Looking to set up RAID 1, need help

[SkruDe]

Hello,

First time RAID user (hopefully if I get it to work) here. I am completing a computer build and I want to learn to set-up a RAID 1 configuration (mirror of data on to 2 HD's).

Some info about my build:

2 x Intel SSD (120GB and 180GB)
2 x WD Cavier Black 1TB Hard Drives

ASUS Rampage IV Extreme
Intel® X79 chipset :
2 x SATA 6Gb/s port(s), red
4 x SATA 3Gb/s port(s), black
Support Raid 0, 1, 5, 10
ASMedia® PCIe SATA controller :
2 x eSATA 6Gb/s port(s), red
2 x SATA 6Gb/s port(s), red

Windows 7

All 4 Hard drives have been partitioned and formatted to be used in the computer through Disk management.


Okay, well the plan is like this. I have already installed and booted the Windows 7 OS. I have the 120GB SSD as a Windows drive with drivers, firmware, etc on it. The 180GB SSD is for games, programs, and other Misc. And now I want to set the 2 x WD hard drives into a RAID 1 config to serve the purpose of back-up for my SSD's and general bulk storage.

From my brief time doing some research on the internet I have found two things I want to note. First, apparently the ASMedia ports are not to be used for RAID configs? The Rampage board only comes with 4x 6Gb/s ports, and only two of them are Intel. So I have my two SSD's in the Intel 6Gb/s ports... only makes sense to do that. Well, I have the two WD hard drives in the ASMedia 6Gb/s ports, so it looks like I need to remove those HD's from those ASMedia ports and place them into the Intel 3GB/s ports to do RAID?

The second is that everything I find on the internet about setting up RAID happens BEFORE the OS is installed. Well for me, it's too late to do that. So I'm wondering if I can still set up RAID for my 2x WD hard drives even though the OS is already installed and booted from the 120GB SSD.

So if there is somewhere I can go to read about setting up RAID 1 or if anyone can help me? I tried to include as much info as I could but if more is needed I can provide it.

 

[popatim]

yeah you should be good. Move the WD's to the intel sata2 ports. In the bios set the sata2 ports to raid. Theres two ways to go from here since these are data drives an not boot drives.
1: Boot up and then launch the intel raid utility and configure the raid1 from there. Note you may need to install the intel RST program.
2:When booting hit the ctrl key combo (ctrl+i) to enter the raid utility and configure the raid from there. You should see the two drives in unassigned or non-raid status. Select Create a raid. next create a name for the raid. Seelect the raid type (raid 1). Select the disks to use in the raid. Once the drives are added to the raid you will have a chance to set the size of the array. Unless you want more than 1 partition on the drive go with the largest value which is the default. Pressing enter now will initialize the raid and wipe out any data on them. Its like a format. Save and exit will reboot the pc and let it load windows.

please note that enabling raid will add about 20 seconds minimum to your boot up time. theres nothing you can do about this short of not using raid.

 

[J_E_D_70]

- Yes I'd put the hdds on the intel sata2 ports

- did u set the bios to ahci before installing the os? If so, i think u can install the intel RST driver then reboot, setting the bios to raid

- assuming u get into windows and all is well, reboot and go into the raid bios and set the hdds up

- raid1 is not a backup strategy so please back up anything you need to ptotect to an external drive

 

[SkruDe]

Hi guys, thanks for the responses. I was out of town for a couple days, didn't get a chance to reply. I know now that I will definitely move the HDD's from the ASMedia ports over to the Intel ports.

yeah you should be good. Move the WD's to the intel sata2 ports. In the bios set the sata2 ports to raid. Theres two ways to go from here since these are data drives an not boot drives.
1: Boot up and then launch the intel raid utility and configure the raid1 from there. Note you may need to install the intel RST program.
2:When booting hit the ctrl key combo (ctrl+i) to enter the raid utility and configure the raid from there. You should see the two drives in unassigned or non-raid status. Select Create a raid. next create a name for the raid. Seelect the raid type (raid 1). Select the disks to use in the raid. Once the drives are added to the raid you will have a chance to set the size of the array. Unless you want more than 1 partition on the drive go with the largest value which is the default. Pressing enter now will initialize the raid and wipe out any data on them. Its like a format. Save and exit will reboot the pc and let it load windows.

please note that enabling raid will add about 20 seconds minimum to your boot up time. theres nothing you can do about this short of not using raid.

Thanks for the response. I did download the Intel Rapid Storage Technology Enterprise, is that the Intel RST you speak of? Also, the intel raid utility you mention, that is the ctrl+i on boot up when setting BIOS to RAID?

Also, the two options you present, they seem the same to me?

And thanks for the tip about how much longer boot up time will be. Would this still be the case when the RAID drives are not the boot up drives, since I have a SSD for the boot drive? One of my favorite things about booting of the SSD is how fast it is, it will be something for me to consider if I end up adding that much time to boot up since I am a person who turns their PC off every night.

- Yes I'd put the hdds on the intel sata2 ports

- did u set the bios to ahci before installing the os? If so, i think u can install the intel RST driver then reboot, setting the bios to raid

- assuming u get into windows and all is well, reboot and go into the raid bios and set the hdds up

- raid1 is not a backup strategy so please back up anything you need to ptotect to an external drive

Before loading the OS I did set the BIOS to AHCI.

I just want to make sure I understand what you are saying here. You're saying to turn on the PC, go into BIOS, set the BIOS to RAID, save and get into windows, reboot again and enter RAID BIOS to set up the HDD's for RAID 1? How do I get into RAID BIOS, is it the ctrl+i mentioned by the other guy I quoted?

Also, I'm just curios as your last statement, considering what RAID 1 does I was thinking to myself it would be a great back up strategy? OS and programs on SSD, and back-ups filtered to the HDD's. If I ever had a HDD failure, I wouldn't lose anything.

Then again I guess if I had a HDD failure on a HDD that I was using for back-up, I'd still have my original SSD's still working and can find a new HDD to back up to...





Thanks for the help guys. Like I said this would be a first time RAID adventure for me so just trying to figure it all out.