RAID Setup

[brad8266]

If I install windows on a single disk with the embedded hardware RAID turned on in the BIOS can I turn it off in BIOS later and just setup the RAID using Disk Management in Windows after I install the second drive?

 

[KSoD]

Hello,

No. RAID must use both discs at all times. So by having Windows installed on a single disk and then implementing RAID you wont be able to use Windows cause it will not be installed on the RAID configuration.

RAID - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

There is all the info you need about RAID. Basically RAID takes the information and splits it among the 2 drives. So having Windows on a single drive it will not have that information on the 2nd drive when you go to implement the RAID. Which will only make your life more difficult.

Cheers,
Mak

 

[mikesgroovin]

So, are you going to use dynamic disks instead of a hardware RAID?
In most cases, sure, the people normally find a bsod reboot is when they don't follow a solid procedure when going from a single to RAIDed setup after the OS is already installed.

 

[KSoD]

Really? I have heard different horror stories. But then again i dont like RAID setups. So i guess it can be done. Interesting....

 

[mikesgroovin]

depends on the RAID .. obviously not a RAID 5 or 10 to a single drive... but you can bring a mirror (0) down to a single drive, sure

So yea, I didn't think before I posted.... like usual lol

 

[KSoD]

I figured it had to depend on the RAID config. RAID 0 is straight up how i described it. So RAID0 couldnt be done cause it uses both discs in tandem with each other. But since i have not really dug into RAId i didnt think it could be done. I did not think of RAID5 or RAID10 to be honest. That could work. Bout wouldnt you have to partition off the OS and then make sure you have enough space free to match the 2nd hard drive being used?

At least wouldnt that be the optimal way to do it?

 

[brad8266]

I am going to RAID 1, a simple drive mirror. I dont like the embedded hardware RAID on the mainboard at all, its interface sucks. I would rather convert to dynamic disks and create a mirror of my existing drive in Windows.

I just want to make sure I will be OK creating the mirror in disk management.

There is all the info you need about RAID. Basically RAID takes the information and splits it among the 2 drives. So having Windows on a single drive it will not have that information on the 2nd drive when you go to implement the RAID. Which will only make your life more difficult.

RAID 0 stripes data and RAID 1 simply is a disk mirror, I want 1 so the data is not split. I dont need striping because we are not going for performance, we are going for fault tolerance.

 

[KSoD]

Seeing as you are gonig for RAID1 i dont think you can. As how can it mirror something that is already installed? Meaning how can it mirror the OS if you already installed the OS? It wont jsut take the OS and mirror it after you setup RAID.

Cheers,
Mak

 

[brad8266]

Seeing as you are gonig for RAID1 i dont think you can. As how can it mirror something that is already installed? Meaning how can it mirror the OS if you already installed the OS? It wont jsut take the OS and mirror it after you setup RAID.

Cheers,
Mak

Windows can mirror a drive via disk management, many people do this on their home xp machines.

Windows Administration: Redundancy On A Budget: Implementing A RAID File Server

 

[EricB]

if you must raid, do hardware. it's the more reliable one and neither is reliable. if you lose 1 dynamic disc, it's hard to convert the other to basic and it will corrupt itself eventually anyway