Switch from no RAID to RAID 0 without losing data.
I'm working with a simple Windows server computer.
I believe the hardware will support RAID.
I believe there is no RAID set up at all.
This is a production system that can't be messed up!!
We want to go to RAID 0 if possible.
How to do that without losing data from the primary hard drive?
I just want to be very sure.....
I intend to create an image of the hard drive first of course.
I believe the hardware will support RAID.
I believe there is no RAID set up at all.
This is a production system that can't be messed up!!
We want to go to RAID 0 if possible.
How to do that without losing data from the primary hard drive?
I just want to be very sure.....
I intend to create an image of the hard drive first of course.
SOLUTION
membership
This solution is only available to members.
To access this solution, you must be a member of Experts Exchange.
ASKER
Yes, I did indeed mean RAID 1!
Thanks!
And, I suppose that if I want to change the size of the partitions that I might do this first?
What if I mirror first and want to change the size of partitions thereafter?
Thanks!
And, I suppose that if I want to change the size of the partitions that I might do this first?
What if I mirror first and want to change the size of partitions thereafter?
Hi
It would be prudent to resize the drives after you have made them dynamic. Remember to copy the data to another (external) drive before such tasks are undertaken.
It would be prudent to resize the drives after you have made them dynamic. Remember to copy the data to another (external) drive before such tasks are undertaken.
SOLUTION
membership
This solution is only available to members.
To access this solution, you must be a member of Experts Exchange.
SOLUTION
membership
This solution is only available to members.
To access this solution, you must be a member of Experts Exchange.
Couple of cloning solutions
Clonezilla
Aomei
Clonezilla
Aomei
I'd resize before creating the array, but it really shouldn't matter what you do first.
ASKER
As I started with this question, yes I have imaging and cloning capabilities.
I suppose that a conservative approach would be to:
1) create a clone and prove it's good.
2) change the partitions on the clone.
3) set up the RAID.
But: Bufferstop sez:
Also, I'm used to seeing RAID setups happen during boot time. The implications here seem to suggest it can all be done from within Windows. Comment?
I suppose that a conservative approach would be to:
1) create a clone and prove it's good.
2) change the partitions on the clone.
3) set up the RAID.
But: Bufferstop sez:
It would be prudent to resize the drives after you have made them dynamic. Remember to copy the data to another (external) drive before such tasks are undertaken.So, just so I'm clear on this, do you mean to resize the partitions after I've set up the RAID 1 (as I understand this to be a step after "making them dynamic").
Also, I'm used to seeing RAID setups happen during boot time. The implications here seem to suggest it can all be done from within Windows. Comment?
Most PC mainboards have fakeRAID controllers built-in. Those are highly unreliable and perform poorly. Windows on the other hand can do RAID 1 natively very reliably and it is also much higher in performance, as it can read the data from both disks simultaneously, so reads are a lot faster. Besides that you don't necessarily need expensive enterprise class disks, which would be needed for any RAID controller. So it is better to use Windows software RAID which I was suggesting above.
If your server has a real Hardware RAID controller, and you are using Enterprise class disks built for that server, then you can also use hardware RAID. Then you would set it up via the BIOS or some utility, depending on the RAID controller. But how that is done really depends on the RAID controller.
If your server has a real Hardware RAID controller, and you are using Enterprise class disks built for that server, then you can also use hardware RAID. Then you would set it up via the BIOS or some utility, depending on the RAID controller. But how that is done really depends on the RAID controller.
ASKER
I'm a little confused now:
The computer is a Dell PowerEdge T110 with 2 internal hard drives.
The Disk Manager says there is a single Basic disk and offers to change to Dynamic in the menu.
Yet, only one hard drive is evident in the system so I rather presume that RAID 1 is already set up.
I don't understand why I'd necessarily convert then to Dyamic. "If it ain't broke don't fix it"....
The "disks" show up as a Virtual Disk in the Device Manager.
In the end:
I *want* RAID 1 - how can I tell if it's already there?
I need to change the partition sizes to give some room to the smaller one (for the OS).
To add complication, this is an AHCI/UEFI system so I doubt I can boot to anything for imaging like EASEUS without going deeper.
The computer is a Dell PowerEdge T110 with 2 internal hard drives.
The Disk Manager says there is a single Basic disk and offers to change to Dynamic in the menu.
Yet, only one hard drive is evident in the system so I rather presume that RAID 1 is already set up.
I don't understand why I'd necessarily convert then to Dyamic. "If it ain't broke don't fix it"....
The "disks" show up as a Virtual Disk in the Device Manager.
In the end:
I *want* RAID 1 - how can I tell if it's already there?
I need to change the partition sizes to give some room to the smaller one (for the OS).
To add complication, this is an AHCI/UEFI system so I doubt I can boot to anything for imaging like EASEUS without going deeper.
ASKER CERTIFIED SOLUTION
membership
This solution is only available to members.
To access this solution, you must be a member of Experts Exchange.
if you do not have dell openmanage server tool installed,;
dell.com/support
enter your system's tag
download and install dell openmanage
once it is installed, run the desktop shortcut.
iut will let you see info about the server and its configuration including raid if any without the need to reboot thew system and use ctrl-a, etc to get into controllerbios.
check device manager, does itr say the hard drive is a perc disk?
dell.com/support
enter your system's tag
download and install dell openmanage
once it is installed, run the desktop shortcut.
iut will let you see info about the server and its configuration including raid if any without the need to reboot thew system and use ctrl-a, etc to get into controllerbios.
check device manager, does itr say the hard drive is a perc disk?
ASKER
Sorry. I'm sure I had answered back.
I did mean RAID 1.
It appears that the Server deals with it re: changing partitions native to Windows Server OS.
The one limitation was that one partition had to be removed - in order to increase the size of another .. and them recreated.
The Secure Boot prevents using live CDs.
I did mean RAID 1.
It appears that the Server deals with it re: changing partitions native to Windows Server OS.
The one limitation was that one partition had to be removed - in order to increase the size of another .. and them recreated.
The Secure Boot prevents using live CDs.
Just disable Secureboot.
ASKER
rindi: Well, yes. But I didn't want to mess around with a production system any more than necessary... Just my choice but you're right. In this case it didn't hurt that much to leave it as-is.
Does the system gave hot swap drives?
IMHO, trying to make adjustments on a production server/system means you are tempting .....
Any possibility of transitioning to setup using a newer server I.e. Upgrade cycle moved up?
Presumably you've taken steps to remove what can be removed. What can be moved has been moved I.e. LogFiles,
If you have a specific path where you need more space, you could add additional drive/s that will be accessible via a path rather than by drive letter.
I.e. C:\somestorage
You can add an Os managed raid 1 of two new 1TB drives configured to be accessing,e as c:\somestorage after the original conten has been copied .......
IMHO, trying to make adjustments on a production server/system means you are tempting .....
Any possibility of transitioning to setup using a newer server I.e. Upgrade cycle moved up?
Presumably you've taken steps to remove what can be removed. What can be moved has been moved I.e. LogFiles,
If you have a specific path where you need more space, you could add additional drive/s that will be accessible via a path rather than by drive letter.
I.e. C:\somestorage
You can add an Os managed raid 1 of two new 1TB drives configured to be accessing,e as c:\somestorage after the original conten has been copied .......
ASKER
arnold: Many things could have been done differently. It's all done now. Thanks.
ASKER
(This is my second try at closing this question. EE gobbled up the first one!! Second time today!)
Thanks everyone!
Thanks everyone!
If you really mean RAID 1, then you can just convert your disk to Dynamic, add the new disk and mirror it within disk management. You don't lose any data that way, unless you do something wrong.