Anyway to replace a drive on a RAID-0 Array?

[SlinkyDink]

I just finished setting up my Raid 0 array using two Maxtor DX740-L drives I picked up through Office Depots deals I found out about on the Hot Deals section.

One of the drives appears to be defective and is making a really loud whine (the other drive is silent).

Maxtor is sending out a new drive to me, but I want to just clone the defective drive onto the new drive without destroying the entire array and starting over.

I've been searching for an answer for over an hour, with no results. I doesnt look like Highpoint's bios or GUI software supports anything to do this.

Can I just make an image of the drive and copy it to the new disk? (using drive image or ghost) Or is there some other way?

Thanks guys

 

[dkozloski]

Logically your RAID 0 array is seen as one drive. You must backup the whole thing, install your new drive, and restore your setup. A RAID 5 like I have continues running but at reduced performance when a drive fails. I can install a new drive and rebuild it and it is like it never happened . You are SOL.

 

[Vegito]

thats what raid 0 is. no protection, 1 died, ur screw

 

[SlinkyDink]

Originally posted by: forcesho
thats what raid 0 is. no protection, 1 died, ur screw

The drive has NOT died, I'm just replacing it with a non-defective (read: quiet) identical model.

Yes, the drive is read logically, but I CAN give each drive its own channel by connecting them to the onboard IDE controller (not the Highpoint Raid controller), and copy the defective drive to the new drive by cloning it bit by bit.

I'm trying to find if anyone has done this, or knows if it can be done (or if there's an easier way altogether)

 

[Legendary]

Originally posted by: SlinkyDink

Originally posted by: forcesho
thats what raid 0 is. no protection, 1 died, ur screw

The drive has NOT died, I'm just replacing it with a non-defective (read: quiet) identical model.

Yes, the drive is read logically, but I CAN give each drive its own channel by connecting them to the onboard IDE controller (not the Highpoint Raid controller), and copy the defective drive to the new drive by cloning it bit by bit.

I'm trying to find if anyone has done this, or knows if it can be done (or if there's an easier way altogether)

Well I've never heard anything about it being done ever, but you're right, if it can be done that's the way to do it. You have to find a program that can copy bit for bit a hard drive. hypothetically you'll need 3 HDs. One to run an OS, your new one, and your old one. Then find a program that copies bit for bit. Otherwise, you may be out of luck.

 

[dkozloski]

Legendary has got it right. It will take three more drives to get the job done. The bit for bit clone has to be exactly correct otherwise the existing data location tables on the other RAID0 drive won't be correct

 

[corkyg]

Here's how to do it . . . get DriveCopy 4.0 and make the DOS bootable diskette set. Copy the drive to be replaced with a new drive (disconnect the raid array and just use the regular controller.) In advanced controls, uncheck the HIDE box. The result will be an exact, bit-for-bit copy of the failing drive. Then simply replace it in the raid array with the new one, connect it all back up and you are good to go. But - you must do it BEFORE the old drive craps out!

 

[SlinkyDink]

Originally posted by: corky-g
Here's how to do it . . . get DriveCopy 4.0 and make the DOS bootable diskette set. Copy the drive to be replaced with a new drive (disconnect the raid array and just use the regular controller.) In advanced controls, uncheck the HIDE box. The result will be an exact, bit-for-bit copy of the failing drive. Then simply replace it in the raid array with the new one, connect it all back up and you are good to go. But - you must do it BEFORE the old drive craps out!

Thanks!

Before your post I dug out my 120 gig drive, used Drive Image 5.01 to copy the entire raid array onto the 120 gig drive, although it never worked. It took 1.5 hours just to copy 80 gigs, and the new partition would boot on the 120 gig drive, but windows would be stuck at the login screen forever.

I tried it again with Norton Ghost to clone the array onto the 120 gig (and clone back after I replace the raid drive, and rebuilt the array), and it worked flawlessly. 80 gigs was cloned in under 12 minutes too.