First Raid (advice appreciated)

[Disillusion]

What about normal raid?! would i lose all my data if raided like 2 160GB hdds? That would make a change from my current comp to a new one very very tough..being that i couldnt transfer all of my data from my current drive and then raid the 2 160s together.. ugg

What do you mean "normal" RAID? Are you talking about RAID 1? If so, the chance of losing data would go down by a lot as all data written to the first HDD is automatically copied to the second HDD.

 

[BennyV04988]

I mean like...the kind of raid that splits the data between the two drives and essentially makes a single hdd that is 2x as fast as normal hdds. But if they have to be connected like that, then i wouldnt beable to link my hdd now to 1 of the new hdds THEN go raid because they would have to be wiped.

 

[HAVOC]

If the two drives you are configuring in RAID 0 will contain your OS & MBR you are going to have to destroy all data on the first HDD you are currently using. You'll have to start from scratch.

Shut down PC.
Install new HDD on proper SATA/RAID controller
Enter Dos RAID set-up utility. Which I believe is fasttrack. You'll be prompted to do so. Then you'll need to select Create. It will specifically tell you that proceeding will destroy all data on both disks. Go ahead and do it. Once the utility has finished, you'll then have (2) disks seen as one in windows.

But, now you'll have to install windows on the RAID 0 array. Put in the WIN setup disk and Install.

 

[Brody]

If the two drives you are configuring in RAID 0 will contain your OS & MBR you are going to have to destroy all data on the first HDD you are currently using. You'll have to start from scratch.

Shut down PC.
Install new HDD on proper SATA/RAID controller
Enter Dos RAID set-up utility. Which I believe is fasttrack. You'll be prompted to do so. Then you'll need to select Create. It will specifically tell you that proceeding will destroy all data on both disks. Go ahead and do it. Once the utility has finished, you'll then have (2) disks seen as one in windows.

But, now you'll have to install windows on the RAID 0 array. Put in the WIN setup disk and Install.

Thanks for the reply. Should I delete the info on the current drive via setting the XP cd to boot, and delete and stop? I reformatt comp's all the time, but this is my first raid. When I had both of them hooked up, the raid menu said that one of the disks was not bootable, and the only delete option in that menu is for raid arrays.

Thanks.

 

[Disillusion]

I mean like...the kind of raid that splits the data between the two drives and essentially makes a single hdd that is 2x as fast as normal hdds. But if they have to be connected like that, then i wouldnt beable to link my hdd now to 1 of the new hdds THEN go raid because they would have to be wiped.

That's RAID 0 that you're talking about. Yes, you would have to figure out a way to backup all of your data and reinstall the OS.

 

[thebleakness]

Check this guide out. It might be for a DFI but the same thing applies. At one point it asks you to clear all data and im thinking that would be wiping all data off of the hdds but im not sure. Anyone know if this is correct?

Good luck with your RAID, i love mine.