Converting existing xp install on one raptor to raid0

[pdjblum]

Is it possible to spread an existing xp pro sp2 install on one raptor to two in RAID 0 using either the nvidia or silicon image controller on the ASUS K8N-E deluxe mobo? I am trying to avoid reinstalling everything again. My hope is that there is an option, yea right!, to spread my installation on a single raptor across two raptors in RAID 0. I would very much appreciate some insight.

Thanks so much.

 

[Chunkee]

no

 

[boomerang]

If you have a third HD available and some software such as Acronis, you can do this.

Image to the third drive.

Create your array and Image back from the third drive to the array. Have any drivers available relating to your RAID during the restoration of the Image. You will get an F6 prompt the same as you would on a Windows install.

I have done just this using Acronis. Ghost and Drive Image gave me a drive that would not boot. Acronis is the only software that I, personally have used that worked with SATA drives in a RAID array.

The third drive and Acronis will give you the ability to backup your array to protect any valuable data you may have.

Edit: Best price I've seen on Acronis.

 

[nweaver]

Altiris can do this....it has a free trial that works, but you would need another box, and it's complex to setup for just that.

 

[pdjblum]

Thanks for the info. I will look at Acronis.

 

[Wyck]

Just format... if you've had the OS running for long enough to care about it then Windows Rot must be right around the corner if it hasn't struck already.

 

[boomerang]

Remember to make sure that both your SATA controllers (Nvidia and SI) are showing up in Device Manager and have no yellow exclamation marks.

Your mobo drivers took care of the Nvidia. You may have to install the SI drivers. May have to enable it in BIOS first.

 

[pdjblum]

The reason I wanted to do it this way was because I just finished doing a fresh install of everything after getting this new mobo, asus 8kn-e deluxe. I tried moving my raided maxtor drives over to this board from my asus a7n8x deluxe, but it wouldn't boot into windows; so I had to do a repair install. But those drives, whcih are both ide dr4ives attached to sata using sata adaptors, and they are not stable, so I did another whole fresh install onto my 36gb Raptor.I just got all my programs and games back to where they were, but I am already completely out of space. I need at least 60gb for my op sys partition, so I ordered another Raptor to raid with the one I have. I am triying to avoid going through yet another fresh install. If acronis can actually image to a usb 2.0 drive and I can restore that onto the raided raptors, that would be terrific.

It would be an interesting experiment anyhow. I have never had any luck with imaging software with raided drives on controllers that need the old f6 and a floppy to install windows. Even the imbedded Nvidia raid needs the f6 and a floppy, though they work without extra drivers with non raided drives.

 

[boomerang]

I would contact Acronis about the USB drive. I would not be surprised if that is not supported.

Why not use one of the IDE drives?

I spent about 7 days of free time trying to get this to work as an experiment. Just so happened that during that timeframe I had in my system two 36GB Raptors in RAID 0 and two new 74GB Raptors. Plus a number of IDE drives. I wanted to transfer over the array to the two 74's.

I imaged and swapped Raptors and tried Ghost and Drive Image and could not boot off the drives. I tried everything I could dig up to try to get those drives to boot with no success. What had me worried at this point was that I was running Raid 0 on the 36's and was backing up every day using Drive Image. Now I discovered that if a catastrophe had actually occured that I would not be able to restore as I had thought. I was both pissed off and concerned.

I contacted Acronis and they assured me their product would work. I purchased it and it did.

As I said, I would contact them if your only means is an external USB drive.

 

[boomerang]

It does support USB drives. See page 4.

 

[pdjblum]

Unbelievable! Though I probably shouldn't say anything to jinx myself.

I downloaded Acronis True Image 8.0 Trial.

1) First tried to make image onto usb 2.0 drive and it seemed to work though I never tried to recover image. Just testing.
2)Cloned WD Raptor on the Nvidia Sata 1 adaptor to a Maxtor IDE 60gb.
3)Tested the Maxtor clone and it seemed to be ok.
4)Unattached my WD Raptor from the nvida sata adaptor, and attached it, along with a spanking new one that arrived today, to the silicon image adapter. Started the machine and set up a RAID 0 in the Sil Image Bios.
5)After getting back into Windows, with the IDE cloned drive, I fired up Acronis and tried to clone the IDE to the Sil Raid drives. It found the RAID drives and went ahead with the cloning process.
6)After it finished cloning, without a hitch, I turned off the machine, unattached the ide Maxtor, and restarted the machine.
7)Low and behold, the Sil Image Raid set booted into windows perfectily, and everything seems to be intact.

I hate mfing (you can guess what I mean) norton crap, which never worked with RAID drives. At this point I love Acronis, and I will definitely buy their software, whcih is amazing as far as I am concerned.

 

[boomerang]

I'm surprised the trial version worked. It used to be a crippled app that would just allow you to see the GUI. Guess not anymore.

