[SOLVED] Moving Win10 to RAID 0 questions

[polbit]

I just built my PC today, and I'm already re-thinking getting only a 500Gb SSD. Here are relevant specs:

Ryzen 7 2700X on ASUS X470 Prime Pro
Samsung 970 Pro 500Gb

With everything installed (of course I purchased a bunch of new games from Steam that I will probably never get to, because I want to be a proper gamer ), I now have less than 150Gb left. I think I need to spring for the 1Tb drive, but the 970 Pro is over $400, and I don't feel like re-installing/re-downloading everything again. Does it make sense/does anyone see any issues with doing the following:

1. Clone the current M.2 drive to a spare SSD I have
2. Get and install second 970 Pro, and configure for RAID 0
3. Clone my OS from spare SSD onto the RAID 0 M.2 config

Doing it this way is $100 cheaper, should be slightly faster, and I don't have to redo everything. Thoughts?

Thanks!

 

[King_V]

The first question that occurs to me is why you want to use RAID0 at all? I was given to understand that, with SSDs, there's little to no performance benefit...

This is an article from 2013, though I imagine what it states still holds true.

https://www.tomshardware.com/reviews/ssd-raid-benchmark,3485.html

I'd say:
1 - Remove current 970 Pro
2 - Install new 970 Pro
3 - Clean Install Windows
4 - Install Steam
5 - Go in your Steam account and uninstall all games (they're not actually on the drive, of course, but you need to convince Steam they're not installed)
6 - Put in the 970 Pro that you removed in step 1, and set it up as drive D
7 - Launch Steam, go and set the Steam library directory on the D drive as a second library folder.
8 - Go through each of your games and install them to the second (D drive) library folder. For each game, it will only download a few small files, inform Windows that the games are installed (registry entries, etc, and now they will show up in Settings -> Apps), see that the rest of the files are already there, and be done.
9 - Enjoy your SSDs without worrying about RAID 0

 

[13thmonkey]

I would say do not do it.

 

[USAFRet]

RAID 0 with SATA III SSD - http://www.tomshardware.com/reviews/ssd-raid-benchmark,3485.html
tl-dr = Not user facing benefit

RAID 0 with NVMe SSD - http://www.tomshardware.com/reviews/samsung-950-pro-256gb-raid-report,4449.html
tl-dr = Might even be a bit slower than individual drives


Personally, I'd just add a second drive as a second drive. No RAID 0 at all.


You can use either or both drives for game install location, and you can move games between drives as desired.
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

 

[polbit]

OK, thanks, I guess my answer is clear, I can't be too lazy I also have GOG, Origin, and Battle.net, but I'm sure I can move them in similar fashion, so separate games-only drive it is.

UPDATE: Crap, I have a TC-Link PCIe WiFi card I'm using, so I'm short 1 lane... OK, I guess I'll have to get the 1Tb drive. I assume I can clone 500Gb onto 1Tb drive with no issues?

 

[USAFRet]

OK, thanks, I guess my answer is clear, I can't be too lazy I also have GOG, Origin, and Battle.net, but I'm sure I can move them in similar fashion, so separate games-only drive it is.

UPDATE: Crap, I have a TC-Link PCIe WiFi card I'm using, so I'm short 1 lane... OK, I guess I'll have to get the 1Tb drive. I assume I can clone 500Gb onto 1Tb drive with no issues?

In addition, your board appears to have only 1 m.2 port

https://www.asus.com/us/Motherboards/PRIME-X470-PRO/specifications/
In the M.2 port, your motherboard will take only 1x NVMe drive OR 1x SATA drive

---------------------------
AMD Ryzen™ 2nd Generation/ Ryzen™ with Radeon™ Vega Graphics/ Ryzen™ 1st Generation Processors :
1 x M.2 Socket 3, with M key, type 2242/2260/2280/22110 storage devices support (SATA & PCIE 3.0 x 4 mode)
AMD 7th Generation A-Series/Athlon X4 Processors :
1 x M.2 Socket 3, with M key, type 2242/2260/2280/22110 storage devices support (SATA mode)
AMD X470 chipset :
1 x M.2 Socket 3, with M Key, type 2242/2260/2280 storage devices support (SATA & PCIE 3.0 x 2 mode)*3
6 x SATA 6Gb/s port(s)
Support Raid 0, 1, 10
-----------------------------


My suggestion:
Leave the OS on the current 970 NVMe drive.
Add a 1TB SATA III SSD for games and whatever.

