Converting two drive RAID0 to single drive

[DICKHILL]

Is there any "easy" way to convert a two drive RAID0 to a single drive? 

Or is the best, fastest and easiest way just to format and start all over?

 

I'm running Win 10 Pro x64 and use two Samsung 850 Evo 500GBs.
The RAID is a Intel-something that have been created in the BIOS. (MSI Z87-G45 Gaming motherboard.)
I have around 678GB free space, but can indeed free up a lot more!

 

 

The reason is because I were stupid enough to buy two, but of course that didn't improve ANYTHING! 

So now I want to use one of the drives in my workshop laptop. (I already have another lying on the shelf, which will be installed in my personal laptop.

[Psittac]

Image the OS to another drive then transfer back to one drive.  Can't be done without an extra drive in the mix.

 

if the information isn't overly important then just format and start fresh

[DICKHILL]

1 minute ago, Psittac said:

Image the OS to another drive then transfer back to one drive.  Can't be done without an extra drive in the mix.

 

if the information isn't overly important then just format and start fresh

Thanks for the quick reply! (:

 

Another drive is necessary, yes.

I have a third 500GB (bought two new to keep my old system), but I guess that a 1TB is needed?
And how will I be able to decrease a 1TB partition to 500GB?

 

The data aren't important, but it would be a lot easier just to convert it, rather than install everything again.. (Bought the drives and did it a month ago.)

[Psittac]

When imagining an OS drive I'm pretty sure it only takes up the data which is used rather than the whole partition (can't remember exactly, haven't done it in a while)

 

With that said considering the data isn't important I would just start over with a fresh install.  I have software that I purchased to image a drive so that's added cost and effort.

[DICKHILL]

Just now, Psittac said:

When imagining an OS drive I'm pretty sure it only takes up the data which is used rather than the whole partition (can't remember exactly, haven't done it in a while)

 

With that said considering the data isn't important I would just start over with a fresh install.  I have software that I purchased to image a drive so that's added cost and effort.

I'm a bit familiar with Ubuntu and ddrescue, but mostly to backup/recover hard drives, MicroSDs, etc...
But of what I remember, it does copy the entire partition(s).

 

I did though, resize multiple partitions with gparted the last couple of days, but that were on my VMs on my ESXi host...

Don't know if same would be possible in this scenarie?

 

Also, the time it will take to read/write a hard drive than just a VMDK, I think it will be faster just formatting, reinstalling Windows, programs, games, etc...