Clone vs RAID 1?

[megacal]

Hi,

I purchased a 2TB HD to clone my current 500GB HD (after getting help here).

Would it be better to create a RAID1 instead even though the 2 drives have different
capacities? (vs cloning).

Also, I tried adding the 2TB drive to the MB, but it doesn't show up in Explorer (?)

A different SATA port doesn't work either. I don't see jumpers for slaving like EIDE, and assumed
I could connect it without doing anything special or using an external holder for the new HD.

If this isn't the right forum for this, please let me know.

Thanks!
Main board: ASUS M4A89GTD Pro/USB3
Graphics cards: Zotac GTX 580 AMP! for rendering, Galaxy 210 for display
CPU: Phenom II 955
8GB RAM
500GB HD for OS, data

 

[USAFRet]

Cloning and RAID 1 are two completely different concepts. Completely.
And you can't RAID 1 a 500GB drive and a 2TB drive. That leaves you with a 500GB RAID volume.

Let's back up some. You have a 500GB drive, and a new 2TB drive.
What are you thinking of doing with these?

For that new drive, you have to go into Disk Management, and initialize it. Then give it a drive letter.

 

[megacal]

Cloning and RAID 1 are two completely different concepts. Completely.

I get that, but it sounds like creating a RAID1 is a good way to protect your data in real time, vs cloning at a point in time
and using the clone if the other fails.

From PC World:

RAID 1 writes and reads the same data to pairs of drives; it’s also referred to as mirroring. The drives are equal partners—should either fail, you can continue working with the good one until you can replace the bad one. RAID 1 is the simplest, easiest method to create failover disk storage. However, it costs you a whopping 50 percent of your total available drive capacity; for example, two 1TB drives in a mirrored array nets you only 1TB of usable space, not 2TB.

But what happens if the HD with the OS fails?

Also found a good tutorial on how to set up the RAID1. It says to use Windows instead of the chipset.

Maybe the best of both would be to clone the 500 GB OS HD to the 2TB drive, add another 2 TB for a RAID1, save the 500GB drive
just in case. (?)

Or clone to another 500GB HD, and just do automatic backups to the 2TB drive. I'm just weighing the pros & cons of each strategy.

For that new drive, you have to go into Disk Management, and initialize it. Then give it a drive letter.

Thanks, I'll try it. 😉

 

[USAFRet]

RAID 1 only helps in one certain circumstance: an actual drive fail, and you need continuous operation.

It is NOT a backup. Yes, it reads/writes to two drives. It also faithfull replicates accidental deletions, corruption, viruses, etc, etc.

RAID 1 is good for a business running a webstore. Dead drive = no sales. RAID 1 can limp alonh on the single drive until things can be fixed. And any reputable business that runs a RAID 1 also has actual backups.

The way I do it is this:
Once the OS drive is at a state I want, create an image. Save that elsewhere. This is the OS and whatever applications are on it.
For my personal data, a scheduled copy function to save those to 1 or more other drives.

Redo the OS drive image once a month or once a week, whatever. If my main PC is down for an hour, or a day, due to bringing that image back on a new drive...my life will not end. Nor will I be out any business income.

My actual irreplaceable stuff...pictures, etc. exist on 2 or more drives. Those are actual backups.

 

[USAFRet]

And with a RAID 1....those drives live in the same PC. If it dies...both drives gone.
With an actual backup, my main PC could melt into a pile of goo. I'd still have everything I need, saved elsewhere.

 

[megacal]

I'll pass on the RAID, and use your method.

Thanks for the help.

 

[USAFRet]

Currently, I use SyncBack Free to schedule the file copy.

 

[megacal]

Once the OS drive is at a state I want, create an image.

Is "image" same as "clone"?

BTW, I initialized the new drive using MBR & Simple, etc.......worked fine.

I'm copying "AllMyStuff" to the new drive, and will use SynchBack Free for auto backups.....though need to
read the PDF and watch the videos first. I'd like to do incrimental backups if possible.

Next, I'll clean up the original drive and clone it to a new 500GB (or larger), and save the clone/image.
I've used EZMigration several times. The only problem I've found is that if you do it too many times (>3?)
Windows will "think" it's an illegal copy.

Here's a great little app I use to see where the bloat is. FolderSize by MindGems (FREE)

 

[USAFRet]

A clone is a direct, usable copy of the entire drive.
An image is basically a snapshot. This can live in a folder on another drive. You can have multiple 'images' of other drives or partitions.

 

[megacal]

A clone is a direct, usable copy of the entire drive.
An image is basically a snapshot. This can live in a folder on another drive. You can have multiple 'images' of other drives or partitions.

Thanks, got it! 😉