3 Posts
0
1163
m15 R3, installed SSDs slot change
Hello all,
Is it possible to change which slot the installed Raid 0 SSDs are in without breaking windows?
I've purchased a M15 R3 and would like to add another SSD. The issue I have is that I ordered it with two 256 GB SSDs in Raid 0. I have a spare M.2 2280 M Key NVMe/PCIe 256 GB SSD sitting on my desk that I'd like to install. The problem that I have is that the two installed SSDs are the shorter 2230 SSDs. When I went to install the spare SSD that I have I wasn't able to. I wasn't able to install it because the two installed SSDs are in slot 1 and 2 and are the shorter 2230 SSDs. Of course they are installed in the only two slots that will support the 2280 size SSD that I have. The only open slot is the shorter 2230 slot or slot 3.
Is it possible to move one of the installed 2230 SSDs (most likely from slot 2) to slot 3 and not break the windows install? Then install the spare SSD I have on hand into slot 2? I'd rather not reinstall windows if I can help it. The other options involve reinstalling windows with or without the raid and then install the spare SSD. But being I've only had the laptop a few weeks and haven't really moved into it, reinstalling windows is a option.
I'm open to suggestions if there is another way.
crimsom
6 Professor
6 Professor
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6.1K Posts
2
November 19th, 2020 09:00
Hi @mythter the RAID 0 array shares the information and the operating system puts this information together so that it can be used. For example for the operating system to see "WORD", it takes W_R_ from drive 1 and _O_D from drive 2 to combine and get WORD. It is not possible to use drive 1 or drive 2 in isolation. Dell advertising says RAID 0 gives a system performance boost, but this is imperceptible for a home laptop, especially when using an ultra fast NVMe SSD. The RAID 0 array configuration complicates disaster recovery.
The internet will reveal how to get the RAID 0 copied onto a single drive. My internet search included the post "How do I clone a RAID 0 to a larger single drive?" posted on the Acronis True Image Home Forum.
The cloning process leaves the original drive 1 and drive 2 information unchanged.
Please remember that Dell warranty returns insist that the original system configuration is sent back, so keep your RAID 0 drives "as is" so that you can get any faults fixed during the warranty or extended warranty timescale.
Please remember to create a second clone, so that when a drive fails, etc. you just swap in the other clone to get going again within minutes.
ejn63
10 Elder
10 Elder
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23.1K Posts
1
November 19th, 2020 05:00
Unfortunately, no it's not. You'll need to back up, swap the drives around, rebuild the array (my suggestion is to leave the drives separate, and not re-create a RAID 0 array). RAID 0 is not much of an advantage over separate NVMe drives speed-wise -- and it doubles your risk of data loss.
mythter
3 Posts
0
November 19th, 2020 09:00
Thanks for the reply.
I was pretty sure that I couldn't do what I was thinking of trying but I just wanted verification.
Thanks again.