Monday, March 07, 2011

Windows 7 - Using SSD for OS and RAID 1 for C:\Users

I just built my new computer using an SSD for the OS and RAID 1 for the c:\users folder.  There are a few ways to do this, but here's how I did it...

  1. Install Windows 7
  2. Reboot with DVD and enter "Repair your computer" mode
  3. Select "Load Drivers" and load the drivers for your RAID card
  4. Select command prompt
  5. Identify your drives.  For me, c:\ was the SSD with the OS and f:\ was my RAID 1
  6. Move the users directory with:
    1. move c:\Users c:\Users.bak
  7. User diskpart to assign the mount point (pay attention to your disk numbers, as they could be different from mine)
    1. diskpart
    2. list disk
    3. select disk 2
    4. select partition 1
    5. assign mount=c:\users
    6. exit
  8. From the command prompt, copy the user files back:
    1. robocopy /mir /xj c:\Users.bak c:\Users
  9. Reboot, and your done.

3 comments:

Unknown said...

Hi i just wonder why u move users.bak and then again use robocopy & how assing the hardlink i mean the letters change in safemode so how i do know what letters to choose...my english sucks but i just format my ssd like 10 times haaha if u can send me a feedback :)

Anonymous said...

Hello,

this methode looking great, but when i'm reinstalling the ssd, are there any problems when i'm mount the raid to C:\Users ?

MfG,
Marcel

Mike Jones said...

Will this work on a system where all material on old xp computer was moved with easy file transfer to the new computer w 80 GB SSD and 2 500 GB HDD in Raid 1 array? The HDD have nothing on them and SSD is almost full. Need to move off as much nonprogram stuff as I can.