Installing RAID1 without format

[yhelothar]

I have intel RAID, and I just added a second drive to mirror. How do I do it without reformatting, or is it possible at all?

 

[ch33zw1z]

I'm not familiar with Intel's RAID config, but you should be able to create the mirror and choose to rebuild from one drive to another. You will have to enable RAID in the BIOS, and then try the rebuild in the startup utility if there is one...if not, use the Intel Matrix RAID? software to rebuild the array. Just take your time and think about it, post questions here if needed.

 

[yhelothar]

If I create the mirror, it'll format the drive.
OK, so I know the data is still on there despite being formatted, and you can still rebuild the drives.
But how do you get the data to show up again on the drives after you do all of this? How do you unformat it?

 

[ch33zw1z]

If you format the drives, the data will be gone. If the Intel RAID doesn't allow you to rebuild from one drive to the other then there's either something wrong, or the RAID controller isn't up to par.

 

[Rubycon]

Probably the safest way to do this is create a disk image of the single drive. Acronis True Image is a good program for this.

Once this has been created, go ahead and add your second disk and create a mirror volume normally. Then restore your image you created to this mirror. At least this way if something goes south, you have a backup image. It's always good to backup even when you don't want to.

 

[yhelothar]

Originally posted by: ch33zw1z
If you format the drives, the data will be gone. If the Intel RAID doesn't allow you to rebuild from one drive to the other then there's either something wrong, or the RAID controller isn't up to par.

I think intel raid should let you, but you can only do it through their windows software utility, and not through the controller bios?
Right?

 

[ch33zw1z]

Originally posted by: astroidea

Originally posted by: ch33zw1z
If you format the drives, the data will be gone. If the Intel RAID doesn't allow you to rebuild from one drive to the other then there's either something wrong, or the RAID controller isn't up to par.

I think intel raid should let you, but you can only do it through their windows software utility, and not through the controller bios?
Right?

You tell me! Like I said, I'm not familiar with Intel's RAID stuff. Also, take Ruby's advice.

 

[yhelothar]

Yeah I remember the software being able to do that.
And in fact, I did try the software, but for some reason, windows would not boot when the hard drive is under the RAID controller. It would BSoD halfway through loading.

 

[jdkick]

What mode was the SATA controller in when you were running a single disk (IDE/AHCI/RAID)? If it wasn't in AHCI/RAID mode then I expect the current OS installation is most likely missing the drivers required to support the controller in RAID mode. I believe you would need to first update/install the appropriate driver after switching the controller mode but before taking the disk image and creating the array. Microsoft has some support articles re: changing controller modes for XP/Vista post-installation.

 

[ch33zw1z]

When you set the drive to RAID, Windows will need drivers for the RAID controller. So it ends up freaking out when it trys to boot from a RAID device that was never installed or configed as the boot device.

 

[Rubycon]

Originally posted by: ch33zw1z
When you set the drive to RAID, Windows will need drivers for the RAID controller. So it ends up freaking out when it trys to boot from a RAID device that was never installed or configed as the boot device.

Repair fixes that.

 

[ch33zw1z]

Originally posted by: Rubycon

Originally posted by: ch33zw1z
When you set the drive to RAID, Windows will need drivers for the RAID controller. So it ends up freaking out when it trys to boot from a RAID device that was never installed or configed as the boot device.

Repair fixes that.

Thanks for the info, I've not had much luck with that feature in the past. I normally just reinstall or reimage. Maybe OP will have more luck!