 

[Rogue Leader]

OK, thanks, I guess my answer is clear, I can't be too lazy I also have GOG, Origin, and Battle.net, but I'm sure I can move them in similar fashion, so separate games-only drive it is.

UPDATE: Crap, I have a TC-Link PCIe WiFi card I'm using, so I'm short 1 lane... OK, I guess I'll have to get the 1Tb drive. I assume I can clone 500Gb onto 1Tb drive with no issues?

Why not just buy a 1tb 860 EVO SATA drive and put your games on it and leave the 500gb as your boot drive. You will never notice the performance difference under gaming between a 970 Pro and an 860 evo.

 

[polbit]

OK, thanks, I guess my answer is clear, I can't be too lazy I also have GOG, Origin, and Battle.net, but I'm sure I can move them in similar fashion, so separate games-only drive it is.

UPDATE: Crap, I have a TC-Link PCIe WiFi card I'm using, so I'm short 1 lane... OK, I guess I'll have to get the 1Tb drive. I assume I can clone 500Gb onto 1Tb drive with no issues?

In addition, your board appears to have only 1 m.2 port

https://www.asus.com/us/Motherboards/PRIME-X470-PRO/specifications/
In the M.2 port, your motherboard will take only 1x NVMe drive OR 1x SATA drive

---------------------------
AMD Ryzen™ 2nd Generation/ Ryzen™ with Radeon™ Vega Graphics/ Ryzen™ 1st Generation Processors :
1 x M.2 Socket 3, with M key, type 2242/2260/2280/22110 storage devices support (SATA & PCIE 3.0 x 4 mode)
AMD 7th Generation A-Series/Athlon X4 Processors :
1 x M.2 Socket 3, with M key, type 2242/2260/2280/22110 storage devices support (SATA mode)
AMD X470 chipset :
1 x M.2 Socket 3, with M Key, type 2242/2260/2280 storage devices support (SATA & PCIE 3.0 x 2 mode)*3
6 x SATA 6Gb/s port(s)
Support Raid 0, 1, 10
-----------------------------


My suggestion:
Leave the OS on the current 970 NVMe drive.
Add a 1TB SATA III SSD for games and whatever.

Now I'm totally confused. I see two M.2 slots on my MB. Only one is heat-sinked. From general description from their website:

Next-gen connectivity: Supreme flexibility with dual M.2 support, NVME RAID support, USB 3.1 Gen 2 ports and front-panel header

But then as you linked, in specifications it says 1. I think it's a typo.

Anyway, I just ordered the 1Gb 970 Pro, much simpler that way after all... Thanks everyone!

 

[USAFRet]

Looking at the picture in the Overview, I see only a single slot.
You actually see 2 physical m.2 ports?

"Dual M.2 support" may just refer to SATA OR NVMe.

 

[Rogue Leader]

Looking at the picture in the Overview, I see only a single slot.
You actually see 2 physical m.2 ports?

"Dual M.2 support" may just refer to SATA OR NVMe.

The first slot is under that metal bar that says "M.2 Heatsink"

 

[USAFRet]

OK. Better pic description:

 

[polbit]

Did a little research. Here's the scoop on the X470 Prime Pro:

CPU lanes are for the GPU AND 1st M.2 slot:
- 16 lanes for one GPU, or 8 apiece for SLI
- 4 lanes for 1st M.2 slot

Second M.2 slot takes 2 lanes from chipset and works as SATA, and is x2 only (and reduces available SATA ports).