Question about RAID 0

[HookeyStreet]

When doing a RAID 0 setup do the HDDs have to be the same size? I ask this because I was thinking of using my 2 HDDs in RAID configuration (Maxtor 120 & Maxtor 160)

[{JNT}Raptor]

I believe you can....but you'll lose the extra 40gigs of the 160 drive In RAID 0.

[HaZe303]

If you want the raid0 to work and have good performance they should be the same size. You can not use 2 different sizes. And furthermore, to get absolute best performance you should have 2 of the exact same models, not only 2 of 160gb´s, but exact same models. preferably even with the same firmware...


If you are trying to get raid0 to boost performance in games or so, you dont have to get raid0. It wont give you much performance boost in games, if any. Only thing it will do in games is maybe shorten loadtimes if even that. The best performance boost with raid0 is with downloading files, when decoding/encoding video, having a server setup or things like this. But performance in games, i havent seen any so far. Because even if the raid0 is faster than a standard single sata/ide drive, it usually uses more cpu too. So in a way, you could loose some performance in games. The best thing i like about my raid0 is that windows boots much faster having windows on the first partition on my raid0.


So if you want performance, save youre money and buy another 1800xt and get a crossfire setup instead. That will give more boost than raid0, i guarantee it!!


EDIT: One more thing, can i ask why youre memory is setup @175mhz??? Why dont you have them @200mhz?? If you´re Mobo is auto setting youre memory @333mhz in bios when you have 4x512mb, that is just a safety precaution, you can have them @full 400mhz/200mhz setup... you know that right??

[gR3iF]

but to answer your question yes u can use both and they are added to a size of 280 gig under windows

[{JNT}Raptor]

Heres a Quote:

"The drives under RAID 0 should ideally be the same size but you can mix different sizes. The downside is that the system will treat all drives as if they were the size of the smallest drive. As an example, a 40Gb, 20Gb and 15Gb combination would be seen as a 45Gb (3 X 15Gb) system but still getting the 3 X speed improvement."

Got It from HERE

Yes there are advantages and disadvantages to running RAID 0....It just depends on what you do everyday with your machine....Raiding a 120 and 160 for a RAID Array of 240gigs total Is a bit to large though IMO......Considering the possibility of the array going wacky on you and you lose all 240gigs of Data.......But....a well maintained RAID Array will last much longer than your Install of windows.......If you have It....Get familar with Nortons Ghost software.....It'll backup your data pretty quick.

Good Luck.

[HaZe303]

By the way, little OT, but anyway, does someone know if i can move two drives in raid0 from one mobo to another and have the raid functioning on the new one?? Or do i have to move all files before i do?? I dont want to trial and error, too much work to change mobo´s forth and back!!? Thx for any enlightment!!

[Thermopylae_480]

A. The board has to support RAID, and have it enabled.
B. Windows will hate you, It'll be confused as hell trying to figure out a complete hardware change and that could cause problems. RAID will have been configured to work with the RAID controller on the other motherboard also, so I just don't know what could happen there. I would just formatt the two HDD and then re-install everything for the other computer. You'll basically have to re-intall all of your drivers and such anyway so might as well just do a clean install.

[HaZe303]

Yes of course, clean install of windows. But i have three partitions on the raid, its 2x250gb... so i have 2 partitions full of downloads, and i dont have any other drives to pass over the files too. Just wondering if the new mobo will recognize the old raid, and then just delete the first partition on the raid and install windows, and still have the two old partitions with the files... thx for youre help... very appreciated...

[Noobcomputermaker]

What is Raid?

[HaZe303]

Google!!?

[Poisonsnak]

Originally Posted by HaZe303

By the way, little OT, but anyway, does someone know if i can move two drives in raid0 from one mobo to another and have the raid functioning on the new one?? Or do i have to move all files before i do?? I dont want to trial and error, too much work to change mobo´s forth and back!!? Thx for any enlightment!!

I've done this before, but I've heard they both need to have the same raid controller. I moved a raid 0 set from my dfi lanparty nf2 ultra-b (Silicon Image 3114 controller) to my ASUS A8N-SLI Premium (same SiI controller) with no data loss. One thing to watch on the Silicon Image controllers if it says "conflicts exist" don't push "resolve conflicts" unless you have backed up your data because it usually erases the drives.