Copy Windows 10 installation media to Ubuntu using "dd" command
Copy Windows 10 installation media to Ubuntu using "dd" command
Currently I’m starting my Windows 10 installation on a RAID 0 configuration using two SSDs. I realize it might seem odd at first, especially since these drives were purchased back in 2016 and I’m concerned they could be nearing end of life. My goal is to boot Ubuntu from a stick, mount the RAID array and a fresh M.2 drive, then use the "dd" command to transfer the RAID data to the new SSD. That should work! Some notes: the RAID drive holds 500GB (two 250GB units) and the new SSD is 1TB, so it fits. The RAID setup is managed by my motherboard (MSI Pro Carbon X370), which should list it as a single drive in Ubuntu... hopefully. I tried something similar before with a laptop but not for a RAID setup, and the copied drive was an Ubuntu bootable one. My question: will this also function on Windows 10? Are there any checks Windows makes to verify it’s using a different drive? I just hope I can boot into the new drive after copying. Thanks in advance. — CaptainTryHard
It should be fine, yeah. Biggest difficulty might be getting the AMD RAID to work on linux, not sure how good support is for that.
Got it! The chipset handles the raid operations, and the OS typically only sees the affected drive. Your understanding seems correct.
On Intel systems the setup has improved—during boot UEFI shows it as one drive, yet the OS recognizes both partitions. For Linux, you should configure mdadm to use the Intel motherboard RAID card.
Consider the drive as a whole rather than individual parts. Transfer it onto a fresh storage unit for safe duplication. SSDs generally offer durability over time. Experts can provide predictions about lifespan based on usage patterns, component quality, and format (MLC, TLC, QLC). These estimates improve with experience. For an MLC model, if built properly and maintained well—avoiding damage like cracked solder joints or overheating—the device may last significantly longer. RAID configurations don’t inherently shorten SSD life; they just distribute data across units. While early concerns existed about reliability, modern SSDs have proven dependable. A robust backup solution remains a NAS, but that’s a separate issue.
So to sum up, you're adjusting your approach because the old system couldn't recognize the RAID setup. My suggestion is to follow GoodBytes' advice and make a Windows system image, then play it onto the new drive using tools like WindDiskImager. The challenge is the limited space on your current PC for saving the image, but with a 1TB SSD you can allocate partitions and transfer the ISO safely. This way, you're not relying on the old setup, which was just for gaming and didn't require such stability. It's about creating a reliable backup now rather than worrying about hardware failure later.