Creating a raid in windows 11?

[Ash4ashes]

Hi, i saw that windows 11 supported the creation of storage pool. My question is, how reliable is it? What happens if i need to reset or reinstall windows? Do I loose my data?  

[Shimejii]

What are you trying to use the RAID for exactly? That should dicate if you would actually use it

[Ash4ashes]

22 minutes ago, Shimejii said:

What are you trying to use the RAID for exactly? That should dicate if you would actually use it

Media storage, I have multiple drives and i'd like to create a raid 5. I know that raidxpert2 is a thing too since i'm on the amd platform, but i've only heard bad things about it

[heimdali]

Traditionally, Windows never decently supported software RAID.  Unless that has dramatically improved with 11, you're better off using hardware RAID or Linux software RAID and, if you need to, run your Windows in a VM on it.  Using Windows for a file server is a really strange idea anyway.

 

 

[Ash4ashes]

7 minutes ago, heimdali said:

Traditionally, Windows never decently supported software RAID.  Unless that has dramatically improved with 11, you're better off using hardware RAID or Linux software RAID and, if you need to, run your Windows in a VM on it.  Using Windows for a file server is a really strange idea anyway.

 

 

I read different thing everytime I open a new page. One forums tells me that hardware is terrible and that software is better and some tells me the other way around... 

 

I use Windows for my file server because it's just my main operating system. I do not have the money or the space to afford a second pc just to create a server. 

 

So I'm on Windows, vm are too unstable and linux is terrible if I want to watch anything or play a game. I've tried many times.

 

So is raidxpert2 a good and reliable way to make a raid? I've read in multiple places that it was terrible... but maybe those informations are obsolete...

[manikyath]

windows storage spaces is *fine*. but the message remains: raid is not a backup.

 

in theory you could import the array in a new install of windows, but it's really not something you want to do without a backup of your data.

[heimdali]

VMs are not unstable at all.  Both hardware and software RAID have advantages and disadvantages.  You can watch videos with Linux just fine, and you can play games.  Yet for playing games, you're better off with a console or Windows.

 

So go for hardware RAID when you're stuck with Windows.  Look out for HP smart array 410 or better, that should work and won't be overly expensive.  Using hard drives that are rated for 24/7 is highly recommended because even when you don't run them 24/7, the drives better have error correction that doesn't let them drop out of the array since hardware RAID controllers may lack the patience to wait for long recovery times.

 

[Ash4ashes]

53 minutes ago, manikyath said:

windows storage spaces is *fine*. but the message remains: raid is not a backup.

 

in theory you could import the array in a new install of windows, but it's really not something you want to do without a backup of your data.

Oh yeah I know it's not a backup... but I can't afford to backup all the storage that I already have, especially since it's mostly games and movies that I can just get back easily. Nothing really important are going to be in this "raid"

[Ash4ashes]

49 minutes ago, heimdali said:

VMs are not unstable at all.  Both hardware and software RAID have advantages and disadvantages.  You can watch videos with Linux just fine, and you can play games.  Yet for playing games, you're better off with a console or Windows.

 

So go for hardware RAID when you're stuck with Windows.  Look out for HP smart array 410 or better, that should work and won't be overly expensive.  Using hard drives that are rated for 24/7 is highly recommended because even when you don't run them 24/7, the drives better have error correction that doesn't let them drop out of the array since hardware RAID controllers may lack the patience to wait for long recovery times.

 

They are unstable and limited. 

Linux doesn't have hdr support that I know of.

Adobe barely runs on Linux.

Any 3d software except blender are not on Linux. 

Most drivers and software that I use and need are not on Linux. 

Any games with any anti cheat are unplayable. Half of my steam library can't be launched in Linux... so please... you all praise Linux like it's perfect but it's just not. 

[heimdali]

VMs aren't unstable, and what limits exactly are you referring to?

I don't know about HDR, I don't have a display that supports it.

Who cares about Adobe?  IIUC they're massively spying on you.

You mean software like blender?  You're probably right.  And?

I don't have a lack of drivers or software.

I never said it's perfect.  Maybe read what I said.

 

And I don't know what your problem is, I have made suggestions as to use hardware RAID with Windows since you're stuck with it.  I do not recommend going for software RAID with Windows, and I do not recommend using Windows for a file server.  I also do not recommend to use the computer you're using for a desktop machine or workstation or however you want to call it as a server, not for files and not for other services.  You don't need to like or follow my suggestions.

 

[manikyath]

1 hour ago, Ash4ashes said:

Oh yeah I know it's not a backup... but I can't afford to backup all the storage that I already have, especially since it's mostly games and movies that I can just get back easily. Nothing really important are going to be in this "raid"

just do a thing in windows storage spaces and call it a day.