Backup, restore with different hardware

[FB]

I have a IBM Netfinity 7600 with 8 9GB disks in a array
with hardware mirror (RAID-1). Machine with 3 processors,
2 GB of RAM memory. We will add more 6 GB of RAM, with a
total of 6 GB RAM
Disk is divided in C: and E:, via software (partitions
created by windows 2000)

The ideia:
1) Backup FULL with ArcServer (system state, data, etc)
2) Redo the RAID with other disks (for example: 6 disks
insted 8 disks, or 9 disks intead 8 disks)
3) Reinstall a basic W2K OS and do a restore with the new
array size.

The restore will work, even the number of disks changing?

A second ideia:
Do the same as previous explained, but the step 2) can
include a second step, by adding 4 36GB disks doing
another new hardware array in RAID-5 with a new drive
letter F:. for example. The restore of the previus system
will work?

 

[Bjorn Landemoo]

FB

Yes, restore will work, Win2000 doesn't even care how many disks your RAID
array contains. If you are just adding disks, a backup and restore might
not be needed, you might be able to extend the array (and your E partition)
on the fly using Diskpart.exe.

Adding another array wouldn't need any backup and restore, and not adding
RAM either.

If you want to perform a backup and restore anyway, this MS Knowledge Base
might be helpful:

http://support.microsoft.com/?id=249694

Best regards

Bjorn

 

[FB]

Realy, there is a KB article talking abou NT, stating that
the OS does not care abou the geometry of the disks. But
there is a documentation about Basic and Dynamic disks,
stating that W2Kcan "know" the difference between disks
when you change ths disks. (Probably talking about
software-based RAID)

 

[Bjorn Landemoo]

FB

NT on software mirrors was very sensitive to disk geometry, especially if
you wanted to boot from your mirrored disk. Both NT and Win2000 recognizes
different disks, by the disk signature.

Hardware RAID hides the actual hard disks from the operating system.

Best regards

Bjorn