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Best video tutorial showing Windows 7 install with SSD and RAID support?

Matt_Stevens

Matt_Stevens

Senior member
Gang, the last time I wiped my system and did a clean install I watched a wonderful tutorial on YouTube, but it's apparently been removed by the user.

It showed a system being installed with an SSD as the OS drive, plus two drives in a RAID stripe and two drives in a Mirror (Literally the way in which I needed to set up my system).

It was specific on each step and easy for amateurs like myself, answering questions about how to format the SSD for RAID (because if memory serves, there are a very important options needed that a regular user would have no clue about different format options for an SSD, the MB settings, etc. something about AHCI vs RAID in the bios - I am not clear).

Again, it's been two years for me and I will need help. I have a week to study up, so please point me in the right direction.

I don't want to screw up and have to re-install everything! I chose some incorrect settings way back four years ago and had to wipe and re-install to get it right. Twice! 😵

Thanks! Oh yes... What I am installing...

Phanteks Enthoo Pro Series PH-ES614P ATX white Full Tower Case
EVGA SuperNOVA 750w G2 (overkill, yes, my bad)

ASUS Z97-PRO (Wi-Fi ac) USB3.1
Intel Core i7-4790K Devil's Canyon Quad-Core 4GHz + Noctua NH-D14 cooler
Samsung 850 Pro 256GB SSD (MZ-7KE256BW)

from my old system...
MSI GeForce GTX460 PCI Express 2.0 (this will be replaced/upgraded later this year)
16 GB G.SKILL Ripjaws Series 240-Pin SDRAM DDR3 1333 - 4GBx4 (will change/upgrade to new 32GB late 2015)

Two Samsung Spinpints in a stripe RAID
Two WD Blacks in a Mirror RAID (I might skip this since I now have a reliable RAID backup system)
LG burners for DVD & LD
1394b firewire card​
 
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You have an SSD for the OS. Why do you need more bandwidth for storage drives? Is it just for the protection?
 
SSD for the OS.

I have always used a stripe raid for my rendering files for Adobe Premiere Pro (it really does help in playback of higher rez videofiles). The Samsungs are insanely reliable and being a single platter, fast and not prone to fail over time.

The mirrored raid is due to my paranoia after losing so many drives over the years. Now that I have a 2TB RAID Synology for backups I can likely stop worrying about that. I may (maybe) not do the mirrored raid in this system.
 
So is the board/BIOS/RAID setup already where it needs to be for the last install? If so, tell us how you have it configured.

When I was looking at the manual, I came across this:
Due to chipset limitation, when SATA ports are set to RAID mode, all SATA ports run at RAID mode together
Click to expand...
So it looks like you will have to use the Asmedia ports for the SSD, as the Intel ports would be in RAID mode.

If this is the case, you will just need the Asmedia SATA driver on a flash drive for installing the OS onto your SSD.
 
ketchup79 said:
So is the board/BIOS/RAID setup already where it needs to be for the last install? If so, tell us how you have it configured.

When I was looking at the manual, I came across this: Due to chipset limitation, when SATA ports are set to RAID mode, all SATA ports run at RAID mode together

So it looks like you will have to use the Asmedia ports for the SSD, as the Intel ports would be in RAID mode.

If this is the case, you will just need the Asmedia SATA driver on a flash drive for installing the OS onto your SSD.
Click to expand...

Ouch. Now I am lost. This is where things have changed over the last few years and I am out of the loop.

I'm not quite sure when during the install that will be needed. I searched for a video tutorial but came up empty.
 
Matt_Stevens said:
Ouch. Now I am lost. This is where things have changed over the last few years and I am out of the loop.

I'm not quite sure when during the install that will be needed. I searched for a video tutorial but came up empty.
Click to expand...

Vista and up is sweet here. When you get to the point where it needs to find a drive, and it doesn't, just tell it to search your flash drive.

If you are using the Asmedia controller, the driver for the install process is here:
" Asmedia SATA Controller Driver V2.0.8.1 for Windows 7/8/8.1 32bit & 64bit.(WHQL) "
http://www.asus.com/us/Motherboards/Z97PRO/HelpDesk_Download/
 
ketchup79 said:
Vista and up is sweet here. When you get to the point where it needs to find a drive, and it doesn't, just tell it to search your flash drive.

If you are using the Asmedia controller, the driver for the install process is here:
" Asmedia SATA Controller Driver V2.0.8.1 for Windows 7/8/8.1 32bit & 64bit.(WHQL) "
http://www.asus.com/us/Motherboards/Z97PRO/HelpDesk_Download/
Click to expand...

Awesome. i think i know where you mean. As you insall Windows a section pops up where you pick the drive. At the bottom left there are buttons and if memory serves, one is "load driver" or something like that, right? Shit, this might not be all that hard. Or maybe I should not say/type that for fear of jinxing myself.
 
Matt_Stevens said:
Awesome. i think i know where you mean. As you insall Windows a section pops up where you pick the drive. At the bottom left there are buttons and if memory serves, one is "load driver" or something like that, right? Shit, this might not be all that hard. Or maybe I should not say/type that for fear of jinxing myself.
Click to expand...

That is pretty much it! Let us know how it goes.

