Converting an existing Boot XP hard disk to Raid 1 (Mirroring)

[Karl Strausser]

Hi,

I cannot find a way of converting an existing Windows XP install on a
single hard disk to a 2-disk Raid 1 (mirroring) configuration. The
NVIDIA onboard RAID utility (Asus with NForce 570 SLI for AMD chipset)
expressly forbids converting an existing hard disk, so I can only
think of doing this using an alternative method.

Has anyone got suggestions ?


Karl

 

[Ron Martell]

Hi,

I cannot find a way of converting an existing Windows XP install on a
single hard disk to a 2-disk Raid 1 (mirroring) configuration. The
NVIDIA onboard RAID utility (Asus with NForce 570 SLI for AMD chipset)
expressly forbids converting an existing hard disk, so I can only
think of doing this using an alternative method.

Has anyone got suggestions ?

(Assuming that what you want to do is to add a second hard drive
identical to the one XP is installed on and use those 2 drives as your
Raid 1 configuration).

You will need a third hard drive and a disk imaging or full disk
backup program that you can run from a bootable diskette or CDROM.

Create a backup image of your Windows XP drive. Remove the backup
drive from the computer (temporarily, for safety).

Wipe out the Windows XP drive. Simplest way is just to delete the
partition.

Install your 2 drives in the RAID configuration as per the
instructions.

Reinstall the drive with your backup image as a (temporary) third hard
drive on a non-RAID channel.

Boot your disk backup/disk image software and restore the backed up
Windows XP drive to the RAID drives.

Good luck



Ron Martell Duncan B.C. Canada
--
Microsoft MVP (1997 - 2006)
On-Line Help Computer Service
http://onlinehelp.bc.ca
Syberfix Remote Computer Repair

"Anyone who thinks that they are too small to make a difference
has never been in bed with a mosquito."

 

[philo]

Hi,

I cannot find a way of converting an existing Windows XP install on a
single hard disk to a 2-disk Raid 1 (mirroring) configuration. The
NVIDIA onboard RAID utility (Asus with NForce 570 SLI for AMD chipset)
expressly forbids converting an existing hard disk, so I can only
think of doing this using an alternative method.

All you have to do is backup your data...

now build your raid and reinstall the OS & apps.

Restore your data and that's it.

 

[Yves Leclerc]

To set up RAID drives, the RAID configuration needs to format the drives so
that the RAID controls are in place. The only why is to back up everything
from the drive, RAID the drives and then restore the files.

Another possibility, RAID two new drives and "copy" your XP from the single
drive to the new RAID system. (Note: I said "copy" not "clone." Cloning a
single hard drive to a RAID drive may/will break the RAID formatting.)

 

[philo]

To set up RAID drives, the RAID configuration needs to format the drives so
that the RAID controls are in place. The only why is to back up everything
from the drive, RAID the drives and then restore the files.

Another possibility, RAID two new drives and "copy" your XP from the single
drive to the new RAID system. (Note: I said "copy" not "clone." Cloning a
single hard drive to a RAID drive may/will break the RAID formatting.)

You *cannot* copy the entire system over...
several folders are not able to be copied.

In theory a clone could work *however* the correct RAID signature would be
required in boot.ini

It's possible that cloning...then performing a fixboot command from the
recovery console
would do the trick...

But still a full data backup would be in-order before performing such an
experiment!

 

[Karl Strausser]

Hi Ron and Philo,

Ron - Before I posted I did exactly what you are suggesting. The new
RAID array boots up to a certain point and then gets stuck because it
is not running the NVRAID.SYS disk driver, and until RAID is set in
the BIOS one cannot switch to that driver prior to imaging from the
source hard disk to the RAID array.

Philo seems to hint at what the solution might be - do you mind
expanding on that ?


Thanks
Karl

Hi,

I cannot find a way of converting an existing Windows XP install on a
single hard disk to a 2-disk Raid 1 (mirroring) configuration. The
NVIDIA onboard RAID utility (Asus with NForce 570 SLI for AMD
chipset)
expressly forbids converting an existing hard disk, so I can only
think of doing this using an alternative method.

