2 Posts
0
1276
November 23rd, 2022 07:00
x17 R1, 2TB SSD upgrade
I have an x17 R1 with 2x1TB SSD as Raid 0. I need to upgrade the storage as its becoming too full. I hope to install 1 single 2TB SSD as system disk and restore the current system to that. Then either use one of the original SSD in slot 2 to make 3TB total or add a 2nd 2TB SSD but keeping non-raid setup in either case. What I am not sure about is after backing up the existing Raid 0 disk (using Macrium Reflect Free) and Disk image backup, can I then simply restore this to the 2TB SSD once installed. I realize I need to change the Bios to turn raid off, after removing the current drives. If this doesn't work, will I simply be able to turn Raid back on and reinstall the original drives?
No Events found!
crimsom
7 Technologist
•
6.1K Posts
1
November 25th, 2022 08:00
Hi @itretail thank you for sharing update.
The intelligent system already knows that a single 2TB (C:) boot drive has been installed. There is no requirement to change the BIOS RAID_0 array setting. As part of your disaster Recovery Plan, please use Macrium Software | Reflect Free Edition to create a single 2TB standby boot drive clone (copy), that can be swapped in if the original single 2TB SSD boot drive becomes irrecoverable.
If the original 2 x 1TB dual boot drive is reinstated, the system will automatically function as a 2TB (C:) RAID_0 array. There is no requirement to change the BIOS RAID_0 array setting.
Install the blank M.2 2TB SSD card into the second slot, power on and open Disk Management, right click on new blank SSD to format and assign a permanent letter so that windows can see and use new drive. How to assign permanent letters to drives on Windows 10 | Windows Central.
crimsom
7 Technologist
•
6.1K Posts
1
November 23rd, 2022 13:00
Hi @itretail welcome to this free user-to-user Alienware laptop discussion forum.
Intel says retain the RAID_0 option in BIOS irrespective if the boot drive is a single or a dual drive.
The Crucial System Advisor database for Alienware x17 R1 RAM & SSD Upgrades says this system has been tested and will accept M.2 4TB NVMe SSD internal storage cards. Alienware x17 R1 | Memory RAM & SSD Upgrades | Crucial.com.
Alienware x17 R1 support for Storage says there are only two M.2 card slots. One supports PCIe4 while the other supports only up to PCIe3. When boot drive is PCIe3 RAID_0 both internal storage slots are occupied, a M.2 PCIe4 NVMe SSD external enclosure is required to create a single M.2 PCIe4 NVMe SSD clone (copy), using Macrium Software | Reflect Free Edition. Having created the clone (copy) on a single SSD, swap in to replace the Dual SSD boot drive.
You can swap in the original RAID_0 Dual SSD boot drive, because you just made a clone (copy).
itretail
2 Posts
0
November 25th, 2022 07:00
Thanks for the reply, i have cloned the original 2 x 1TB drives to a single 2 TB drive and replaced the original pair with the single drive. This seems to work fine, next step i would like to add a second 2 TB drive to increase the total storage. I assume that i can't just insert the second drive as a blank drive, because the raid setup will assume the pair are a Raid 0 array. If i insert second drive, while leaving the Bios unchanged would i then be able to simply restore a backup image to the new 2 x 2TB array, or would it need to be "initailaized" in some way first?