Upgrade existing SSD Raid 0 to larger SSD Raid 0 - how to image drives

[scoutdog77]

I need to upgrade my existing SSD Raid 0 array (OCZ Vertex 4 120gb x 2) to a larger SSD Raid 0 array (Samsung 850 EVO 1TB x 2) due to running out of space and this is where my operating system resides. Win 10 keeps growing over time and I now only have 20gb of space after running the Windows disk cleaning apps. I need to know the best way to image my existing SSD Raid 0 array and put it on my new SSDs. I keep reading about challenges with either Raid 0 arrays or SSDs not cooperating with these programs so I am concerned with having both scenarios.

 

[USAFRet]

RAID 0 + SSD:
http://www.tomshardware.com/reviews/ssd-raid-benchmark,3485.html

tl-dr = Do not bother.

If you can, create an Image of your current 120 x 2 thing.
Apply that image to a single larger drive. 500GB or 1TB 850 EVO.
Use the second drive as simply a second drive.

RAID 0 + SSD is a hassle with no real user benefit.

 

[geofelt]

I have used the free Samsung ssd migration app with success every time.
I think it would be applicable to you.
It should be able to move your C drive from the raid-0 array to a Samsung ssd.
What is your motherboard?
If your motherboard has the capability of installing a pcie x4 based ssd, you will get sequential performance about 4x that of your current raid-0.
I might also consider buying a single 2tb ssd instead of 1tb for the C drive and another 1tb for whatever.
A single space is easier to manage.

 

[scoutdog77]

What if I use a single backup drive to create an image and then use that drive to then move it to the new Raid 0 array?

 

[USAFRet]

What if I use a single backup drive to create an image and then use that drive to then move it to the new Raid 0 array?

That was outlined in my initial reply.
Personally, I wouldn't bother with a RAID 0 array, but you can if you want.

 

[scoutdog77]

I have an Asus P8Z77-V LE Plus motherboard. I have been running Raid 0 arrays (6 or 7 different systems) for over 10 years and never had any problems. This is my third raid 0 with SSDs and no issues...yet. I regularly backup my valuable data but not a true image of the drives hence my current issue.

 

[geofelt]

Raid-0 is a reasonable way to combine some smaller drives into a more manageable single image.
I tried that early on.
I urge you to read the link USAFRet posted.
If your read carefully, you will see that random I/O response times are worse than with a single drive.
That is what windows does most.
Raid-0 has been over hyped as a performance enhancer.
Sequential benchmarks do look wonderful, but the real world does not seem to deliver the indicated performance benefits for most
desktop users. The reason is, that sequential benchmarks are coded for maximum overlapped I/O rates.
It depends on reading a stripe of data simultaneously from each raid-0 member, and that is rarely what we do.
The OS does mostly small random reads and writes, so raid-0 is of little use there.
In fact, if your block of data were to be spanned on two drives, random times would be greater.
There are some apps that will benefit. They are characterized by reading large files in a sequential overlapped manner.

Here is a older study using ssd devices in raid-0.
http://www.tomshardware.com/reviews/ssd-raid-benchmark,3485.html
Spoiler... no benefit at all.

Unfortunately, your motherboard does not support the new m.2 pcie X16 devices.

If you go to a simple one drive ssd, you can use the Samsung ssd migration aid to copy your working drive to a second ssd and then remove it from your pc.
It will then act as a backup with a current starting point for recovery.
That is what I do.
For proof that your backup was successful, you could swap devices.

 

[USAFRet]

I have an Asus P8Z77-V LE Plus motherboard. I have been running Raid 0 arrays (6 or 7 different systems) for over 10 years and never had any problems. This is my third raid 0 with SSDs and no issues...yet. I regularly backup my valuable data but not a true image of the drives hence my current issue.

So then do an actual image, with one of the current imaging tools.

Regarding your RAID arrays...are you actually seeing any relevant user facing speed benefit?
Running it without problems is one thing. But if it doesn't provide an actual benefit, is it actually useful?

Not ragging on you, just very curious.

 

[Karadjgne]

Raid worked great for hdds. The speed increase was worth it, especially for large file management. Today's SSDs are so fast that they can actually be faster than the ram/cpu can process the information. This makes the speed increase of raid about useless and only increases the likelihood of loosing everything since now there's the option of 2x drives with 1 possible failure vrs 1x drive. That's all that's being really said, that you are going though multiple steps, multiple drives, multiple possibilities of failure for no performance benefit.

Just create a single image on a single drive and transfer that to the new drive, keeping older drives as backups, long term storage etc.

 

[USAFRet]

there's the option of 2x drives with 1 possible failure vrs 1x drive.

Actually, 3 points of fail.
2 x drives + the RAID controller.

 

[Karadjgne]

True. And that's not counting any glitches that inevitably derive from Windows. I swear, every time windows updates it changes ½ a dozen settings. It re-enables superfetch, prefetcher and hiberfil.sys every d*** time.