RAID0 Question

[jamespage17]

If i buy 2 320GB hard drives and put them in RAID0, do i have 320GB of storage or 640?? Thanks.

 

[uh_no]

640

each file you store on the drive is split into bits and some of the bits are stored on each drive.....because you aren't storing any extra data, its the sum of the individual disks......it also means if any one disk fails, you lose all your data

 

[jamespage17]

640

each file you store on the drive is split into bits and some of the bits are stored on each drive.....because you aren't storing any extra data, its the sum of the individual disks......it also means if any one disk fails, you lose all your data

Ah ok then, does that mean that in My Computer in windows it would show as 1 drive??

 

[Paperdoc]

Yes, Windows will see it as one drive with 640 GB capacity. Well, a bit less - more like 600 GB the way Windows will show it, but that's not lost space, it is just the way Windows counts things in binary math.

Be aware that Windows does not know how to use any RAID system by itself, so you must install the proper RAID driver. This is not a big issue because the RAID controller supplier (probably you're planning on using the system built into your mobo's BIOS) provides the driver(s) and instructions on how to install. But the details are different depending on whether (a) you plan to use the RAID array just as a storage system, separate from a non-RAID boot drive called C:; or instead (b) you plan to boot from the RAID0 array as your C: drive.

If the array will be only a data drive, you install Windows to a non-raid boot drive called C:. Then you shut down, install your two new drives and boot into the BIOS Setup screens to set those drives' port modes to RAID, Save and Exit to reboot. During the new boot sequence you'll see a prompt to hit a key to enter the RAID Setup screens which you do. There you specify those two new drives ONLY as members of a RAID set (do NOT tell it to use your non-RAID boot drive!) and follow the instructions to create the RAID0 array from them. You finish this step and the boot process to get into Windows again. There you install the RAID driver(s) per instructions and reboot. Now you'll find the new 600 GB drive in My Computer.

IF you plan to boot from this new RAID0 array as your C: drive, the driver installation has to be part of a complete new Install of Windows. For this route you go through the initial process of installing the new pair, setting BIOS to use as RAID, go into the RAID utility to create the RAID array, then reboot into BIOS again. Set your Boot Priority Sequence to boot from your optical drive first and the RAID array second. Put the Windows Install Disk in the optical drive and boot from it. Early in the process you will get a prompt to push "F6" to install external drivers. You must do this and install the RAID driver(s) here so that they become a part of your basic Windows and it knows how to use the RAID array to boot from. Follow your RAID manual's instructions for this, then proceed with the rest of the Windows Install.

NOTE that, IF you are setting the system to boot from your RAID array there may be a little "tricky" bit for the driver installation. Windows XP in all forms can only load drivers from a FLOPPY drive during the Install process; for it, you will need a floppy drive (at least temporarily installed) and a floppy disk containing the driver(s). BUT if you are loading Vista or Win 7, I believe they will allow you to load such driver(s) from a USB stick or a CD. And of course, if you are only using the RAID0 array as a data disk, you don't have this issue of loading drivers during the Installation.

 

[jamespage17]

Yes, Windows will see it as one drive with 640 GB capacity. Well, a bit less - more like 600 GB the way Windows will show it, but that's not lost space, it is just the way Windows counts things in binary math.

Be aware that Windows does not know how to use any RAID system by itself, so you must install the proper RAID driver. This is not a big issue because the RAID controller supplier (probably you're planning on using the system built into your mobo's BIOS) provides the driver(s) and instructions on how to install. But the details are different depending on whether (a) you plan to use the RAID array just as a storage system, separate from a non-RAID boot drive called C:; or instead (b) you plan to boot from the RAID0 array as your C: drive.

If the array will be only a data drive, you install Windows to a non-raid boot drive called C:. Then you shut down, install your two new drives and boot into the BIOS Setup screens to set those drives' port modes to RAID, Save and Exit to reboot. During the new boot sequence you'll see a prompt to hit a key to enter the RAID Setup screens which you do. There you specify those two new drives ONLY as members of a RAID set (do NOT tell it to use your non-RAID boot drive!) and follow the instructions to create the RAID0 array from them. You finish this step and the boot process to get into Windows again. There you install the RAID driver(s) per instructions and reboot. Now you'll find the new 600 GB drive in My Computer.

IF you plan to boot from this new RAID0 array as your C: drive, the driver installation has to be part of a complete new Install of Windows. For this route you go through the initial process of installing the new pair, setting BIOS to use as RAID, go into the RAID utility to create the RAID array, then reboot into BIOS again. Set your Boot Priority Sequence to boot from your optical drive first and the RAID array second. Put the Windows Install Disk in the optical drive and boot from it. Early in the process you will get a prompt to push "F6" to install external drivers. You must do this and install the RAID driver(s) here so that they become a part of your basic Windows and it knows how to use the RAID array to boot from. Follow your RAID manual's instructions for this, then proceed with the rest of the Windows Install.

NOTE that, IF you are setting the system to boot from your RAID array there may be a little "tricky" bit for the driver installation. Windows XP in all forms can only load drivers from a FLOPPY drive during the Install process; for it, you will need a floppy drive (at least temporarily installed) and a floppy disk containing the driver(s). BUT if you are loading Vista or Win 7, I believe they will allow you to load such driver(s) from a USB stick or a CD. And of course, if you are only using the RAID0 array as a data disk, you don't have this issue of loading drivers during the Installation.

Awesome answer mate, everything i needed to know, you've been a big help.