Cloning into a new RAID 1 setup

[woodson]

I'm currently running a custom built desktop with 2 x 1TB HDDs in a RAID 1 array. I'm planning on building a new system with a pair of SSDs also to be set up in a RAID 1 config.

My plan is this:

- Back up all the data (just the User folder) on my current HDD
- Once backed up, I'll delete the data, thus reducing the overall size of the drive
- Once the new PC is built with the new SSDs and BEFORE any introduction of Windows, I'll boot into the BIOS for the first time and set up the RAID 1 config. (I've read that doing that after Windows is installed can cause headaches)
- Then I'll clone my old HDD onto one of the SSDs in the new RAID setup...

...and all should be hunky dory, shouldn't it?

At this point will the two SSDs sync up and be exact mirrors?

(Later I'll introduce a separate HDD to the new machine, for my data from the old machine.)

Is this the way to go?

Thanks for any advice guys!

[Timster]

Pretty sure you will be good to go. You are using the same RAID controller so no problems there. I've never tried it to be fair. I would try a fresh install first on those ssd's ... You have nothing to lose seeing how you have the cloned image in case anything goes wrong.

[woodson]

Thanks for that.

Pardon my ignorance/slight noobishness, but when you say "you are using the same RAID controller so no problems there" - what do you mean? Using the same RAID controller as...?

Also, will it be a problem if, once the RAID has been set up on the empty SSDs in the BIOS, I'll then need to take one out to connect to an external dock connected to my old PC, for the
HDD --> SSD clone? After cloning will reconnecting the SSD back to the new PC be ok? The RAID setup will still be in place on the BIOS, so then the syncing process between the two drive just needs to happen. Am I correct with my assumption there?

[Timster]

The RAID controller is a chip on the motherboard. You cannot take drives in a RAID and move them to a different computer and expect that same RAID setup to work because the other computer more than likely has a different controller (unless the computers are identical). You should be able to pull the drive after the RAID is enabled, clone it then install it back. I would think it would just automatically populate the other drive from there. Let us know how it goes.

[woodson]

Thanks very much for the advice. I'll let you know how it goes!