SSD Storage (Adding 2 SSDs)

A

Ardy

Member
Hello,

I have just built a custom gaming rig and I thought that 256GB of SSD storage would be enough. However, now I am almost filled up on storage, is there a way in Windows 10 to plug in another identical SSD and have windows recognize it as just one drive of 512GB? So that when the first one fills up, it continues onto the next. I also know that you shouldn't fill an SSD all the way to the top, will this be a problem?

By plugging in another identical SSD and have windows recognize it as just one drive of 512GB I mean so that the two SSDs are recognized as a C drive with 512 GB of storage and so that when the first fills up, the second one starts filling up.

Thanks

Ardy
 
No, there isn't a way to that. Just buy a 500-512 GB SSD and clone existing to new drive. Then sell smaller drive.
 
What you're asking for is essentially a RAID0 setup. Or you can do what I and others do and install other apps, etc on the other drive. That's why you just buy a SSD for the OS and any game or app that can benefit from the speed, then all the rest gets installed on a 1+ TB platter.
 
You should get a larger mechanical drive to store all your data. You can then move that data to the second drive. To answer your question though, no, you can not do that without reinstalling your OS and using RAID.
 
Hi guys thanks for you help. I am interested in kohnb35's answer though. I will probably buy a 512 SSD and use that. Then sell the old one. So how can I do this without losing OS settings, files, programs, and program settings. ( or as many of the items listed above)

May I please have the steps I need to take.

Thanks

Ardy
 
Just right click on Computer, select Manage. Format and give the new SSD and letter assignment then right click on that full partition/drive and tell it to span the drive and select the original SSD when asked. This is creating a RAID0 which does what you're asking via windows.

If you have a readily available image of your disk (e.g. original HDD) the better option would be to go into the bios, set the SATA mode to RAID and restart. An option to enter the RAID options will appear and you can create a hardware RAID there. This will delete everything off the 2 SSDs but is a safer option than Windows software based RAIDs. Then copy the image across again to what will be 500GB drive (2 x SSD).
 
Okedokey said:
Just right click on Computer, select Manage. Format and give the new SSD and letter assignment then right click on that full partition/drive and tell it to span the drive and select the original SSD when asked. This is creating a RAID0 which does what you're asking via windows.

If you have a readily available image of your disk (e.g. original HDD) the better option would be to go into the bios, set the SATA mode to RAID and restart. An option to enter the RAID options will appear and you can create a hardware RAID there. This will delete everything off the 2 SSDs but is a safer option than Windows software based RAIDs. Then copy the image across again to what will be 500GB drive (2 x SSD).
Click to expand...
Wouldn't that only give him 256GB usable out of the new 512GB SSD?
 
Okedokey said:
Format and give the new SSD and letter assignment then right click on that full partition/drive and tell it to span the drive and select the original SSD when asked. This is creating a RAID0 which does what you're asking via windows.
Click to expand...
It's creating a spanned partition which is different than a RAID0. It's creating partitions on multiple physical devices and presenting them as a single logical volume. Where as RAID0 is interleaving blocks of data on the physical devices to improve IO performance. Spanning isn't even a software RAID, it's just that - spanned.
 
Hi there Okedokey, so if this is not RAID0 as stated by Cormewell. I will get 0 performance increase, but just double the capacity. Right? Once the first is full, it starts on the second one.

And is there any way to do this without loosing any data or do I have to format my current SSD.

Thanks

Ardy
 
You could do what is quoted below. You will need another HDD to clone to and use that to clone to the hardware RAID0 setup with both SSDs. I have used AOMEI Backuper to clone myself. Tell you the truth it would be easier just to install the SSD and install other programs there.

Okedokey said:
If you have a readily available image of your disk (e.g. original HDD) the better option would be to go into the bios, set the SATA mode to RAID and restart. An option to enter the RAID options will appear and you can create a hardware RAID there. This will delete everything off the 2 SSDs but is a safer option than Windows software based RAIDs. Then copy the image across again to what will be 500GB drive (2 x SSD).
Click to expand...
 
Hi there, I have decided on what option I will choose.

