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StuG
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Can I do this in Windows 8 natively?

Tue Oct 01, 2013 2:19 pm

Currently I use a program called FlexRaid to give myself some fault protection from loosing a media drive. Currently, I have 2 x 1TB, and a 2TB drive as my media hard-drives. What FlexRaid does is parity all 3 of those drives onto a 4th 2TB drive, similar to certain types of RAID. In the event that one of the drives dies, it can use the files as they are in the other drives plus the parity drive's information to rebuild the dead drive.

I will probably be upgrading to Windows 8 soon to make the transition before 8.1 hits. In that regard, I wouldn't mind using a built in utility to accomplish the above task rather then having to use FlexRaid, however I have not been able to clearly find if the new Windows 8 storage features include what I am looking for. Can someone with a Windows 8 installation lease clarify it for me? Thank you!
 
JohnC
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Re: Can I do this in Windows 8 natively?

Tue Oct 01, 2013 2:21 pm

Yes. Google the "Windows 8 Storage Spaces".
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StuG
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Re: Can I do this in Windows 8 natively?

Tue Oct 01, 2013 2:27 pm

JohnC wrote:
Yes. Google the "Windows 8 Storage Spaces".


Awesome thank your for verifying!
 
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Re: Can I do this in Windows 8 natively?

Tue Oct 01, 2013 2:28 pm

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Duct Tape Dude
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Re: Can I do this in Windows 8 natively?

Tue Oct 01, 2013 2:45 pm

Beware, Storage Spaces has some limitations and isn't very good with managing drives efficiently. In short, you will probably want to keep FlexRAID around. I went with DriveBender (comparable to FlexRAID, perhaps easier to use but less flexible) and have had very few issues so far.

http://helgeklein.com/blog/2012/03/wind ... ign-flaws/
 
StuG
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Re: Can I do this in Windows 8 natively?

Tue Oct 01, 2013 2:49 pm

Duct Tape Dude wrote:
Beware, Storage Spaces has some limitations and isn't very good with managing drives efficiently. In short, you will probably want to keep FlexRAID around. I went with DriveBender (comparable to FlexRAID, perhaps easier to use but less flexible) and have had very few issues so far.

http://helgeklein.com/blog/2012/03/wind ... ign-flaws/


I was looking into it, and there appears to already be a problem. FlexRaid is equal size on the parity drive as it is to the biggest drive in the parity. It appears the Windows version actually is BIGGER then the biggest drive in parity, I.E. I would have to have a 30GB of free space to parity 20GB of used space. Seems kinda stupid with how parity really works, but leave it to Microsoft to add bloat into the equation.

Thanks for the help anyway guys.
 
jihadjoe
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Re: Can I do this in Windows 8 natively?

Tue Oct 01, 2013 3:05 pm

Duct Tape Dude wrote:
Beware, Storage Spaces has some limitations and isn't very good with managing drives efficiently. In short, you will probably want to keep FlexRAID around. I went with DriveBender (comparable to FlexRAID, perhaps easier to use but less flexible) and have had very few issues so far.

http://helgeklein.com/blog/2012/03/wind ... ign-flaws/


Thanks for that link.
 
Forge
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Re: Can I do this in Windows 8 natively?

Tue Oct 01, 2013 3:54 pm

As someone who is familiar with Windows 8 SS (such a bad choice of names, with that acronym) and FlexRAID (and has used DriveBender, too!), they really address different groups.

FlexRAID is for people who would have a huge shiny enterprise level RAID solution, but can't afford it or can't justify the cost. It's not that easy to set up, but it does a fine job and is largely set and forget. The parity and mixed-drive-size options are robust.

Windows 8 Storage Spaces is for people who can't remember if the new Bieber album they downloaded is on D: or E:, and have no backups nor any idea what parity is.

Both do a job well, there is some overlap, but the focus is very different.
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just brew it!
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Re: Can I do this in Windows 8 natively?

Tue Oct 01, 2013 5:11 pm

Forge wrote:
SS (such a bad choice of names, with that acronym)

Speaking of bad acronyms, how about "Personal Navigation System" as the name for a potential new product? Taken from (recent) real life...
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Forge
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Re: Can I do this in Windows 8 natively?

Tue Oct 01, 2013 5:23 pm

just brew it! wrote:
Forge wrote:
SS (such a bad choice of names, with that acronym)

Speaking of bad acronyms, how about "Personal Navigation System" as the name for a potential new product? Taken from (recent) real life...


Our HR department was just given a presentation about a Personnel Management System. I snickered, said "b**chy" and left. When asked later, I swore I said "b**chin". Dodged a bullet there. Everyone involved found it more entertaining than upsetting.
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Re: Can I do this in Windows 8 natively?

Wed Oct 02, 2013 1:05 pm

just brew it! wrote:
Forge wrote:
SS (such a bad choice of names, with that acronym)

Speaking of bad acronyms, how about "Personal Navigation System" as the name for a potential new product? Taken from (recent) real life...


We use the same acronym for Apple's Push Notification Service.

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