New System - Advice on installing OS (Windows) on a raid array

[saleen146]

Hello All:

I am new to this forum ... and I am looking for some advice.

I always build my own systems (enjoyment & frustration) and usually do a new system every 5-6 years sometimes with a cpu or gpu upgrade in between.

My son bought me two Seagate Momentus XT 750 GB 7200RPM SATA 6Gb/s drives for my birthday, well that prompted me to begin getting the parts for a new system.

This is the list of parts for my upgrade:

• Intel Core i7-3930K 3.2 1 LGA 2011
  
• Noctua NH-D14 SE2011 140mm and 120mm CPU Cooler
  
• ASUS RAMPAGE IV EXTREME - LGA2011 - X79
  
• CORSAIR DOMINATOR GT 32GB (4 x 8GB) 240-Pin DDR3 SDRAM DDR3 1866 (PC3 15000)
  
• (2) Intel 520 Series Cherryville SSDSC2CW240A310 2.5" 240GB SATA III
  
• (2) Seagate Momentus XT 750 GB 7200RPM SATA 6Gb
  
• PLEXTOR Black 12X BD-R 2X BD-RE 16X DVD+R 12X DVD-RAM 8X BD-ROM 8MB Cache
  
• (2) XFX FX797ATDBC Double D HD 7970 Black Edition - 7970
  
• 
  
• Microsoft Windows 7 Ultimate SP1 64-bit
  
• 
  
• Cooler Master Cosmos II Full Tower Case
  
• Corsair Professional Series Gold 1200-Watt
  
• Corsair Vengeance K90 Black/Metal USB Wired Gaming Performance, MMO Mechanical Keyboard
  
• SteelSeries Sensei Laser Gaming Mouse
  
• NEC Multisync PA241W Professional LCD
  

I have for many years installed Windows on a stripped raid array -0-. So, I always start fresh (good idea anyway). I don’t consider myself a techi.

So before I put this together I thought I might ask a few questions of the experts.

1. I want to install Windows to the Intel SSD’s in a Raid 0 configuration (YES, NO) Why?
   
2. I will also want to have the Seagate’s also in a Raid 0 configuration (YES, NO) Why?
   
3. I was planning on using the ASUS BIOS Flashback process to update (if necessary) the BIOS (YES, NO) Why?
   
4. Any other tips like “only install OS hard drives for installation of Windows” would be appreciated.
   

Thanks in advance, I look forward to hear your comments …. Parts are arriving tomorrow!

Ray

PS ... Is this the right forum for this post, should I post to the storage forum?

 

[Calibretto]

Only no I can see to doing that is that I don't know wether or not Win 7 has TRIM for RAID 0 yet

And go for it with the Seagates

 

[JackyBoy]

I have been using windows 7 on 2 raid 0 ssd since win 7 was released, absolutely no problems what so ever!

I don't think raiding the seagates will have much point, if anything I would do it as backup rather than going for speed with them, as anything you want to put on a hard drive that you want to be quick will go on the ssd raid.

People are very wary of flashing, but seems to be much better these days. Google around for your latest bios, see if anyone has had problems with it, if not then go ahead.

No further specific tips apart from go for 680s instead!

 

[airdeano]

So before I put this together I thought I might ask a few questions.

first ray, welcome to the forum

1. I want to install Windows to the Intel SSD’s in a Raid 0 configuration (YES, NO) Why?
   
2. I will also want to have the Seagate’s also in a Raid 0 configuration (YES, NO) Why?
   
3. I was planning on using the ASUS BIOS Flashback process to update (if necessary) the BIOS (YES, NO) Why?
   
4. Any other tips like “only install OS hard drives for installation of Windows” would be appreciate.
   

ssd raid for OS (although TRIM support) is fine, you'll just have to adjust for drive garbage collection and maintance. an ssd OS with a RAID0 hdd would be smarter

for now, until ssd RAID is supported.

the flashback utility is mainly for unsupported perfs so booting with wrong BIOS information can be controlled. only issue is youll have to grab the new bios, flash drive it,

upgrade hardware and then flashback the system. other than that, if you have a corrupt BIOS, the flashback is an advance tool as other board makers are implimenting the same.

airdeano