Can I install RAID without reinstalling Windows &?

[lokii_0]

I have an SSD on which my OS resides. I have a platter HD for non essential data, and would like to set it up in RAID 0 for better performance. I will have another identical drive to my 1st platter drive and will be setting up RAID using the onboard MB controller.
Every guide that I have found online has assumed that you are installing Windows on the RAID array; my question is this: since my OS is installed on a separate drive which will not be installed on the RAID array, do I still need to reinstall Windows, and if not, what do i need to do in order to ensure that Windows recognizes the RAID array?

 

[MRFS]

> do I still need to reinstall Windows?

Probably YES!

That depends a LOT on whether or not you configured your onboard MB
controller for RAID MODE initially, or not.

There is a very good reason why Intel highly recommends that
the BIOS be set initially to RAID mode, even if all devices will be JBOD
starting out.

Intel calls this "RAID Ready".


If you have NOT set your BIOS to RAID mode, you can expect big problems.


BEST WAY to reach your goal is to start over with a fresh install of Windows
and, before inserting the Windows Setup disc, set your BIOS to RAID mode
for the onboard MB controller.

And, some BIOS subsystems require that the Option ROM be enabled separately,
so don't forget to do that too if there is a separate option to ENABLE or DISABLE it.

Then, invoke the Option ROM for that controller, and configure the SSD as JBOD
and your 2 platter drives as members of a RAID 0 array.

Also, have the correct device driver ready to load at the correct moment:
XP and Windows 7 Setups differ slightly in the way they obtain that device driver:
XP requires that device driver to be on a floppy disk; Windows 7 can read it
from any available storage device e.g. USB thumb drive or optical disc.

After Windows Setup loads that device driver, it will detect your SSD as one device,
and the RAID 0 as a second storage device.

Then, you should be able to complete Windows Setup with no further problems.


p.s. Some isolated Users have reported some success with
specialized patch programs that allow you to switch BIOS mode to RAID
withOUT re-installing Windows: the one we tried failed miserably, however.


MRFS

 

[MRFS]

Also, almost forgot to mention: save all private data to some other media,
because you MAY need to reformat both the SSD and the RAID 0 array,
which means you will lose ALL YOUR DATA if you follow the sequence above.

Without knowing more exact details, you may get lucky and the Windows
Setup procedure may not require you to reformat your SSD: however,
it's much better to be safe than sorry.

All of the data on your rotating platter drives will be lost, however.


So, BACKUP FIRST!!!


MRFS

 

[lokii_0]

Best answer selected by lokii_0.

 

[Maziar]

This topic has been closed by Maziar