RAID to non RAID
I have a RAID system and want to do away with it. Can I make a copy of my C drive disk(s) onto one disk then reconfigure without RAID and use that single disk? Thanks


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Thanks Ian, I'll have to think about that for a while.
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I haven't bought the software yet, I wanted to see if it will do what I need first.
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You do not have to change the setting from RAID to the appropriate non-raid setting. There is an ongoing debate on which is best setting for non-raid set-ups; raid or AHCI. I have a dim recollection that Intel recommends RAID for its on-board raid controllers.... but as always I could be wrong.
Ian
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I am a novice. Part of my problem involves the same issue as above. It has been years(Vista era) since I used an ACRONIS backup and restore product.
In my case I can put the disk I want to clone the Raid array to on the same Intel controller and it sets all ports to RAID as you stated. I would buy and use True Image 2016. No dynamic partitions are involved. So I would be using TI 2016 to clone the raid array to the single disk. Two things I don't understand is the statement to do a disk clone after "booting from the recovery media" (I thought the TI 2016 program would open in the OS on the RAID array and see the raid array and the target disk for the clone) and the process of loading the non-raid drivers, is unclear to me.
Any information you can provide would be helpful (if its in the product manual then I will go read it). However, I would like to post my complete problem for your and others consideration but not sure whether to post here or to post as new topic. Thanks in advance for your response.
Dan Y
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After you have bought the product, you'd produce the Acronis rescue/recovery medium. You'd boot the computer on it to perform the clone operation. The test here is that the bootable medium needs to see your RAID volume as a single volume, otherwise it won't work. You'd still ahve the option to produce a WIN-PE media in that case.
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Thanks Pat L, your comment helps me. I will buy the product and give it a go and hope for the best, and if I have trouble, I can get some help from Acronis support or on this forum. I think I have drivers to load, but that is the scary part for me.
Thanks much
Dan Y
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The drivers needed are the chipset drivers, and any driver of any other potential disk controller you have on your motherboard. Most laptops have only the disk controler included in the main chipset. Desktops motherboards have sometimes an additional disk controller. Check your documentation.
The drivers need to be in their uncompressed format .SYS and .Inf files. If you have the sames Windows OS installed as the one you are restoring, you can simply copy the System32/Drivers folders, and SysWOW64/Drivers folders.
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Hi Pat L,
Thank you very much for this additional information, you answered the question that was on my mind (but afraid to ask & look dumb). What a great relief and help. I feel much more confident now. Just one more clarification: Is it best to copy "the whole folder(s)" or the contents of the folder(s)?
Just a FYI, My mobo has an Intel controller, Marvell controller and JBMicron controller. My RAID 0 array(the single drive I will clone to will also be connected to this controller) is on the Intel. I have a Raid 1 mirror array on the Marvell controller and JBM supports e-sata.
Appreciate your help,
Dan Y
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Copy the whole folders. ATI will be picking up only the drivers it needs.
Make sure you boot the computer on the Acronis recovery CD and that it sees your RAID 0 as a single volume. Then you can clone to a disk attached to the Intel controller.
Which RAID are you moving? The O or the 1?
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Thanks for your continuing help Pat L. I am moving the Raid 0 array which has the Win10 OS on it. I think I understand what I need to do with your expert help. Now will buy the Acronis 2016 product and read/study the manual, clear the field and give it a try. Hopefully will report back a successful effort.
Have a great dayDan Y
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Hi PAT L., I hope the following information will provide me information to help me accomplish my overall goals. I don't know the best way to post this so am starting here.
ORIGINAL PLAN: My original plan was to do a RAID to non-RAID clone to solve my perceived problem regarding verified RAID drivers and accept the reduction is system performance. This plan (which I may still implement) is what you provided me with good information and guidance. After continued study of the ATI manual, writing up my own copious procedures and some information from a post; I don't think this is a low risk plan in my situation (and is explained more below)although later I may still choose to do this. I have bought ATI UNLIMITED 2015, but not installed it yet (waiting to get a better plan before starting the 30 day support clock).
I hope it's OK to make this post here and request your support and/or recommendations. If it needs to be moved to another location please feel free to do so. If I need to move it somewhere else please let me know.
