SSD System and 2x 1TB HDD (Raid1, mirroring) setup

[foochow]

Hello guys, so I'm close to jumping off my building along with the PC I'm trying to setup with RAID. Before I do that, I decided to ask this community that's already helping me for years with their solved issues.

So, I've got a Kingston SSD 240GB and 2x 1TB Toshiba HDDs. I'm trying to setup those two HDDs to work as a mirrored RAID (Raid1) and I want to use the SSD as a system disk.

So I've tried few different ways, set the SATA config to RAID, then install a fresh OS on the SSD with HDDs disconnected and setup the RAID after the first boot. It didnt work, BSOD with inaccessible_boot_drive

Then, I've googled a bit and it seemed like I forgot to install the RAID controller driver after it boots for the first time. Did that, Couldn't see the mirrored partition in Windows Explorer nor in Disk Management.

Then I tried it again with Gigabyte's mirror setup in BIOS, (The above one was done with the Intel's). Same thing, BSOD with inaccessible_boot_drive.

So, I want a way out of this nightmare, does anyone know the way?

 

[popatim]

Skip[ the mirrored raid unless you already have an external backup system, that is also removeable from power as well (Hint: External HDD), already in place.
I suggest you purchase an external usb3/esata enclosure for that 2nd HDD and use that as the backup system.

Raid 1 only gets your survivability for when one drive actually self destructs. Any other fault; such as a virus, huge power spike, accidental deletion,...; will usually affect both drives and possibly causing you to lose all your data. Again, raid1 is only viable after you have a valid backup solution in place.

To assist further we would need to kow which raid controller or motherbd you are using.

 

[foochow]

It's a Gigabyte GA X38 DS5 and it has two raid controllers. One is Intel's and other is Gigabytes

 

[FireWire2]

The BEST set up it get a HW raid controller like this on your 2x 1TB HDD
https://www.amazon.com/StarTech-com-Internal-Connector-Controller-S322SAT3R/dp/B00M77UNDI
or
http://www.datoptic.com/ec/retain-data-raid-mirror-dual-sata-iii-6gb-s-raid-controller-direct-attached-driver-less-html.html

These create RAID1 independent from OS. Mobo, you can have dual boot, Window and Linux or even Hackintosh in your system

Set BIOS as AHCI and install OS into your SSD

As everyone in here recommend backup your data, I would get another 1TB and just rotate it in the RAID1 as need for your back up, BTW you can image SSD to 1TB too

 

[foochow]

The BEST set up it get a HW raid controller like this on your 2x 1TB HDD
https://www.amazon.com/StarTech-com-Internal-Connector-Controller-S322SAT3R/dp/B00M77UNDI
or
http://www.datoptic.com/ec/retain-data-raid-mirror-dual-sata-iii-6gb-s-raid-controller-direct-attached-driver-less-html.html

These create RAID1 independent from OS. Mobo, you can have dual boot, Window and Linux or even Hackintosh in your system

Set BIOS as AHCI and install OS into your SSD

As everyone in here recommend backup your data, I would get another 1TB and just rotate it in the RAID1 as need for your back up, BTW you can image SSD to 1TB too

Every guide I found it told me I need to install OS on SSD with RAID set in BIOS for the SATA controllers.

 

[FireWire2]

The BEST set up it get a HW raid controller like this on your 2x 1TB HDD
https://www.amazon.com/StarTech-com-Internal-Connector-Controller-S322SAT3R/dp/B00M77UNDI
or
http://www.datoptic.com/ec/retain-data-raid-mirror-dual-sata-iii-6gb-s-raid-controller-direct-attached-driver-less-html.html

These create RAID1 independent from OS. Mobo, you can have dual boot, Window and Linux or even Hackintosh in your system

Set BIOS as AHCI and install OS into your SSD

As everyone in here recommend backup your data, I would get another 1TB and just rotate it in the RAID1 as need for your back up, BTW you can image SSD to 1TB too

Every guide I found it told me I need to install OS on SSD with RAID set in BIOS for the SATA controllers.

Yes, because they dont know mobo raid is a half-bake raid. These are NOT hardware raid, it will take resource from host CPU.

Dont do raid, if you do raid, do it correctly - Look in the forum how many raid issue with half bake raid 🙂

 

[foochow]

The BEST set up it get a HW raid controller like this on your 2x 1TB HDD
https://www.amazon.com/StarTech-com-Internal-Connector-Controller-S322SAT3R/dp/B00M77UNDI
or
http://www.datoptic.com/ec/retain-data-raid-mirror-dual-sata-iii-6gb-s-raid-controller-direct-attached-driver-less-html.html

These create RAID1 independent from OS. Mobo, you can have dual boot, Window and Linux or even Hackintosh in your system

Set BIOS as AHCI and install OS into your SSD

As everyone in here recommend backup your data, I would get another 1TB and just rotate it in the RAID1 as need for your back up, BTW you can image SSD to 1TB too

Every guide I found it told me I need to install OS on SSD with RAID set in BIOS for the SATA controllers.

Yes, because they dont know mobo raid is a half-bake raid. These are NOT hardware raid, it will take resource from host CPU

My first try was with AHCI settings for SATA in bios and it was the same thing. I also dont wanna buy controllers when it can work like this

 

[FireWire2]

If you use 1TB as RAID1 you can create those as Dynamic drives, then make a RAID1 out of it from Disc Manager... You CAN NOT set your BIOS as AHCI/RAID then change it and expect it works, it wont

If you want to use BIOS RAID, then set SSD as JBOD, or PASS THROUGH in the RAID manager and 2x TB as RAID1 , then it will work

 

[foochow]

If you use 1TB as RAID1 you can create those as Dynamic drives, then make a RAID1 out of it from Disc Manager... You CAN NOT set your BIOS as AHCI/RAID then change it and expect it works, it wont

If you want to use BIOS RAID, then set SSD as JBOD, or PASS THROUGH in the RAID manager and 2x TB as RAID1 , then it will work

Hm, I dont remember seeing that option in the BIOS RAID options. All it let me do was to choose disks that are gonna be used for RAID1 and that's it. I select those 2x 1TB and it sets it up. I cant get it to boot after that, once I disconnect those 2x 1TB, it boots normally

 

[foochow]

BUmp

 

[FireWire2]

Good you you bump this 🙂
Here is what do you should do...
Load SSD as OS drive and 2x 1TB with AHCI - once done, go to Disc Manager set both 1TB HDD as dynamic
Then create a Mirror volume - This raid will able to roaming to other Window OS at time - without worry of compatible or drivers

 

[foochow]

It will work with raid1 mirrored?

 

[FireWire2]

Yes it will work as RAID0 and 1 ( stripe and mirror)
Try it, you can always delete it you do not like