Can a Single Drive RAID 0 Be Converted to a Standard Drive?

RAD 0, or striping, requires at least two drives to function as it splits data across them to improve performance. If you are referring to a single drive configured in a RAID 0 array, it's likely that the RAID setup is not functioning as intended since RAID 0 cannot operate with just one drive. However, if you have a RAID 0 setup with multiple drives and want to convert it to a single drive standard drive, you would typically need to follow these steps:

Backing Up Data

Ensure all data on the RAID 0 array is backed up. RAID 0 offers no redundancy, so if one drive fails, all data is lost. It's crucial to take this step prior to any RAID configuration changes.

Deleting the RAID Array

Use your RAID management software or BIOS settings to delete the RAID 0 configuration. This will allow you to work with the drives as individual drives.

Reformatting the Drives

If you want to repurpose the drives individually, you may need to format them to remove the RAID metadata. This process will erase all data on the drive, so ensure you have a backup before proceeding.

Using a Single Drive

You can now use one of the drives as a standard drive. If you want to use both drives separately, you can do that as well. Both drives can be used as individual drives in a JBOD (Just a Bunch Of Disks) configuration, which treats multiple drives as a pool of unmanaged drives.

Note: Clearing the RAID off of a drive and turning it into a standard JBOD configuration is common for many RAID controllers. Here’s a brief overview of the process:

Clearing RAID and Converting to JBOD

Most RAID controllers have a JBOD setting that allows you to convert drives back to a single, non-RAID configuration. However, this will not yield a single drive RAID 0. In fact, you can’t get a single drive RAID configuration at all, as RAID is inherently a combination of drives.

The drives in a RAID are still just normal drives, but what’s on them is written in such a way that each individual drive can no longer give you any of its data. If you plan to take a drive out of a RAID setup and use it as a single drive, it can still be used. However, you would lose all the data on it, as the data is not usable without its partners, as originally built when the RAID 0 was created.

Data Recovery Considerations

For individuals or systems that need the ability to take out a disk from a combined set and access the files stored on it, RAID is generally not the best choice. Instead, Union File Systems, such as MergerFS, Liquesce AuSF, etc., are designed to provide a combined folder structure on top of the drives, appearing as one large drive with the total capacity of the constituent parts but each is still a normal single drive in its own right.

Conclusion

RAID works underneath the file system, so the entire file system depends on it when used. Each file is split across the drives in the RAID, and you need all of them together to retrieve the entire file.