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Unleashing RAID 5 Under WindowsXP

Unleashing RAID 5 Under WindowsXP

Limbering up WindowsXP in order to run RAID 5 requires a hex editor (e.g. Ultra Edit) as well as your WindowsXP CD. First of all we need to copy some files into a temporary folder:

C:\windows\system32\drivers\dmboot.sys


C:\windows\system32\dmconfig.dll
C:\windows\system32\Dmadmin.exe

Next, these files need to be opened using your hex editor:

dmboot.sys:
Before:
0000f1f0h: 74 00 54 00 79 00 70 00 65 00 00 00 57 49 4E 4E ; t.T.y.p.e...WINN
0000f200h: 54 00 00 00 53 45 52 56 45 52 4E 54 00 00 00 00 ; T...SERVERNT....

After:
0000f1f0h: 74 00 54 00 79 00 70 00 65 00 00 00 53 45 52 56 ; t.T.y.p.e...SERV
0000f200h: 45 52 4E 54 57 49 4E 4E 54 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 ; ERNTWINNT.......

dmconfig.dll:
Before
00005140h: 4C 41 4E 4D 41 4E 4E 54 00 00 00 00 53 45 52 56 ; LANMANNT....SERV
00005150h: 45 52 4E 54 00 00 00 00 57 49 4E 4E 54 00 00 00 ; ERNT....WINNT...

After
00005140h: 4C 41 4E 4D 41 4E 4E 54 00 00 00 00 57 49 4E 4E ; LANMANNT....WINN
00005150h: 54 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 53 45 52 56 45 52 4E 54 ; T.......SERVERNT

dmadmin.exe:
Before
00001c30h: 73 65 72 76 65 72 6E 74 00 00 00 00 6C 61 6E 6D ; servernt....lanm
00001c40h: 61 6E 6E 74 00 00 00 00 50 72 6F 64 75 63 74 54 ; annt....ProductT

After
00001c30h: 77 69 6E 6E 74 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 6C 61 6E 6D ; winnt.......lanm
00001c40h: 61 6E 6E 74 00 00 00 00 50 72 6F 64 75 63 74 54 ; annt....ProductT

The original files in Windows' System32 directory need to be replaced by our modified versions now. However, simply exchanging the files by overwriting them will cause Windows to take notice, which eventually causes Windows to restore its original files by using backup files.

If your system drive is running FAT32, simply go ahead and boot any DOS operating system in order to overwrite the files manually. Since FAT32 does not cater for security at all, we do not recommend using this file system.

In an NTFS environment you will have to boot from the WindowsXP CD and launch the recovery console. This can be achieved by pressing 'R' in the first selection screen. At this point, you should have copied the modified files onto a floppy disk.

Let's go into the Windows directory first:

C: [ENTER]


cd\windows [ENTER]

Now, copy the files one by one by using the following commands. All files are located in two different directories each!

copy a:\dmboot.sys system32\drivers


copy a:\dmboot.sys system32\dllcache
copy a:\dmconfig.dll system32
copy a:\dmconfig.dll system32\dllcache
copy a:\dmadmin.exe system32
copy a:\dmadmin.exe system32\dllcache


Talkback

Deleted profile 05/11/2008 4:45 AM
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Can I grow an array made this way? That is, add another disk without having to lose the data currently held on the raid?
op365 06/28/2008 3:17 AM
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op365
From past experience with Hardware RAID, you would have to first backup your data and then break the RAID and put in the higher capacity drives and create a new container.
The feature that you want/asking about is called X-RAID

Note You are going to post a comment as anonymous.