Need help upgrading a RAID 1 array to new drives.

[Compman55]

Scenario:
Windows Server 2008 R2
2x 2TB Hard drives.
Using software RAID 1 thru windows server.


So here is how I would like to proceed. I have 4 SATA ports, Port 0 system drive, port 2 empty, port 3 2TB Drive, port 4 2TB Drive. I would like to plug one of my new 4TB drives into port 2, transfer all data over, then break the mirror and disconnect the two 2 TB drives. Rename the new 4TB drive to (F🙂 Once this is done, connect the other 4TB and setup the mirror. The problem is, I beleive this needs to be setup as a mirror from the get go. Can anyone confirm the best way to accomplish this? Getting a SATA card is not an option.

In summery, need to trash the 2x 2TB drives, install 2x 4TB drives, and keep the same drive letter, and keep all group policy stuff working.

 

[dave_the_nerd]

If you are using Windows Dynamic disks, you can:

1) Install new 4TB drive.
2) Format as Dynamic Disk
3) Copy data over
4) Remove old disks.
5) Install remaining new disk.
6) Right click new cloned disk, hit "add mirror" and add the new drive #2 as a mirrored dynamic disk.

You do this all from within Disk Management.

 

[Compman55]

Once I do this, can I re letter the array to F like my current array to keep the user folder redirection functional & group policy stuff?

Reason I ask is it will default to G.

 

[dave_the_nerd]

Yes, you can re-letter it any time after step 4. (You can't assign it a drive letter that's already in use.)

Right Click -> Change Drive Letter and Paths -> Add...

 

[Compman55]

By doing this, will all my active directory and folder redirection function correctly? When I ran the dcpromo I selected the F drive for my folders. Then on the users specified a path for all the user folders to redirect to. I do not want this to get borked.

 

[dave_the_nerd]

By doing this, will all my active directory and folder redirection function correctly? When I ran the dcpromo I selected the F drive for my folders. Then on the users specified a path for all the user folders to redirect to. I do not want this to get borked.

F: drive is as F: drive does. It shouldn't be a big deal.

But the repeated reboots mean downtime - your data's not particularly at risk, but if this is a live AD server, this is something that should be done at night or over a weekend when you have time for downtime, and time to fix or recover if something goes wrong.

So, before I started, I would make sure I knew how to reconfigure those folder redirection settings if necessary.

Belt and suspenders.

 

[Compman55]

VERY VERY BUMMED

When these drives are installed in single or dual config, just before windows 2008 R2 gets to the "applying windows settings" it will spin down the drives and reboot. Nothing helps. Its like these drives are not compatible.

They do work great in my Z87-Pro motherboard with the Xeon. So it seems the server is not compatible. Super disappointed.

How much performance hit will I get with a pci-e sata card?

 

[dave_the_nerd]

Crud.

No hit at all unless it's a crappy/cheap card.