RAID 1 - separating the disks

[geort45]

Hello,

A question regadrings RAID1 (mirror)... I have two 500GB disks in this mode, using my mobo's controller (NF4). However I'm planning on buying a new computer. Since my disks won't be recognized in the new controller, I was planning to separate one disk from the mirror, set it up as a normal HDD, format it (I thought it wouldn't be readable because it had its data with a "special system" that only would be recognized by that controller AND setup in RAID1 mode), then copy all of the degraded-raid-disk info into it, and then move both disks into the new computer. Yeah, I'd lose the RAID1 but at least keep my data.

So in the BIOS, I configured one of the disks as a non-RAID disk, thus when booting the controller said the RAID was in a degraded state. Fine. However :eek: when I logged into windows... the non-RAID disk was recognized! And all its info readable...

My question is... is this because -even if it's not setup as a raid disk- it's still connected to the same controller? Or this is normal and it will be readable in any computer?

Anyone? Thanks! :)

[Dr.Khron]

Like most things, it depends on the controller implementation.

Porting an array from one comp to another can be easy or hard, depending on the controler. Some crapy implementations make it almost impossible to move the array to another comp without losing data. However, better quality cards make it a lot easier for you.

But in my experience, most raid controlers work how you describe: a standard file format on both disks, with the controller essientally "hiding" one from the operating system.

This increases the value of the redundancy, becuase you still have all the data accessable even if you were to lose the controller.

As for your specific card, you never know until you try. It might work with a standard on-board adapter, or it might need the raid controller you created the array with.

[shakey]

I'd have thought that RAID 1 would be much easier to transfer than any other type of raid (eg. 0). If it's a sensible controller, then it might have both disks formatted as standard disks and sort out the mirroring crap on the controller itself. If so, then just taking a disk out and putting it in new system might work. If you're REALLY lucky, you might be able to put both disks in the new system, set it up as a mirrored array and have it work with almost no faffing. If you're lucky.

[geort45]

Well then I'll check it out later @home when I get the new mobo... I don't have extra PSUP+vidcard and I'm kinda lazy to keep plugging and unplugging several times to check if it works, so I thought of solving it first in the old computer via VNC from my workplace... but hell I guess I'll have to do it anyway :P

Thanks :D!

[legoman666]

I have had no problem moving my raid 0 array to and from three different controllers on three different motherboards. The only thing I had to do was use trial and error to find out which physical drive is supposed to be the first drive in the array and which drive is the second. Beyond that, it has always worked perfectly (assuming I set the same striping block size).

[geort45]

"Unfortunately" I had to wave my array goodbye... I mean, just setting it up in the new computer, I needed the extra space the other mirror disk had :S. However, since the other disk was detected as-it-was in the new system, I didn't have to move those 500GB of data, so in the end some time was saved.

Thanks :)