RAID 0 backup options

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bdubb

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I'm stepping away from running RAID 5 to save the $400 on a card but still considering RAID 0, but I'm unsure of my backup options.

I'm running win 7, asus RIIE, and 3 samsung F3 HDDs at 1TB each.

Can I run the RAID 0 on two drives (boot, etc.) and then just use the third HDD to backup those drives through win 7? Will that backup be usable?

Curious about a practical solution here without costing me a RAID controller and using my current equipment. Planning to do this tonight if I feel confident with what I find out in time.


Thanks
 
Yes sure, especially if you keep the backup out of any RAID-array, so the backup does not depend on the RAID-layer, which can fail in itself.

The downside would be that if your RAID0 fails, you can't boot. Your data is on the backup drive but doesn't contain an OS. But as long as you can live/deal with that, you're fine as far as your backup is concerned.

RAID0 would be best done using the motherboard onboard controller, especially if it's intel.
 
Yes, I feel I could live without being able to boot. As long as the following applies. That I replace the failed drive and reinstall windows and the backup HDD would be able to restore the lost data in a usable format. This will be my home use/play computer so down time with it can be dealt with by using one of my work computers.

I just want to make sure I have a way to backup photos and things that can't be replaced, aside from doing DVD backups.
 
Depending on what MB chipset you have, you could go get you another 1TB drive and run RAID 10.

But if you want more safety, I would go with an external backup solution. Keep your RAID 0 and put the extra 1TB in an external enclosure and backup to it. When not in use, unplug it from the PC and wall so if there is a power issue that happens to take out the PC that drive will be safe.
Having a RAID array as your only source of backup is not a true backup solution. A real backup will not be tied to the machine.
 
Don't use RAID0 as backup. I fI were you, I would just get another drive and run RAID10.
 
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