Win10 Adding a SSD in parallel w/ RAID 10

[JoeDaCabbie]

Hello folks. I am planning to install a new SSD into a gaming computer that currently boots from a RAID 10. My plan is to run the OS (Windows 10 64 Home) and a game or two from the SSD and relegate the old HDDS to file storage. My main concern is making the SSD the new boot drive. A little help for two questions before I start would be appreciated.

1. Is it possible to assign the new drive as c:, and make the RAID d: and e:? Does this even matter for booting Win 10?

2. If I do have to unplug the RAID for whatever reason, is there anything special I have to do to restore it, or will the controller re-identify the drives and configure them correctly?

Unless someone knows of a painless way to migrate the OS, I'm presuming I'll need to deactivate it on the RAID and do a clean install with a week of upating; so be it. If anyone foresees problems that will crop up that I don't, I'll happily accept advice. Thanks in advance!

Current Hardware

Intel i7-4790K
Asus ROG Maximus Hero VII mobo
4x Seagate SV35.5 SATA 3.0 1TB HDDS in RAID 10, c: -1.5 TB, d: -500 GB

New drive

Samsung 850 EVO 250 SATA III 250 Gb SSD

 

[drtweak]

1) What ever drive windows boots off of (Lets say you have multiple windows 7/8/10 OSes they will ALL be C drive when they boot and then the other drives will always be D and up.

2) It is best to remove ALL drives except for drive you are installing to. Windows likes to put the boot on other drives if there are others installed.

If you have enough space you can move your existing OS to the new SSD using either the Samsung software, or what i and other likes to use, Macrium Reflect (Its free). Just if you go the Macrium Route you will have to remove ALL items that you don't want the SSD. Move games, uninstall apps etc. So might be better to just do a clean install in your case.

Also do you plan on using the RAID as it is still or no?

 

[JoeDaCabbie]

1)

Also do you plan on using the RAID as it is still or no?

Yes, I'd like to keep it as is for now.

 

[drtweak]

Yea then just remove the drives, install windows, and then reconnect the drives

 

[JoeDaCabbie]

Yea then just remove the drives, install windows, and then reconnect the drives

Thanks for the help!