save and exit BIOS.

Boot from the Windows 10 USB flash drive.
Select Language, Time and Keyboard...click the Next button.
On the "Windows Setup," click the Next button.
If an Activation window appears, click I don't have a product key option click Next.
Click the Install now button.
Select Windows 10 version (Education, Home, Pro, etc.) that matches your license...click the Next button.
Agree to license...click the Next button.
Click on the Custom: Install Windows only (Advanced) option.
Click on the Load driver link (disk icon).
Click the Browse button and click Browse on the popup window.
Navigate to the folder with the RAID driver, select the RAID driver and click the Next button.
Select the disk (Drive 0 Unallocated Space), click the Next button.
The setup will proceed with a fresh installation of Windows 10.


I would recommend installing Windows, App and Games on a disk and keeping your data (files) on the other disk.
On RAID0 If a drive happens to fail or it gets corrupted you will lose all data on all disks.

 

[griffmaestro]

Great! Thanks for the instructions and your recommendation. After reading more about the speed differences of PCIe 4.0 and 3.0, I think I've decided to go with your suggestion of keeping the drives separate, though what I've done is moved all of my "Users" data (Documents, Downloads, etc.) to the second drive, reserving the faster one for my OS and programs/games. Cheers!

 

[jojesa]

Make sure to only have one drive connected when installing Windows. You could add the other drive later on.
Windows setup likes to write boot partitions to any drive connected to the system.

 

[griffmaestro]

Thanks for the tip, jojesa! Actually, on my first attempt I had both drives installed, but then I couldn't tell which was which, so I ended up taking one out and then adding it back in after windows was installed on the faster drive.

 

[USAFRet]

if I can/should use them in a RAID setup

You really really should not.

The ONLY "benefit" thing it gives you is a single drive letter across the whole space.
It also increases complexity and fail potential.
If either drive dies, gets corrupted, or the RAID controller fails...all data is lost across both drives.

If NO, do you have suggestions for the best use of each drive separately? (dedicated OS drive (and which one?) and games/programs drive?)

OS and applications on one drive, games and other things on the other drive.

 

[USAFRet]

Steam games, for instance.

Steam games location
In the steam client:
Steam
Settings
Downloads
Steam Library Folders
Add library folder

To move an already installed game
Games library
Right click the game
Properties
Local Files
Move Install Folder

 

[griffmaestro]

Perfect! I appreciate the advice on how to use each drive to it's best potential. Steam games were exactly one of the things I was interested in hearing about, too.