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Go to Solutionm15 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.
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.
crimsom
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Posted 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.
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