Help! RAID 1 to RAID 0! *SOLVED*

[Nate_007]

Hey guys,

Noob question, at work my boss is giving me one of our server on the rack to play around with. Its currently on RAID 1 with WinServer2003, and I want to convert it to RAID 0 for extra storage (right now it only has 2gigs free space). How would I approach this? I never tried any RAID configuration before, and its my first time working with a server machine.

Also I want to install vmware esxi v 5.1, this is really great opportunity for me to learn stuff at work. Thanks guys!

UPDATE:
So just want to update this thread as SOLVED =)...so for server machine noobs out there, in summary:
- Yes you can destroy the RAID on PowerEdge 1950 server by figuring out how to enter PERC (PowerEdge Raid Controller)
- Backup your data because you will lose everything during the conversion
- Deleted RAID 1 config and create new one, chose RAID 0 configuration
- After initializing the disk, pop the esxi cd and boot
- Then I just youtubed my way through the esxi installation =)

 

[ch33zw1z]

Backup all your data. Destroy the RAID1. Create a RAID0, install the OS, restore data...

btw, model of server would be helpful. take a deep breath

 

[DominionSeraph]

Pretty sure you have to format for RAID 0 to get the striping. But RAID 0 would pretty much never be used in a production setting.
Just disable RAID. Both drives have the same data on them right now, so just use one and erase the other for extra storage.

 

[Nate_007]

This server is an old one, we already migrated everything to our new server. Basically this server is just for me to do whatever I please. I need more storage so thats why I want to convert it raid 0. This server will not be used in production anymore. Right now, Im just backing it up to our NAS just in case. After the its done, I can do whatever I want with it. So where do I configure the RAID? Is it the same thing as if I were trying to raid a desktop pc?

 

[corkyg]

I prefer DominionSeraph's approach. Use the drives independently and you get the total storage space of both drives with out the risks of RAID 0.

 

[Nate_007]

I prefer DominionSeraph's approach. Use the drives independently and you get the total storage space of both drives with out the risks of RAID 0.

Yeah, well I just wanted to do it for practice purposes, so any risk is welcome. Just wanted to know if possible for server machines to configure raid 0 on it. If so how, I dont even know if it has bios where I can just easily set raid striped from there.

 

[Torn Mind]

JBOD(Just a Bunch of Disks) can net you more storage without RAID 1's increase in the probability the array will fail. But since that thing is for you to tweak and you won't be putting anything critical on there (hopefully), go on right ahead.

 

[ch33zw1z]

Yeah, well I just wanted to do it for practice purposes, so any risk is welcome. Just wanted to know if possible for server machines to configure raid 0 on it. If so how, I dont even know if it has bios where I can just easily set raid striped from there.

depends on the server. Most have an expansion card, and you would hit a key combo like control+i to enter config and set it up. You can see the card Initializng during POST.

 

[Nate_007]

depends on the server. Most have an expansion card, and you would hit a key combo like control+i to enter config and set it up. You can see the card Initializng during POST.

I haven't tried playing around with it yet, but the server is PowerEdge 1950 or something. Anyone familiar with this machine?

 

[Gunbuster]

Fist find out for sure what the server it is and what PERC it has. (Plug the service tag in at support.dell.com)

Then look up the PERC documentation and RTFM to see if you can break the RAID 1 and conver to RAID 0.

 

[Nate_007]

Fist find out for sure what the server it is and what PERC it has. (Plug the service tag in at support.dell.com)

Then look up the PERC documentation and RTFM to see if you can break the RAID 1 and conver to RAID 0.

Hey man thanks, I got it! It has PERC 5i and just destroyed the RAID 1 and created new RAID config. Now I gotta fogure out how to install/use vmware esxi 5.1 on it!

 

[XavierMace]

I recommend installing it from a USB key, makes life much easier. Keep in mind you are going to be needing a lot of hard drive space. If you were running low on space with just Server 2k3 installed, it must be pretty small hard drives in it.

 

[Nate_007]

I recommend installing it from a USB key, makes life much easier. Keep in mind you are going to be needing a lot of hard drive space. If you were running low on space with just Server 2k3 installed, it must be pretty small hard drives in it.

I just finished installing vmware esxi, yes the hard drives are very small, about 69gb each originally on RAID 1. Now I converted it to RAID 0 which gives me total space of 135GB after esxi installation.

Yes so Im done here, I will update the thread.