Has anyone got suggestions ?

(Assuming that what you want to do is to add a second hard drive
identical to the one XP is installed on and use those 2 drives as your
Raid 1 configuration).

You will need a third hard drive and a disk imaging or full disk
backup program that you can run from a bootable diskette or CDROM.

Create a backup image of your Windows XP drive. Remove the backup
drive from the computer (temporarily, for safety).

Wipe out the Windows XP drive. Simplest way is just to delete the
partition.

Install your 2 drives in the RAID configuration as per the
instructions.

Reinstall the drive with your backup image as a (temporary) third hard
drive on a non-RAID channel.

Boot your disk backup/disk image software and restore the backed up
Windows XP drive to the RAID drives.

Good luck



Ron Martell Duncan B.C. Canada
--
Microsoft MVP (1997 - 2006)
On-Line Help Computer Service
http://onlinehelp.bc.ca
Syberfix Remote Computer Repair

"Anyone who thinks that they are too small to make a difference
has never been in bed with a mosquito."

 

[Karl Strausser]

Hi Ron and Philo,

Ron - Before I posted I did exactly what you are suggesting. The new
RAID array boots up to a certain point and then gets stuck because it
is not running the NVRAID.SYS disk driver, and until RAID is set in
the BIOS one cannot switch to that driver prior to imaging from the
source hard disk to the RAID array.

Philo seems to hint at what the solution might be - do you mind
expanding on that ?


Thanks
Karl

To set up RAID drives, the RAID configuration needs to format the
drives so
that the RAID controls are in place. The only why is to back up everything
from the drive, RAID the drives and then restore the files.

Another possibility, RAID two new drives and "copy" your XP from the single
drive to the new RAID system. (Note: I said "copy" not "clone."
Cloning a
single hard drive to a RAID drive may/will break the RAID
formatting.)

You *cannot* copy the entire system over...
several folders are not able to be copied.

In theory a clone could work *however* the correct RAID signature
would be
required in boot.ini

It's possible that cloning...then performing a fixboot command from
the
recovery console
would do the trick...

But still a full data backup would be in-order before performing such
an
experiment!

 

[philo]

Hi Ron and Philo,

Ron - Before I posted I did exactly what you are suggesting. The new
RAID array boots up to a certain point and then gets stuck because it
is not running the NVRAID.SYS disk driver, and until RAID is set in
the BIOS one cannot switch to that driver prior to imaging from the
source hard disk to the RAID array.

Philo seems to hint at what the solution might be - do you mind
expanding on that ?

Well first off...no matter what you do...
I'd back up *all* your data first...
and confirm that it's all good.

Essentially you will have to break your present system and start over new...

First create your RAID...
then install your operating system...
Once your OS is up and running...
copy your data back from your cd's or dvd's

If you want to experiment a bit though...you could use
some 3rd party cloing software
and attempt to clone your operating sytem back to your new RAID array

*however* a RAID array assigns a "signature" so your present boot.ini will
not work
as it's booting to a partition on a harddrive (rather than a harddrive
signature)

I've never tried to clone to a RAID so don't know if it will work

but the system will not boot until you boot from your XP cd
and from the repair console issue the command fixboot

that might work...but it's possible you will do a lot of work for nothing

 

[DL]

The general advice I have seen/been given e.g. by Adaptec Tech is to run a
clean installation of the o/s

You could I guess create a BartPe boot cd with the raid/sata drivers
integrated, this may allow you to build the array, whether you could
progress further with your image, I dont know.

 

[Kerry Brown]

Prepare a floppy disk with the RAID drivers on it. Get a disk imaging
program that recognizes the RAID controller you are using. Image the disk to
an external disk or media. Create the RAID array. Restore the image to the
array. DO NOT BOOT YET. Boot from a Windows CD of the same version and
service pack level as your installed version and do a repair install. During
the repair install press F6 at the appropriate time and insert the floppy
with the RAID drivers.

http://www.michaelstevenstech.com/XPrepairinstall.htm

A much better solution would be a better RAID card that allows you to build
arrays on the fly.