How to create a software RAID array in Windows 7

Managing several hard drives can be challenging, especially when they are considered as independent storage units. Software RAID (Redundant Array of Inexpensive Disks) simplifies the process of bundling a few drives into a large virtual drive; this not only offers bigger storage capacity but also redundancy in some configurations. This guide will explain to you how to set up a software RAID array by using built-in disk management tools in Windows 7 Professional.

Step 1: Prepare your disks

• Back up all the data that you will use in the RAID.
• Open the Start menu, right-click on “Computer,” and select “Manage.”

Step 2: Separate the disks

• Click the “Disk Management” section on the left side.
• Identify the disks that you want to include in the RAID, and delete them so that they get separated from the unselected one.
• Ensure the selected disks appear in the lower section as “Unallocated.”

Step 3: Create the RAID volume

In Windows 7, you can create your own RAID-like set-up using the built-in disk management tools, choosing between spanned, striped, and mirrored volumes, as the traditional RAID (0, 1, and 5) is not supported. Spanned volumes combine drives into a single large partition without redundancy, striped volumes improve performance by splitting data across drives but lack redundancy and mirrored volumes provide data redundancy by duplicating data across drives at the cost of storage space. This flexibility allows you to have the volume type that best meets your needs for storage, performance, or data protection.

• Choose RAID type by right-clicking on the first disk and selecting “New Spanned Volume.”
• A New Spanned Volume Wizard window will open.
• Click “Next” and select the disks you want to include in the new volume.

Step 4: Configure the volume

• Assign the new volume a mount letter or mount point.
• Click on “Format volume with the following setting (file system is NTFS and default in allocation unit size).
• Name your volume like RAID under “volume label.”
• Click on “Perform a quick format.”

Step 5: Complete the set-up

• Review all the settings to confirm the selections before the final set-up.
• Click on “Yes” when you see the warning about the operating system installed on one of the disks (the RAID will now be a dynamic volume).
• Once the drive is mounted, you should see the AutoPlay window.

Step 6: Verify the RAID volume

• Open Windows Explorer to confirm that the new RAID volume was created.
• The combined storage of the drives should now be shown as a single drive.

Conclusion

Creating a software RAID array in Windows 7 Professional is relatively easy and involves utilizing its default disk management tools to integrate several drives into one single virtual drive. Whether you want to increase your storage capacity, enhance performance, or create redundancy, these tools will help you to convert separate hard drives into a unified storage solution. You can prepare your disks in advance by selecting the appropriate RAID type like spotted, striped, or mirrored, and create the volume for a tailored set-up based on your needs. In conclusion, following the straightforward and simplified procedure above is not only efficient in setting up the new RAID volume, but it also reduces the complexity of managing the hard drive.

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19 Jan 2025, 3 min read