Creating a non-primary RAID 1 from within Windows

[Kevstra]

Hi all,

I had my secondary storage hard drive fail this morning, and lost all of my music, videos, photos, and documents. Luckily a lot of my information is backed up elsewhere. However, it made me realize the venerability of my system's data storage.

This was the structure of my system:

C: Main drive, 64GB SSD, contains Windows 7 x64 install
X: Storage drive, 500GB Seagate, contains game installs
Z: Storage drive, 1.0TB Seagate, contains documents, photos, music, videos <-- FAILED

To replace the lost storage drive, I picked up 2 WD Caviar Green 2.0TB hard drives, which I would like to put in RAID 1 (I have learned my lesson). This is where I need some advice.

All the RAID install information I can find is assuming I am installing Windows on the RAID, and points to installing the RAID drivers during the Windows install. What I would LIKE to do, is simply add the new drives in RAID 1 to my existing Windows install. Can that be done? I'm not trying to install Windows on the array, just use it as storage.

I have an Asus Crosshair III Formula motherboard.

I was thinking of following this path of operations:
1) Physically install hard drives.
2) Enter BIOS and create a RAID 1 with the drives
3) Enter existing Windows installation, and install one of the 2 drivers listed under "Sata" for Windows 7 x64 HERE. Not sure which does what.

Is there something wrong with my proposed plan? Does anyone have any advice for me? I've never set up a RAID before.

 

[thefreeaccount]

While neither are particularly good performers, I would prefer the Win7 software raid over AMD's fakeraid. Just hook up the drives, open diskmgmt.msc, partition & format the 1st drive as a dynamic disk, then right click the 2nd drive and click "mirror".

 

[Kevstra]

This is exactly the option I am looking for... thanks!