Converting from single disk to software RAID without loosing data

A while ago I purchased 2 kingston 240GB SSDs which were on sale and I ran my windows from one of them. The other one has just been sitting there for almost a year now.

I now want to RAID them but my question is, since I have my current SSD running with my OS, apps and files etc, if I plug the other one in, and make the BIOS settings to RAID them, will I loose any data? Is it possible for me to just plug in the drive, make the settings adjustments and for it to work (Like my drobo for example) or will I loose anything?

somdow

Posted 2015-11-04T14:38:04.643

Reputation: 183

If you want RAID 0 (which is a stripe and not real/normal RAID), then yes. You almost certainly will need to reinstall. There might be very rare exceptions to this on hardware cards, but most of the time those rebuild the array and need at least some redundancy for that. RAID 0 does not use any redundancy. – Hennes – 2015-11-04T14:42:58.173

As for the actual question: Change from one disk (SSD or HDD does not matter) to two disks in an array. That has been asked before on the site. Please first read those answers. – Hennes – 2015-11-04T14:43:39.403

Answers

As far as I know, Drobo has its own RAID scheme called BeyonRAID, which gives you an ability to plug additional HDD at anytime without losing any data. In your situation I would recommend to make backup from SSD and try to add second SSD to existing RAID. I think you will have to rebuild RAID again.

Amsterford

Posted 2015-11-04T14:38:04.643

Reputation: 84

Would need to know what RAID Controller you have available, to know for sure. Some RAID controllers will let you create a RAID array without destroying the drive's data, but the few brands of RAID controllers I've dealt with will always wipe the drives before creating the RAID.

Check your manual for the motherboard or if you have an actual RAID controller card on your system. If you can save the data and make an array it would be listed.

Sounds like you would be doing a motherboard RAID and I think you will be forced to re-install OS/Apps/Files and such.

N. Greene

Posted 2015-11-04T14:38:04.643

Reputation: 585

Most motherboard RAID is software RAID. For those you can often work around this by creating a degraded RAID on the second disk, then copying the OS and booting from the degraded RAID. Then add the original disk to the new array. With RAID 0 this becomes 'interesting' though. – Hennes – 2015-11-04T15:13:33.700

@Hennes Never thought about that. Good idea. Will have to try that. – N. Greene – 2015-11-04T15:31:50.060

looking at your answer @N.Greene, how would i determing what "Raid controller i have available" ? Thanks in advanced. – somdow – 2015-11-06T03:32:56.570