I hate to bash Symantec because I use their AV products but, both Ghost and Drive Image were once great products. Since being taken over by Symantec I am totally disappointed with their performance.

 

[mxa]

I understand everything, but I'm a little unsure about the F6 prompt. Does the F6 prompt occur when you boot windows after you image from the third drive to the RAID drives? Can you explain this a little bit more?

My situation is my system disk is currently on a SATA drive and I have an identical SATA drive as a blank formated disk. I would like to image my one system disk (SATA) to an IDE drive. Then I would like to create a RAID0 array with the two SATA drives and then image copy from the IDE to the newly created RAID array with the two SATA drives. I can understand how to accomplish this except when/how do install the windows drivers so that it will recongnize the RAID array?

Any help or suggestions would be great.

Originally posted by: boomerang
If you have a third HD available and some software such as Acronis, you can do this.

Image to the third drive.

Create your array and Image back from the third drive to the array. Have any drivers available relating to your RAID during the restoration of the Image. You will get an F6 prompt the same as you would on a Windows install.

I have done just this using Acronis. Ghost and Drive Image gave me a drive that would not boot. Acronis is the only software that I, personally have used that worked with SATA drives in a RAID array.

The third drive and Acronis will give you the ability to backup your array to protect any valuable data you may have.

Edit: Best price I've seen on Acronis.

 

[boomerang]

Install Acronis on your system.

There is an option to create Bootable Rescue Media. You can use floppies or burn a CD.

Create your Image.

Shut down and create your array.

Boot off the Rescue Disk(s) you created and there will be an F6 prompt. This is where your drivers are needed. Proceed to restore your Image to your array. The F6 is part of the Acronis process.

The only catch 22 is to make certain your SATA ports are operational and set up properly in your current Windows install. If they're disabled in BIOS and/or there are yellow exclamations in Device Manager, you could end up with a dead horse.

You would still not be SOL because you can restore that Image to the SATA drive you are using now. Just put everything back as it was before the restore.

Does this help?

 

[mxa]

Yes, this explains the F6 prompt. The "catch 22" you mentioned. Can't I assume that the SATA ports are fine if I'm currently using them? I mean I'm booting and running two disks fine from the SATA ports (in nonRAID mode) right now so they should be fine (I hope). Also, there are no yellow warnings or errors in the device manager. I currently have an Asus p4c800e dlx using the two SATA ports on the Intel ICH5 controller (board has Promise also, but I hear the ICHF has better performance). I'm just worried that to run the SATA ports as RAID0, I may need some additional driver that I would have to load and hence the catch22 your talking about. So, do you think I'm ok and XP will recongnize my RAID0 array when I attempt to boot from it?

Your right that I will have a backup to go back to my original setup if things go bad.

Thanks for your input.

Originally posted by: boomerang
Install Acronis on your system.

There is an option to create Bootable Rescue Media. You can use floppies or burn a CD.

Create your Image.

Shut down and create your array.

Boot off the Rescue Disk(s) you created and there will be an F6 prompt. This is where your drivers are needed. Proceed to restore your Image to your array. The F6 is part of the Acronis process.

The only catch 22 is to make certain your SATA ports are operational and set up properly in your current Windows install. If they're disabled in BIOS and/or there are yellow exclamations in Device Manager, you could end up with a dead horse.

You would still not be SOL because you can restore that Image to the SATA drive you are using now. Just put everything back as it was before the restore.

Does this help?

 

[boomerang]

I mentioned the "Catch 22" for the very reason you mention. Your board has 4 SATA (or maybe more?) ports. There is the possibility that the other two had never been enabled and recognized in your XP install. I may be either oversimplifying this or even overcomplicating this but I think you know what I mean.

If the Promise ports had never been enabled and you set up the array on them, there is the chance for problems.

I agree that from everything I have heard the ICH5 is the better way to go.

I would look in the back section of the motherboard manual and see if RAID drivers will be required for an array on the ICH5. I know they will be necessary for the Promise. The manuals usually do not cover the process in enough depth, but will tell you if a floppy with drivers are required for RAID.

I think you will be fine, but I would research the RAID drivers and have them on hand. There should be no harm installing them from the F6 prompt even if they are not needed, but I believe you will need them.

Could save you having to go through a lot of extra steps to get back to where you were.

I'm not an expert on this, but have done pretty well by having what I need on hand ahead of time.

Edit: Just breezed through your manual really quickly. Looks as though no drivers are necessary. Check for yourself though as I only spent about 30 seconds looking. Gotta Go!

 

[mxa]

Ok, thanks for the confirmation and all the help.

Originally posted by: boomerang

.... stuff deleted

Edit: Just breezed through your manual really quickly. Looks as though no drivers are necessary. Check for yourself though as I only spent about 30 seconds looking. Gotta Go!

 

[boomerang]

Let me know how it works out.