can I move a TX2000 RAID1 array to a new computer without wiping data?

[Viðrar Vel Til Loftárása]

I have a Promise TX2000 RAID array (two 120gig WD drives in RAID1) and
want to move the array to a newer machine i just built. is it possible
to do this without rebuilding the array? by that I mean can I just
swap all the hardware over to the new machine and it will recognize
the existing array with data or will the TX2000 need
to wipe the data and rebuild the array? and if so, it there an order
(e.g. first swap the card and install the driver and then connect the
drives after the card has been installed).

i want this to be as easy as possible and i don't have an easy way to
store 90 gigs of data during the move, but i'm not going to move the
array if i have to rebuild it or will risk losing data.
any thoughts? anyone try this?
both machines have winXP pro, if that matters.

 

[Jim Turner]

I have a Promise TX2000 RAID array (two 120gig WD drives in RAID1) and
want to move the array to a newer machine i just built. is it possible
to do this without rebuilding the array? by that I mean can I just
swap all the hardware over to the new machine and it will recognize
the existing array with data or will the TX2000 need
to wipe the data and rebuild the array? and if so, it there an order
(e.g. first swap the card and install the driver and then connect the
drives after the card has been installed).

i want this to be as easy as possible and i don't have an easy way to
store 90 gigs of data during the move, but i'm not going to move the
array if i have to rebuild it or will risk losing data.
any thoughts? anyone try this?
both machines have winXP pro, if that matters.

Is this array your boot drive? If so, it complicates the process because
you will have to do a repair install of XP and insert the floppy with
driver, etc. during that and the possibility for a mistake or problem is
much higher. If the array is not your boot drive, it is much simpler.

JT

 

[Viðrar Vel Til Loftárása]

Is this array your boot drive? If so, it complicates the process because
you will have to do a repair install of XP and insert the floppy with
driver, etc. during that and the possibility for a mistake or problem is
much higher. If the array is not your boot drive, it is much simpler.

JT

excellent point, i forgot to mention that this is not my boot drive, i
use the array ad a 'D' drive.
so is it as easy as swapping the hardware over?

 

[Jim Turner]

excellent point, i forgot to mention that this is not my boot drive, i
use the array ad a 'D' drive.
so is it as easy as swapping the hardware over?

Should be. Swap the hardware over, install the drivers. Should work fine.
No guarantees, as Murphy is always by your side in such an operation, but
having the raid array not your boot does simplify things. You may have to
play with the drive letters after installation as well.

JT

 

[Viðrar Vel Til Loftárása]

Should be. Swap the hardware over, install the drivers. Should work fine.
No guarantees, as Murphy is always by your side in such an operation, but
having the raid array not your boot does simplify things. You may have to
play with the drive letters after installation as well.

JT

thanks. would you suggest i swap the card and install the driver
before i add the drives? or should it not matter, in your
opinion.......?

 

[Rod Speed]

excellent point, i forgot to mention that this is not my boot drive, i
use the array ad a 'D' drive.
so is it as easy as swapping the hardware over?

Mad to be attempting that sort of significant
hardware reconfig without proper backups.

Makes a lot more sense to get an external hard drive
with a firewire and USB2 interface for backup FIRST.

 

[Viðrar Vel Til Loftárása]

Mad to be attempting that sort of significant
hardware reconfig without proper backups.

you are right about that. i have been thinking of splitting up the
data over a bunch of other machines on my network in the interim, just
in case. it's not an elegant solution, but i have been thinking i
probably should do it, just in case.

Makes a lot more sense to get an external hard drive
with a firewire and USB2 interface for backup FIRST.

unfortunately that's a lot of money for a one time use item (for me).
thanks for the suggestion, though.

 

[Rod Speed]

you are right about that. i have been thinking of splitting up
the data over a bunch of other machines on my network in
the interim, just in case. it's not an elegant solution, but i
have been thinking i probably should do it, just in case.

Yeah, well worth a bit of safety, at least backing up the
most important stuff you'll slash your wrists if you lose
if it goes missing. Not worth bothering with stuff thats
just a damned nuisance to download off the net again etc.

unfortunately that's a lot of money for a one time use item (for me).

I didnt mean it for a one time use, do it now before the significant
hardware reconfig and then keep using it for full backup in the future.
Hard drives are now so cheap that they are ideal for that now.

thanks for the suggestion, though.

No problem.