Copy single drive to RAID mirror (2 drive)?

[V8VENOM]

I have a 120GB ATA133 drive that currently is partitioned as C: (boot drive). I'd like to add two 160GB drivers on the motherboards RAID using a mirrored setup. My goal is to transfer everything currently on my 120GB C: drive to the new mirrored RAID drives and then make the RAID setup become the boot drive.

Is this possible? If so, what do I need to make this happen?

Thanks, Rob

 

[riser]

You could try ghosting/imaging your single HD over to one of your mirrored drives.. it should create the mirror.. then pull out your current HD. You may need to make an adjustment in BIOS to boot to SATA over IDE though.
This will probably be something you're going to get stuck testing/experimenting with.

 

[V8VENOM]

ghosting from within XP? Our via a Boot CD? I would assume I can only ghost via a Boot CD? What tool/product does ghosting -- is it symantec??

Thanks, Rob.

 

[jihiggs]

bootcd.

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[TheCh0s3n1]

I have a copy of Ghost 2003 on CD. After installing this product, you can initiate a backup (image creation) of the hard drive from within Windows. Keyword being <i>initiate.</i> What would actually happen is that the application runs a batch file or some kind of script to restart the computer, then run ghost.exe. Of course, you'll need to have another form of storage media connected such as a second hard drive, an external drive, a CDR, a network drive, partition, etc.

After image creation, the application allows you to check the image integrity so that you can be sure the image is good before you do something drastic.

...Just thought I'd add this little tidbit about Ghost 2k3.

 

[Guest]

I'm going to ask this question to satisfy my own curiosity. Personally, I would re-install windows in this situation. My first question is:
Are you not supposed to install the RAID drivers during the windows insatallation? It has always been my impression that was the case. I haven't used RAID yet, but I plan to in the future. If you can install the drivers after the windows install, how come so many people have problems with it?
Second question:
If you do need to install the RAID drivers during the windows installation, and you are trying to boot from a ghosted non RAID install, will windows even boot?

Anyways, I'm just curious. These are some the questions that I had when I read the original post (ATA to SATA RAID). It don't look like it would work to me. But I've never tried it.



_________________________
Your arrogance is boring!

 

[_WW_]

I think the reason to install the RAID drivers during the install are to facilitate putting the OS on the RAID array...this way Windows can see the multi-disk array as a single partition.

....WW (5.1)

 

[riser]

Whenever using a RAID, it's best to start from scratch. You can pick up PCI cards that allow you to host a RAID and have your main HD on the OS. I personally haven't tried what this person is trying to do.

You should be able to add in an external card and create a raid, how well it works probably depends on the software that comes with it to run it. Installing during the Windows Setup lets windows manage the RAID.

I'm sure the solution to his problem is to look in depth at how the raid mirror works.. if it tags the data on the mirrored drive or not.

The best bet is start from scratch, or the easiest solution I should say. I'm sure there is a way to transfer his current information over to a RAID though.

 

[jmwpom3]

What I would suggest, is just copy the important data somewhere, then do a fresh install on the RAID setup. I think the problems with what you're trying to do will outway the usefulness.
In fact, couldn't you just do a fresh install on the RAID and then copy data over from the old drive as a slave??
I find it's good to start over periodically anyway. (just me, I could be wrong)


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[V8VENOM]

Problem is, that the software I've installed is licensed in such a way that it generates reg encrypted keys and/or special data on the hard drive, etc. etc. (Software development tools). I can't even located this licensed info to be able to know what to backup.

It sounds to me that I can NOT ghost from my 120GB drive to two 160GB on a RAID controller that is set to mirror because the ghost software will not understand nor have the drivers available to understand how to write data to the drives on the RAID controller? Does that sound accurate?

Unless the RAID controller contains all it needs for reading/writing data and drivers are NOT required for standard disk I/O functionality?? Can anyone confirm this?

I did see that a company makes a device that can basically do an exact copy of a hard drive with a press of button (don't need to even fire the PC up) -- but this device is $600 without hard drives.

Rob.

 

[riser]

I'm wondering now if you can set up your RAID.. then rebuild the raid on the 2nd hard drive..

but that depends on if your raid is software based or hardware based..

 

[jmwpom3]

well, as said earlier in this thread, if you use Ghost and get an image of the existing drive, you should be able to set up the new array and then apply the image.
So, install ghost, make ur image (on DVD or CD maybe?). Then set up the new array with a clean install of Windows and apply the backup. (however, I haven't tried this exactly this way before, so I could be wrong)
But yes, do make sure the image is valid before doing something crazy. :tongue:

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[riser]

It would depend if it's a software or hardware based raid.. software wouldn't work.. hardware probably would.
If it were software, he'd end up over writing that portion during the ghost session.
Software raids aren't exactly good.. but they work until you have a big problem. The hardware solution is always the better route though

 

[jmwpom3]

I guess I was assuming the hardware option with the availabiltiy of that lately.

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