Okedokey, thanks for your help but I didn't really understand what you meant by "Just right click on Computer, select Manage. Format and give the new SSD and letter assignment then right click on that full partition/drive and tell it to span the drive and select the original SSD when asked. This is creating a RAID0 which does what you're asking via windows."

Will this be able to give me double the storage? And will I have to loose any data?

This is what I get in the menu. BTW I don't have the second SSD installed yet and the other HHD (F) is for something else. So please don't get confused. Are you talking about the extend button? Could it be grey because I don't have the other SSD installed.

Thanks Ardy
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Hi there everyone. I did I bit of research on YouTube and I saw if I add a drive and make it unallocated I can then add it to my C drive.
So will this basically fill up one drive at a time or will it stripe them?

If it will fill them up one at a time, will this be an issue since I know SSDs are not supposed to be filled up more than 75%. However mine are advertised to be optimized for this issue.

Since I use this as a gaming PC I can't suffer a performance decrease with this option.

Please let me know if you think this is a good idea and if there might be any issues with this way of doing it.

BTW, if you have any better suggestions that don't include reinstalling the OS or having everything restored automatically, please let me know.

Many Many Thanks to everyone who helped be out and I appreciate your help very much.

Ardy
 
To make things easier, all you need to do is get a bigger SSD and clone the old drive to the new. If you use Raid, you will have to reinstall the OS and all programs. However, if you have any pictures, music, documents on your SSD now, then you could just get a mechanical drive and store all personal data on that and then install all future games onto the mechanical drive. All Samsung SSD's come with migration software to where it will clone old to new and you are ready to go in just minutes.
 
johnb35 said:
To make things easier, all you need to do is get a bigger SSD and clone the old drive to the new.
Click to expand...

^ This. Just do this.

Alternatively, fresh install. It really takes a minimal amount of time to set up a fresh environment provided that you have some degree of backup storage.

Adding any drive into a striped array will drop the data that's already on the drive.
 
Ardy said:
Hi there everyone. I did I bit of research on YouTube and I saw if I add a drive and make it unallocated I can then add it to my C drive.
So will this basically fill up one drive at a time or will it stripe them?
Click to expand...
It won't stripe them unless you ask it to make a RAID. For spanned partitions you need to convert the drive to a dynamic disk. Assuming Windows 7, the directions to do so can be found here: https://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/cc731274.aspx

Once it is dynamic you can just expand the partition as desired. The end result will essentially storage spread across 2 disks. Keep in mind, if a drive fails you'll need tools to recover any data.

However, as suggested above, I would also suggest just getting a larger disk and cloning into it as the preferred method. These other options exist but wouldn't be my first choices. Doing a clean install would be my first choice, followed by a clone/resize.
 
H there

If I span the drive across 2 SSDs, will this be an issue since I know SSDs are not supposed to be filled up more than 75%.
 
Hi there, one more thing. What's the difference between spanning a drive and extending a volume?

Will any of these slow down my 2 SSDs?

Ardy
 
In your case they're basically the same thing and it shouldn't change your speeds noticeably. Extending a volume usually refers to the same drive, whereas spanning a drive makes windows consider it the same drive even though it isn't.

Also, the 75% full issue is not really a concern as most SSDs provide an area (that can be over provisioned) for failed cells. Don't worry about that aspect.

I would simiply add the second SSD, use Disk Management to span the drive and then create a back up regime in OneDrive or CrashPlan or on a separate disk. Buying an new drive when you already have the capacity to achieve what you want doesn't seem like the best option to me.
 
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Hi there Okedokey thanks for giving the answers I was looking for.

Just to let you know this is on the boot up drive so will expanding volume or spanning the drive still make it usable as the boost up C drive?

Thanks

Ardy
 
If it doesn't you can simply repair the install boot by using your windows disk/usb or a burnt dvd copy of Minitools Partition Wizard that you can boot to and fix any issues. Windows will warn you if by doing this the disk will no longer become bootable. If thats the case download EasyBCD and remove all entries, add a new entry for Windows version and point it to the SSD extended drive and save. But it should be fine. Just make sure you have a proper backup regime because to prevent having to reinstall using a Windows (software raid), if either Windows or the RAID controller goes, you'll lose everything and be in data recover mode. (not fun).

Just back up to CrashPlan or OneDrive.
 
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