Advice: if you don't have your RAID configured yet, don't even connect those drives and make the array until after Windows is installed on your SSD.

Side note: in the past, Windows has not run well on some Asmedia controllers, BUT warning messages about this are usually printed on a sticker on the board and a message in the manual, AND I didn't see any of those on a quick run through your manual (hint: recommend you run through it and make sure I didn't miss anything).
 
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ketchup79 said:
That is pretty much it! Let us know how it goes.

Advice: if you don't have your RAID configured yet, don't even connect those drives and make the array until after Windows is installed on your SSD.

Side note: in the past, Windows has not run well on some Asmedia controllers, BUT warning messages about this are usually printed on a sticker on the board and a message in the manual, AND I didn't see any of those on a quick run through your manual (hint: recommend you run through it and make sure I didn't miss anything).
Click to expand...

I'm not sure how to handle the RAID issue. I have a striped RAID for my D drive and am using two Samsung Spinpoints (my rendering drive for Premiere Pro). What would be terrific is if I can just move these over from my current system into my new system as a striped D drive. But my lack of knowledge is not helping me here. And I am not finding answers from research (yet).

My drive E is a mirrored RAID (two WD 1TB drives).

Your comments the Asmedia controllers is kind of scary. I did not see that in any of my research.
 
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OK, since this is a new system, the RAID part will be tricky. If you had a RAID card, you could just move it over and it would be a done deal.

I have heard that if the RAID chips are close enough, this MAY work, providing you set it up EXACTLY like the old one.

So, the question would be, what it your old board?

Silly question: do you have any spare drives around? Personally I would like to play with the RAID controllers a bit before I left important data in their hands. But whatever you do, may sure your backup is up to date.
 
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MSI P67A-GD65 (B3)
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16813130574

I suppose it won't be possible. I certainly could back up the D drive (striped raid drive) folders i need, wipe the drives and set up a new raid on the ASUS and then move the folders over from my backup. No reason that won't work, yes?

But what to do about the MIRROR raid? My E drive has been my life for four years. All of my projects are on it. What to do? Not sure how to handle that one.
 
Now you're testing me. Off the top of my head... not sure. I do know that I run Intel Rapid Storage Technology. It loads when Windows starts and shows my RAID array. Next time I boot into my computer I'll get in my BIOS and see what's what.
 
Well, let me say this, while you are looking: I think we can give you the best advice if you give us some more detail about your drive setup. Is everything inside one box now? Do you have a NAS? What all do you have in your backup strategy?

Here is what I am getting at: RAID1 is a great short-term backup solution (replace a dead drive if one goes out) but in case of catastrophic events, you still want an external backup of your most valuable data.
 
I have a Synology Assistant on my Network. It houses a 2TB raid, where I backup much of my important data, such as Premiere Pro project files, documents, pics, music, etc. I use Synctoy 2.1 to do the backing up. Not the best solution, but not complicated. I don't like complicated.

My striped and mirrored D and E drives are all internal. As is my Green drive, which I use to store various nonsense. My case is currently jammed.

I also have some external drives that I store project files, so I have multiple backups and I do this because of (I admit) extreme paranoia. But I have had a number of crashed drives over the years and wanted to be safe. ironically enough, I have been trouble free now for four years.
 
So:
2 Striped + 2 Mirrored + 1 Green + 1 SSD. 6 drives in the case, correct?

I like the Synology too!

So, if you can get your arrays Intel to Intel, you might be OK.
 
Yes. All in the case. According to the MB manual (it just arrived in the mail) "Intel Rapid Storage Technology" with RAID 0, 1, 5 & 10 is supported so maybe, just maybe I'll be in luck.

I still am looking at how to format the SSD with Windows 7. I assume NTFS, but I don't want to format incorrectly. I know there will be numerous choices. Every YouTube guide is different. That's annoying.

I'm also unsure of which SATA ports I should be using. There are too many choices 😱

For Intel there are...
1 x SATA Express
1 x M.2 socket 3
4 x SATA 6GB/s

Intel Rapid Storage Technology, of course, so RAID 0 and 1 (like I have now).

And there is also the ASMedia 2 X SATA 6GB/s

😕 😱

Will the SSD run faster on either or is it the same? Maybe I need to start a Hardware thread.

SSD, MB, CPU, cooler, PS and DVD-Rom have arrived. The case is due for delivery this afternoon. So i need to get my ass in gear and download all the needed drivers.
 
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I have never heard of an SSD running faster on an Asmedia chipset, but if you need the Intel for RAID technologies, this may be a risk you have to take.
 
I definitely need the RAID 0 for my Premiere Pro Scratch disc. And I will likely locate my Windows Page file there as well. Knowing how well Intel has worked for me for the past 4 yrs I guess that means I need to hook them up via the Intel SATA.

The Mirror RAID is no longer necessary. I have the Synology backup, which is a 2TB RAID, so the internal RAID is really overkill. I think that will simplify matters.

So maybe SSD, two Samsungs in RAID 0 and one WD Black all on the Intel SATA's?

Should I hook up the DVD-ROM and BD drive to the ASMedia SATA ports?

They couldn't go anywhere else.
 
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