MY SYSTEM DESCRIPTION: P8Z68 ASUS MOBO. Win 10Pro OS; on a RAID 0 array of two 500 GB SSD's. There is a SYSTEM RESERVED partition of 100MB, C: SYSTEM partition size 899 GB (usage reduced to 399GB), and a RECOVERY partition of 450 MB. TRIM of a RAID array is not supported on this MOBO hardware/chip design. Periodically I need to delete the Raid array, secure erase the individual SSD's (due to heavy usage from Photo editing and creating/rendering BlueRay movies of 2-3 hours duration) and recreate the array and reimage from a saved ISO back up. Originally this was a win 7 PRO system and the required RAID drivers were supplied by ASUS with the MOBO. Using a win7 ISO and Reimaging with a still functioning OS (this procedure did not require that I load any drivers) worked fine; BUT, to reimage a newly created RAID array required the RAID drivers to be loaded, and also worked fine.
My system has now been upgraded to WIN 10 PRO. After many weeks of back and forth emails ASUS has finally stated that they have no plans to provide verified RAID drivers for this MOBO. When I updated the Intel RAID Controller with WIN 10 installed, I obtained new RAID drivers but these have not been tested or verified on this MOBO.
MY PROBLEM/DILEMA: I can't break the RAID array to secure erase the two SSD's; reconstruct a new RAID array with the restored SSD's without being ABSOLUTELY SURE THAT I HAVE WORKABLE DRIVERS to reimage using a saved ISO and recover my system. If I don't have a solution and fail I will be forced to do a clean install and reinstall all my application programs AND do this every time I need to secure erase my SSD's. The plan to clone my RAID array to a single SSD fails my
risk assessment because I now realize it's necessary to delete the RAID array to test the single SSD version and if it fails to boot I am stuck. I also remember reading a post that implied that doing the RAID to single disk operation somehow impacted the ability to boot the existing RAID array (not positive of this, BUT I don't know how to fix this boot issue if true). The plan was to clone the RAID array to a single disk and when the system shuts down (my reading of the manual) to permit device changes, take out the single cloned SSD instead of leaving it in (and keep as a fall back hoping it will boot if I have to go to a single drive based OS); and reboot the original RAID array. Then I would continue to try to find a workable means to secure erase my SSD's and reconstitute the RAID array.
CURRENT APPROACH:
- Seek input on risk that doing the clone: Raid to single disk will be bootable
- Available tools: ATI unlimited 2015, flash drive with SYS 32 drivers and WOW64 drivers, flash drive with new untested Intel Raid drivers(hope they are good w10 drivers that will work on this MOBO).
- Seek input on possibility that doing a clone RAID array to single SSD impacts the boot ability of the existing RAID array and how to fix this issue. Keep the cloned single SSD as a potential HOT BUP(back up).
- Use ATI 15 to create a full BUP and a recovery CD
- Seek input on MY CRITICAL ASSUMPTION: that using recovery CD and BUP created by ATI2015 to reimage a working WIN 10 RAID array will request to load drivers (and one of the two flash drives described above OR both) can be loaded and reimage with the ATI created full backup will work and be the same as would happen if I were trying to reimage a "blank" RAID array.
- IF The above test can be done successfully then it would effectively verify that I have the tools (and drivers) to use ATI 15 to create a full backups and to successfully reimage a newly created RAID array with the secure erased SSD's.
- NOTE: I have read the manual regarding creating a WIN PE 5, it appears to me to be a daunting task and if I have no other options then further down the road I might give it a try.
So I am soliciting help from you and hopefully other forum members or moderators to take the time to read my plan and offer any insight or observations that would improve or change this plan.
I deeply appreciate anyone/everyone's efforts to review and comment, and Thank You in advance.
Hopefully I will receive inputs to improve this plan or items to try and my next step is to load ATI 2015, find out what issues I encounter and return to this forum and/or contact ATI customer support for help.
Again, thanks in advance for all your efforts and help,
Dan Y
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Hello Dan Y,
Thank you for your posting! This information could be helpful for you:
Since you have a valid support program, I would also suggest contacting our support team for assistance.
Thank you,
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