How to RAID 0 an drive in use?

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krthush

krthush

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Oct 20, 2012
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To be blunt, I'm currently using a Samsung 840 pro SSD 256gb. I have all my program + boot files on there. I now am running out of space and intend on getting another Samsung 840 pro SSD 256gb to RAID 0 with my current drive. What's the best way to go about doing this?
Thanks for any help^^
 
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Best solution would be to backup all you data, create a RAID and setup new. But you can use tools like Acronis True Image, create an image then switch to RAID in BIOS then restore your data to your RAID set.
Easiest way would be to just add another drive, and swap some files, fastest and most secure.
 
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How would I be able to maintain my boot files? I should be able to have another HDD handy, just wondering if I create an image of my drive, then RAID the drives, how will i be able to boot? since I would have deleted all the files on the drive? Im still a bit confused :S
 
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I don't what that is, all I know is that RAID 0 will allowed me to have them act as one drive, with double the speed (which I really want) and double the fail rate (don't mind too much about this). So it seemed like the best solution for me...
 
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Solution
How is RAID 0 going to speed up SSD's?

RAID 0 was designed back when a controller had to wait for the hard drive to rotate the platter(s), move the arm(s) into position on a continuous basis.

By going RAID 0 you add another way to lose ALL data since a catastrophic failure of EITHER SSD renders all your data GONE

 
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The speed increase you will get from a raid0 array only applies to larger files. For all the little files you actually slow them down due to the increased access time plus you will add about a minute to your boot up time just for enabling raid.

If you really want to raid0 then we'd be glad to help, you are ware of the risks and seem ok with them. Cin19 has given the appropriate steps to go forward with it.

btw - Toms has an article on how raid0'ing SSD's as the system drive did not help performance to what most people thought. It might be worth a read to see if its worth your time to implement it.
http://www.tomshardware.com/reviews/ssd-raid-benchmark,3485.html
 
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Thanks for the link.

Quite frankly I have no idea why most people would think RAID 0 on SSD's would do much more than add overhead.

 
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Thanks all of you for helping me out ^^ I especially thank popatim for linking the tomshardware article (annoyingly I think I remember reading it!! I must have forgotten about it XD) and cin19 on the easy way of RAID 0ing. After reading it again I do understand that my boot speeds might actually increase :S. But one of the reasons I really want RAID 0 is for my FRAPS, even on the article it mentions that if you are recording large files it helps to have RAID. Anyways, even if I decide I don't want to RAID 0 what else would I do? I would like both the Samsung drives to act as one, otherwise there will be a great hassle in spreading out programs over both drives >.>. I also wonder since tom's benchmark on the boots were done on a fresh install of windows 8, whether there will be a difference of MY much larger boot files + (many more background programs having to start up) on my SSDs? Another thing to ask about, will RAID 0 help with loading maps and such alike on games?

So in conclusion I would just like some general ideas about what you guys would do in my position? I would prefer not trying to return the one I just bought.

(also a note about the data being lost due to one of the SSDs failing, I trust Samsung quite a bit and I think I have a 5 year warranty on both the drives so I don't think they will fail anytime soon + I will be backing it up (just with windows backup tho) on my extra 1TB drive)
 
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I remember one of this site member who also asked for the FRAPS too, he/or she had the similar hardwares and had the lower fps too. I did play some games but I am not that die-hard fan, and I think you maybe try the MSI afterburner too, but if you don't and just try it.

I agreed with popatim too don't RAID, but if someone asking then who should have the reasons for it, that why I put the link for. And I did try it on my home PC just for fun. And you do the right way backup and backup your PC and remember do it regularly by setting up the schedule backup. Have fun.
 
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So you saying its ok to RAID 0 my SSDs, as long as I keep backing it up on a regular basis? Would it be ok if I created system images on a regular basis manually on my extra 1tb drive?
 
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For your situation - yeah, go ahead. I edit family videos/photos so I run 3 raid0's (all of them bootable for that just in case situation) because I can process frames faster than I can write to a single drive.

Fraps usually does well if you write to a drive that your not reading from (running the os or the game on)
 
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Thank you again popatim and cin19 😀 I shall give the best answer to cin19, as technically speaking he has answered the questioned posed, so if others are in the same trouble as I was, they can refer to his answer and it shall be more relevant. But I must say popatim you have been a great help in terms of thinking about the whole process of RAID 0ing (probably more helpful that just showing me how to RAID 0), thank you very much for that! :)
 
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Ok guys, sorry to bring life back to this thread X), but I'm having an issue with following the guide. I've created another thread here: http://www.tomshardware.co.uk/answers/id-1738692/bootable-usb-issue.html

Basically I'm having an issue with the stage where it says I must format both SSDs with a bootable USB...
I'm getting really tired of trying to make my usb bootable (tried so many usbs...so many OSs...so many 3rd party softwares...), I feel like there is something with my PC preventing bootable USBs to work.

So is that step really that important? Im pretty sure going into RAID 0 deletes all data from both drives anyways, so do I really need to format them? If so.. do you guys have any ideas about how I could go about doing that easily?

Sorry to bother you guys again X)
 
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