topic Re: going from 1 SSD to 2 in RAID in Archive

going from 1 SSD to 2 in RAID

idata — Sun, 21 Mar 2010 20:20:10 GMT

I am currently running 1 Intel 160Gb X-25M SSD under Windows 7 64-bit using the Microsoft driver msahci so I get TRIM support. Now that Intel has finally released a new RST driver that supports TRIM I want to get another 160Gb X-25M and run them in RAID 0. In order to do this will I have to wipe my existing SSD first then start everything from scratch or is there another way to do this? If I do have to wipe my existing SSD first, what do I use to do this?

Re: going from 1 SSD to 2 in RAID

idata — Sun, 21 Mar 2010 21:30:42 GMT

I don't think its confirmed yet if the new RST 9.6.x will support trim with SSD in Raid 0. It might - just not sure.

If you want to move your system from a single disc to a Raid 0, I would probably get a copy of Norton Ghost 15 and make a cold backup (using a USB stick or a CD - info in Norton Ghost manual) of your current system drive to another standard hard drive. Ghost basically saves your entire system as a file. Hook up both SSDs to the motherboard and go into the INTEL RAID BIOS during boot. Create a Raid 0 with the two SSDs. Then use the norton USB stick Cold Restore to put the system back onto the RAID.

Otherwise - you would need to just create the raid 0 in the intel bios and reinstall everything from scratch starting with Windows.

The amount of work to learn how to make an image of your system with Norton Ghost is worth it in the long run because Backups are always a good thing.

Re: going from 1 SSD to 2 in RAID

idata — Mon, 22 Mar 2010 22:36:23 GMT

Do I need to use any special program to wipe my existing SSD before I RAID 2 together, or do I just reformat?

Re: going from 1 SSD to 2 in RAID

idata — Tue, 23 Mar 2010 11:50:06 GMT

I hope you have the G2 160gb SSDs. The original post wasn't clear. Only G2 SSDs support trim.

Anyways, there's supposed to be a secure erase utility described in one of Anandtech early articles about the G1 SSDs which will blank the drive out.

I suppose this could help a G2 drive as well before an install:

http://www.iishacks.com/index.php/2009/06/30/how-to-secure-erase-reset-an-intel-solid-state-drive-ssd/ http://www.iishacks.com/index.php/2009/06/30/how-to-secure-erase-reset-an-intel-solid-state-drive-ssd/

But just running the toolbox on the SSD before making the raid may be just as good. I don't really know much about that yet...

EDIT:

Looks like its confirmed SSDs in Raid will not have Trim support...

http://www.techreport.com/discussions.x/18653 http://www.techreport.com/discussions.x/18653

And the toolbox doesn't support Raided SSDs eaither... Without the new drivers supporting Raided SSDs with trim, I would seriously question Raiding SSDs. It would be a lot of hassle as performance of the drives decreases.

Re: going from 1 SSD to 2 in RAID

idata — Tue, 23 Mar 2010 23:12:58 GMT

Raidman, yes I do have the G2 X-25M's. If it's true that the new driver doesn't support RAID, then I will wait until it does. Thanks for the info!!