XHD After installing Windows?

[ForeverNoob]

Hi,

I've installed Win7 on a single HD with XHD disabled, now I want to add a second HD for RAID0. Do I have to reinstall Windows?

TIA

[Dark Mantis]

Hi and welcome to the Gigabyte Forum.

If you had installed XHD before the OS you could have added another drive afterwards in theory at least. I have never used it so I cannot personally vouch for it's usefullness.

As it is you cannot make use of it.

[ForeverNoob]

OK, thanks.

[Dark Mantis]

Yes I am afraid in this instance it is of no use to you at all. A fresh install of the OS is what's called for.

[brum]

I have a similar question.  I have added two new 2TB hard drives to my system long after my initial build and install of Windows 7.  Neither of the new HDDs will be a boot drive.  They are on the Intel ICH10R controller on SATA 0 and SATA 1.  My boot drive is on the Marvel controller on SATA 6.  I want to set up the two new drives in a RAID 0 array.  How can I do this?  Since the drives are new, I never loaded the Intel Raid driver during my initial OS install.
Also, can I set them up in a single 4TB partition?

[Aussie Allan]

Hi,

I've installed Win7 on a single HD with XHD disabled, now I want to add a second HD for RAID0. Do I have to reinstall Windows?

TIA

There is one way but it'll cost you and it's the long way round ... "Acronis 2011" with the add on "plus pack" will allow you to clone your present install and reinstall itl to a dissimilar hardware setup (2nd drive added and configured for raid0) ... hope this helps, but as Mantis said , Might be easier to bite the bullet and hit the delete key !!!

 Aussie Allan

[brum]

I can understand your recommendation if it was the boot drive that I wanted to change.  However, my boot drive is not part of this question.  I merely want to create a raid 0 drive for data, not for the OS.  Any thoughts?

[Aussie Allan]

Ooooooooooooooooooh!...if it's only a data disc, just back it up (copy)  to any media, install second drive , format and configure dual set to raid0 in bios,allocate a drive letter in disc management,  then copy backup to new raid0 set drive letter...........I think it's that simple.

 Aussie Allan

[Dark Mantis]

Totally agree there. No problem with creating a new RAID0 data drive as long as you have space to back up the original data to another drive first.

[brum]

Thank you all! That is what I will do.