Building a RAID 1 array without reinstalling windows?

[ace_cheaply]

As the title says, I've already installed windows on my ssd a month ago when I got my build.  I just got a great deal on two 2TB hdd's, and I would like to run them in RAID 1 to have a local backup.  However, I know adding RAID after the fact is a little difficult.  I've tried editing the registry files to set the start values to 0 on the hdd's to get it to reinstall the drivers.  I've tried to boot into safe mode, but the always the same inaccessible_boot_device blue screen error. 

 

Any other ideas, or do I just need to reinstall windows with RAID as an initial setting? 

 

This will be the first time I've ran RAID, but I'm terrible at backing things up and after a drive failure a couple weeks ago I want to at least have that security.  I know it isn't a perfect solution, but it is better than no solution.  

 

White Privilege Specs, fwiw

MOBO: Asus z170s Sabertooth Sabranco

CPU: i7 6700K

Cooler: Intel Thermal solutions 2011rts v2

GPU: GTX 770

PSU: CX 650M (Yeah, I know a computer somewhere dies everytime you say "CX" out loud.)

SSD: PNY 240 GB cs1311

HDD: WD red 3 tb

HDD: Hitachi Ultrastar 2tb 7200rpm x2

Case: NZXT Phantom 410 (white)

OS:  Windows 10 pro (legitimate)

 

Any help would be greatly appreciated

[GDRRiley]

4 minutes ago, ace_cheaply said:

As the title says, I've already installed windows on my ssd a month ago when I got my build.  I just got a great deal on two 2TB hdd's, and I would like to run them in RAID 1 to have a local backup.  However, I know adding RAID after the fact is a little difficult.  I've tried editing the registry files to set the start values to 0 on the hdd's to get it to reinstall the drivers.  I've tried to boot into safe mode, but the always the same inaccessible_boot_device blue screen error. 

 

Any other ideas, or do I just need to reinstall windows with RAID as an initial setting? 

 

This will be the first time I've ran RAID, but I'm terrible at backing things up and after a drive failure a couple weeks ago I want to at least have that security.  I know it isn't a perfect solution, but it is better than no solution.  

 

White Privilege Specs, fwiw

MOBO: Asus z170s Sabertooth Sabranco

CPU: i7 6700K

Cooler: Intel Thermal solutions 2011rts v2

GPU: GTX 770

PSU: CX 650M (Yeah, I know a computer somewhere dies everytime you say "CX" out loud.)

SSD: PNY 240 GB cs1311

HDD: WD red 3 tb

HDD: Hitachi Ultrastar 2tb 7200rpm x2

Case: NZXT Phantom 410 (white)

OS:  Windows 10 pro (legitimate)

 

Any help would be greatly appreciated

why a i7 and a 770???

[ace_cheaply]

3 minutes ago, GDRRiley said:

why a i7 and a 770???

Is that really relevant to the question?  But if you must know, it's because I wasn't going to buy a new gpu with the new generation releasing a couple weeks after i bought it...  I got the z170 build as an anniversary present last month, and I'll be buying an RX 480 when they release until the 490/490x is released. 

[GDRRiley]

2 minutes ago, ace_cheaply said:

Is that really relevant to the question?  But if you must know, it's because I wasn't going to buy a new gpu with the new generation releasing a couple weeks after i bought it...  I got the z170 build as an anniversary present last month, and I'll be buying an RX 480 when they release until the 490/490x is released. 

aw you create a storage pool in windows and select the 2 drives. 

[ace_cheaply]

1 minute ago, GDRRiley said:

aw you create a storage pool in windows and select the 2 drives. 

Yeah, but that's software raid, no?  I was hoping to do it through the motherboard controller, but I can't say I know the advantages of either, other than being able to do it through windows, i mean. 

[GDRRiley]

2 minutes ago, ace_cheaply said:

Yeah, but that's software raid, no?  I was hoping to do it through the motherboard controller, but I can't say I know the advantages of either, other than being able to do it through windows, i mean. 

that is software raid. you would have to do it in the BIOS\

 

[ace_cheaply]

1 minute ago, GDRRiley said:

that is software raid. you would have to do it in the BIOS\

 

Yes...and when I do put my two 2tb drives in raid in the bios my ssd shows up as an inaccessible boot device, even after taking the steps in my first post.  Hence the thread.   But thank you for reminding me about the software option, if it comes to that I will just use that path.

 

Do you know of the inherent disadvantages of software raid?

[GDRRiley]

 

 

2 minutes ago, ace_cheaply said:

Yes...and when I do put my two 2tb drives in raid in the bios my ssd shows up as an inaccessible boot device, even after taking the steps in my first post.  Hence the thread.   But thank you for reminding me about the software option, if it comes to that I will just use that path.

 

Do you know of the inherent disadvantages of software raid?

https://www.adaptec.com/nr/rdonlyres/14b2fd84-f7a0-4ac5-a07a-214123ea3dd6/0/4423_sw_hwraid_10.pdf

[ace_cheaply]

12 minutes ago, GDRRiley said:

 

 

https://www.adaptec.com/nr/rdonlyres/14b2fd84-f7a0-4ac5-a07a-214123ea3dd6/0/4423_sw_hwraid_10.pdf

Thanks, friend, a lot of great info there.   Still not sure if I want to go with the bios or windows solution, or how to go through the bios solution without reinstalling windows, but at least I understand the pros and cons better.  

[0x1e]

1 hour ago, ace_cheaply said:

This will be the first time I've ran RAID, but I'm terrible at backing things up and after a drive failure a couple weeks ago I want to at least have that security.  I know it isn't a perfect solution, but it is better than no solution.  

 

Any help would be greatly appreciated

 

I know this won't help much but RAID 1 doesn't help at all if it's a software problem. This includes windows / driver corruption, virus, malware, crytolocker or user error.

The changes you make to disk 1 will be almost instant to disk 2.

If it's a back up you want then it would be best to do a "manual" back up once per day / week / month either by clicking the button yourself or a program to auto back up.

I personally use Windows built in back up feature and create an entire clone once per month of my computer and it will store it on my NAS for me.

Of course there are far more advanced programs out there but I personally don't need them as a complete system restore from a clone is perfectly fine for me.

[ace_cheaply]

1 hour ago, 0x1e said:

 

I know this won't help much but RAID 1 doesn't help at all if it's a software problem. This includes windows / driver corruption, virus, malware, crytolocker or user error.

The changes you make to disk 1 will be almost instant to disk 2.

If it's a back up you want then it would be best to do a "manual" back up once per day / week / month either by clicking the button yourself or a program to auto back up.

I personally use Windows built in back up feature and create an entire clone once per month of my computer and it will store it on my NAS for me.

Of course there are far more advanced programs out there but I personally don't need them as a complete system restore from a clone is perfectly fine for me.

Yeah, I know it is far from a perfect solution.  I really need to look into automating my backups.  I know i SHOULD do it, but I forget, or get lazy.  This is really just a reaction to the drive failure, I still need to get a better backup solution.