Raid help (possibly)

[TheNamelessPoet]

So I had my OS SSD die a month or so ago, and I threw in an old HD I had from an old laptop.

After this happened I got thinking about a backup. What is the easiest way to backup my OS SSD? Should I do Raid with a standard HD as the backup (if that is even possible)? OR is there a way to Image the drive as a backup so I can install all my programs and THEN image it with the key and everything, in case the SSD craps out again (once I have a new one?)

 

[TheNamelessPoet]

Also (as a side note)

is there any benefit to having an SSD with more than 256MB buffer for your OS? Assuming you are looking at ones that are not DRAM-less. And how can you tell if it is DRAM-less?

 

[Darren]

Check out Macrium Reflect, there's a free version that I use for work and it's actually pretty robust. Can even boot up your images into a virtual machine. I'd get everything setup. Save a fresh "original" image and you can also have it scheduled to do regular backups.

Personally I think RAID is a bit pointless these days on the consumer side. Really only see it used on storage arrays/servers anymore.

 

[TheNamelessPoet]

Check out Macrium Reflect, there's a free version that I use for work and it's actually pretty robust. Can even boot up your images into a virtual machine. I'd get everything setup. Save a fresh "original" image and you can also have it scheduled to do regular backups.

Personally I think RAID is a bit pointless these days on the consumer side. Really only see it used on storage arrays/servers anymore.

yea, I was only thinking RAID because I "knew" it. But maybe do a fresh install with all the programs? And keep a backup of it to start with? How does Micrium Reflect work is it an image file or like a "windows restore/backup" type thing where you can just roll back to a certain point?

I keep all my data and actual programs on a regular HD so I am not AS concerned, it is more the setting everything up to look at the "secondary" storage HD where the programs are kept if you know what I mean. I don't want to have to reinstall things over themselves just to not have duplicates of programs, like I have now unfortunately.

 

[Darren]

I manage multiple images with Macrium as I handle deployment of workstations and use it for several different kinds of machines. Give it a download and play around with it, it's pretty easy to figure out and surprisingly powerful for being free.