[SOLVED] Raid help/Suggestions

Feb 21, 2020
16
0
10
I have a 500g ADATA 8200 m.2 nvme as my main boot drive, optiane genie is off.
Also have x4HDD and x2 SSD,
any suggestions for a raid system?



500g x1 nvme ADATA 8200
240g x2 Kingston SSD, ?300now?
500g x2 hitachi HDD @7200rpm
1t x2 HDD - WD slow AF bricks from 1998

Back up: 2T WD external HDD

Other options:
2x160g WD HDD
2x80g seagate HDD
3x500g hitachi HDD

80g Lite On SSD
80g hitachi HDD

Maybe second array?/rig
 
Last edited:
Solution
very interesting artical based on those stats everything being said mainstream about raid 0 is false lol
RAID 0 with HDD's was a good, if very niche, application.
With SSD's, not so much.

It sounds good, sounds exotic, sounds hardcore and techy.
Actual user facing performance? Not so much.


And a single SATA III SSD crushes a 2-3x HDD RAID 0.
Feb 21, 2020
16
0
10
What is your planned use for the RAID array? (I assume storage, but what type of data and how often accessed, also what backup do you use -- RAID is not sufficient backup)
it would be for 1000 game steam library, movies and music library.

i was thinking raid the SSD's together, raid the hitatchi together, raid the 1t bricks.

should i raid them each pair seprate beacuase the speed differences ?

or should i add the nvme and raid them all together? leave out the 1t bricks?

What would be fasstest option for laoding games?

Im not too worried about backing up the actual libraries.

Back up is a 2t WD external HD for baby photos and legal docs. im trying to get a second one for OFF site.

thinking about that second Rig for on site back up and move the 2T wd HD off site
 
Last edited:

RealBeast

Titan
Moderator
I would never suggest that you use SSDs in RAID other than one in a large array as a buffer ()usually need a newer Adaptec or similar pro level HW for that).

HDD can benefit from RAID by allowing drive loss so 3 drives in RAID 5 would give you one parity and 2 drives worth the data.

And for critical data like family photos do whatever you like for main storage but burn them to DVDs or something permanent and keep them outside your home or in a fireproof safe unless everyone in the family has copies all over the country. Cloud backup is an option also.

Will you use a distinct controller, or Windows 10 Spaces?

Certainly your OS should be on an SSD, but games really don't benefit much. You can use SSDs for games but select the applications and data that is most used for SSDs unless you have room for everything other than the STEAM library.

The offsite external drive is good, just be sure to always safely eject it and don't attach it to other computers as that is where most external drive data loss occurs.

I probably missed something as I worked all night last night, so give me your thoughts on this. ;)
 
  • Like
Reactions: nixxion44
Feb 21, 2020
16
0
10
I would never suggest that you use SSDs in RAID other than one in a large array as a buffer ()usually need a newer Adaptec or similar pro level HW for that).

HDD can benefit from RAID by allowing drive loss so 3 drives in RAID 5 would give you one parity and 2 drives worth the data.

And for critical data like family photos do whatever you like for main storage but burn them to DVDs or something permanent and keep them outside your home or in a fireproof safe unless everyone in the family has copies all over the country. Cloud backup is an option also.

Will you use a distinct controller, or Windows 10 Spaces?

Certainly your OS should be on an SSD, but games really don't benefit much. You can use SSDs for games but select the applications and data that is most used for SSDs unless you have room for everything other than the STEAM library.

The offsite external drive is good, just be sure to always safely eject it and don't attach it to other computers as that is where most external drive data loss occurs.

I probably missed something as I worked all night last night, so give me your thoughts on this. ;)

my main boot drive is on the m.2. along with all applications like VLC and OBS
my MSI z370 gaming carbon pro MB allows for raid in the bios, and then intel cntrl + I, have not bothered doing it from windows if that what you mean.

I really just want faster loading times, not back up. no need for a mirrior.

would raiding the x2 SSD and the m.2 just slow down the m.2? adding the HDD briks would def slow down the m.2 right?


But to ease everyones mind I will be moving the 2t WD extarnal drive to an offsite location
 

USAFRet

Titan
Moderator
my main boot drive is on the m.2. along with all applications like VLC and OBS
my MSI z370 gaming carbon pro MB allows for raid in the bios, and then intel cntrl + I, have not bothered doing it from windows if that what you mean.

I really just want faster loading times, not back up. no need for a mirrior.

would raiding the x2 SSD and the m.2 just slow down the m.2? adding the HDD briks would def slow down the m.2 right?


But to ease everyones mind I will be moving the 2t WD extarnal drive to an offsite location
Any RAID will bring the speed down to the slowest device.

You've not mentioned what type of RAID array.
1, 0, 5, other?
What type of RAID array, and more importantly...why?
 
  • Like
Reactions: RealBeast
Feb 21, 2020
16
0
10
my main boot drive is on the m.2.
my MSI z370 gaming carbon pro MB allows for raid in the bios, and then intel cntrl + I, have not bothered doing it from windows if that what you mean.

I really just want faster loading times, not back up. no need for a mirrior.

would raiding the x2 SSD and the m.2 just slow down the m.2? adding the HDD briks would def slow down the m.2 right?
Any RAID will bring the speed down to the slowest device.

You've not mentioned what type of RAID array.
1, 0, 5, other?
What type of RAID array, and more importantly...why?
0, or 5, not six nbo need for mirrior

why?
just want speed, better loading/save times
so keep the SSD,s togther and the HDD's together, and leave the m.2 on its own
thats what i was thinking.
 

USAFRet

Titan
Moderator
very interesting artical based on those stats everything being said mainstream about raid 0 is false lol
RAID 0 with HDD's was a good, if very niche, application.
With SSD's, not so much.

It sounds good, sounds exotic, sounds hardcore and techy.
Actual user facing performance? Not so much.


And a single SATA III SSD crushes a 2-3x HDD RAID 0.
 
Solution

RealBeast

Titan
Moderator
very interesting artical based on those stats everything being said mainstream about raid 0 is false lol
Agree with everything USAFARet says above, RAID 0 is a marketecture.
My last use of RAID 0 was a boot drive of 4 18GB 10k rpm Cheetah HDDs on an old Adaptec controller, which were replaced (and blown away) by an 80GB Intel X-25M SSD in early 2009. The X-25 is still running as a scratch disk for Adobe programs.