Questions about setting up RAID 1 on Nvidia-chipset motherboard

[jrichrds]

I haven't set up a RAID array before, and a friend wants me to help him add a hard drive to his PC which has Nvidia RAID on the motherboard.

1. Do both drives need to be formatted to set up the RAID 1 array? Or will the Nvidia config allow me to mirror the data on his existing drive onto his new drive?

2. Has your RAID 1 array ever gone out of sync?

3. How is the user notified if/when one drive fails?

 

[Madwand1]

No, you don't need to re-format, but it can be tricky getting it working under an existing OS. The problem is that you can't boot with RAID without the RAID driver, and the RAID drivers won't install unless RAID is enabled. A workaround is to connect the drive to a separate controller (e.g. using an IDE to SATA adapter), enabling RAID (but not creating an array), installing the drivers, reconnecting to the RAID-enabled ports, and configuring the RAID array.

All this is tricky and error-prone. As an external backup is logically superior, and would be needed for this case if anything goes wrong, just getting an external enclosure and doing a full backup to that periodically might be a better idea.

I don't recall the details of nVIDIA RAID migration, but I think it supports this particular change -- creating a RAID 1 array from an ordinary drive, provided of course that the RAID drivers and tools (Control Panel / Storage) are installed first.

Again, "RAID alone is not a backup".

E.g. of a potential 1st-class screw-up here: Getting the drives mixed up when you're creating the RAID 1 array.

 

[jrichrds]

Originally posted by: Madwand1
No, you don't need to re-format, but it can be tricky getting it working under an existing OS. The problem is that you can't boot with RAID without the RAID driver, and the RAID drivers won't install unless RAID is enabled. A workaround is to connect the drive to a separate controller (e.g. using an IDE to SATA adapter), enabling RAID (but not creating an array), installing the drivers, reconnecting to the RAID-enabled ports, and configuring the RAID array.

All this is tricky and error-prone. As an external backup is logically superior, and would be needed for this case if anything goes wrong, just getting an external enclosure and doing a full backup to that periodically might be a better idea.

I don't recall the details of nVIDIA RAID migration, but I think it supports this particular change -- creating a RAID 1 array from an ordinary drive, provided of course that the RAID drivers and tools (Control Panel / Storage) are installed first.

Again, "RAID alone is not a backup".

His HP computer (with Vista) came with RAID enabled even though it came with a single HDD. So it sounds like I'll be able to sidestep workarounds to get RAID 1 up and running.

E.g. of a potential 1st-class screw-up here: Getting the drives mixed up when you're creating the RAID 1 array.

You just pinpointed my #1 fear. :Q

 

[taltamir]

why external? just have it as a seperate internal drive and backup from one internal drive to another... an external drive has MANY disadvantages... its advantages are: 1. can be moved between different computers. 2. If you UNPLUG it from both the pc AND the wall, in case of a lightening strike it will be safer. If you leave it plugged in all the time it will be LESS safe since the PSU in the computer is higher quality.

The easiest thing is to use two STORAGE drives in RAID1, and have the OS drive remain a non raid. This is the best and easiest solution

 

[Madwand1]

Originally posted by: jrichrds
His HP computer (with Vista) came with RAID enabled even though it came with a single HDD. So it sounds like I'll be able to sidestep workarounds to get RAID 1 up and running.

Wow, it sounds like they're letting the engineers at HP think ahead again. Imagine that

Originally posted by: jrichrdsYou just pinpointed my #1 fear. :Q

I wish it was just a hypothetical fear. At least in the past, this mistake was easy to make. Be very careful in reading the docs and learning which drive to do what on, and have a backup if you can is all I can really suggest.