Change Raid Volume from 0 to 1

[wiry11]

I recently purchased an hp h8-1220t.  I asked for two raid drives so I could create a raid volume 1.  When it arrived, the raid drives were already created as a volume 0.  How do I change this?  I need two mirrored hard drives.  Thanks

[Big_Dave]

Hi,

Since the data is stripped between two hard drives, you will need to reload the entire system. UGLY!  Frankly, I would send the PC back and have HP build the RAID 1 array.

Use a hard drive imaging product to image your system to external media such as a USB hard drive.  Be sure to have the imaging product boot CD created.

Make a set of the HP Recovery Disks as they might be needed.  You will need at least three DVD+R disks.

Read this Intel document.  Intel RAID Console  Read it very carefully.

Boot into the Intel ROM setup --- usually this is control-i

Click 2 to Delete the RAID array (volume). Y to confirm

Click 1 to Create the RAID array ---> choose your array type RAID 1 -- Y to confirm.  Now wait until the RAID array build process is complete

Now boot up your hard drive imaging product CD and restore your system.  This will take some time as the RAID 1 process has to keep the data being loaded syncronized between the two hard drives.

[wiry11]

I was afraid that this was the answer.  I wonder if the simple thing isn't to attach another drive and back up the entire system every night.  Is that an option?  I made a recovery disk in anticipation of this but I haven't made the boot disk yet so will do that.  I might just give the whole thing with your instructions to computer experts to fix it for me.  But it seems it would be an expensive "reformat."  What do you think would be best?  Would an external drive work to back up the entire system?  I appreciate your help.

[Big_Dave]

Hi,

Yes you could use an external HD and image copy your RAID 0 system to it based on your risk criteria.  Don't grow the RAID 0 system too large or the external HD will need to be large enough to hold the system.

[wiry11]

That sounds a lot better and safer than the alternative.  Can you tell me how I set the drive to make an image copy?  Is there a drive and program you would recommend for this?  I really appreciate your help.  This computer is only used for a financial program with all our clients data on it. No other programs are on it   It is used as a server.  So I think the drive could be manageable.  The two drives are about 149 gigabytes each.  Sorry to be such a novice.  I had a dell computer before with raid drives and they were always perfect.  I replaced drives twice and it saved me such a lot of hassle.  HP instructions said the raid drives needed to be set, but the volume was already created as 0.  Bummer.

[Big_Dave]

Hi,

Commercial clients with financial data?  You do have a risk on your hands.

Don't fool around with cheap "freebie" software.  Buy a retail hard drive imaging product.

Paragon Hard Disk Management Suite

Macrum

Acronis

You could also use the Windows 7 imaging function. Review this article on how to use Windows 7 to create backups and a backup image.

Whatever product and method you decide to use, test it out thoroughly (backup and restore) before critical unrecoverable data gets placed on the server. Never keep just one copy of critical data and don't keep copies in the same physical location. Consider the overall extent to a local disaster such as the building being totally destroyed.  What is your risk and your client's risk if the data can't be recovered?

[wiry11]

Do you think cloning is a good idea?  Or imaging.  What I want is the simplest way to continue working if the drive fails.

Thanks so much

[wiry11]

We do off-site backup as well.  And back up of data on a local external drive.  But the raid drives allowed us to keep operating when the drive failed.  No time lost.  So that's what is important.  So to be able to plug the drive into an external port on another computer and keep operating would be the whole point.  Is that possible? 

[Big_Dave]

Hi,

Convert to RAID 1. 

There are many other RAID options involving multiple hard drives that have ready "hot" spares but the scope of that type of configuration is beyond this forum.  Perhaps you could look for an external RAID box that meets your requirements.  Look over Drobo.

[wiry11 · Accepted solution]

I think the Drobo solution might be the one for my five computers.  I'll just keep the HP in a one large drive mode.  I really appreciate your help on this.  To get HP to rebuild my computer is a thought worse than death.  Thanks so much for your time and good thoughts.

wiry