Creating a basic windows 10 RAID array

plasma757 · October 16, 2023

I am looking to create a basic RAID 1 array on my friends pc for storing clips and videos from our gaming group. Currently he has all of this data on an aging 2tb HDD, and I know its only a matter of time before it dies. This would preferably be pretty much maintenance free after the initial setup. My initial idea was to use software RAID through windows storage spaces and add in a single 4tb HDD for a future capacity upgrade, but I cant seem to find any information on whether or not windows will allow you to create an array with different drive sizes through the storages spaces tool. Also he is planning an upgrade in the next 6 months-1 year, is it going to be an issue trying to remake the array with the same drives on a different system and going from win 10 to 11?

WackySpace · October 16, 2023

Yes, you can use Windows Storage Spaces to create a RAID 1 (mirrored) array with two hard drives of different sizes.

In Windows Storage Spaces, data is allocated and mirrored in individual data slabs, more like Btrfs than RAID1. This means that the allocation is distributed proportionally according to disk sizes.

However, it’s important to note that the usable space in a RAID 1 array will be limited by the size of the smallest drive. For example, if you have a 2TB drive and a 12TB drive, only 2TB of space will be used for mirroring on each drive. The remaining space on the larger drive can be used separately.

Remember, it’s always recommended to have a backup of your data in addition to using RAID or Windows Storage Spaces for redundancy. This is because both systems are designed for data availability and performance improvement, not data backup. So, always ensure you have a separate backup of your important data.

Moving a RAID 1 array created with Windows Storage Spaces to a different system or upgrading from Windows 10 to Windows 11 should not be an issue.

Windows Storage Spaces is designed to be resilient and portable. The data on your drives is stored in a way that it can be recognized and read by any system running a compatible version of Windows. This means you should be able to move your drives to a different system and still access your data, unless you encrypted the drives with Bitlocker.

When upgrading from Windows 10 to Windows 11, your Storage Spaces should remain intact and accessible. However, it’s always a good idea to back up any important data before making significant system changes like an OS upgrade.

Remember, while RAID 1 provides redundancy, it is not a substitute for a comprehensive backup strategy. Always ensure you have a separate backup of your important data.

Please note that while this information is generally accurate, specific hardware configurations or software versions may behave differently. Always consult the documentation for your specific hardware or software for the most accurate information.