How to setup RAID 1

techguy

Hi,

My current setup is Windows XP Pro 32-Bit on and Abit IP35Pro Motherboard. There is a 500GB SATA already connected that I have been using for the past while.

I Have just bought 2 WD 1TB drives that I would like to put in RAID 1.

How exaclty do I do this?

I haven't had much luck with google. But from what I gather there needs to be some drivers installed to windows.

I'm not really sure but I think there is two RAID controllers on the board. A JMicron and an Intel controller.I would like to use the intel.

Has anybody done RAID on this board?

Any advice? I'm stumped!!

Thanks..

M@21

Can you see the Raid Bios when booting up the system?
You should be able to configure the disks from there.

Did the system come with any add on utilities for the raid?
HP & Dell have their own utilities for configuring raid on their systems that can be done online, this method would be more user friendly if available.

PogMoThoin

Its fairly easy, just press ctrl+l on bootup to get into the raid menu, setup the raid array and then windows will only see one drive.
Install the driver from your motherboard disk in windows, Vista won't need a driver but Xp will.

techguy

When I enable RAID mode in the BIOS I get a BSOD on windows startup - something to do with changing the drive mode..


I have installed the two 1TB drives to the first two sata ports on the MB.

I've decided that I am going to slipstream the drivers(from the intel floppy utility) into a windows setup and burn to disc. Enable RAID mode in the BIOS and then run the windows setup again - on the exisitng windows install.

Will this install the drivers for me..

Just to be safe I am curently formatting one of the new drives and I will copy everything to that before the windows setup commences..

What do you guys think of that plan? Should it work?

Anything I should know?

--Thanks..

M@21

Once the hardware raid is setup before you do the install, you should be okay.

If you are going to format one of the new drives and use it for your data - how will you setup the Raid mirror?

techguy

M@21 wrote: »

Once the hardware raid is setup before you do the install, you should be okay.

Do you mean disk mode changed from IDEO to RAID in the BIOS?

M@21 wrote: »

If you are going to format one of the new drives and use it for your data - how will you setup the Raid mirror?

It is just a temporary backup while I reinstall windows. I will then format the drives and build the array once windows is setup with RAID working.

So:
Once windows is "repaired" with the RAID drivers and BIOS is in RAID mode what do I do next?

Press ctrl + i @ boot screen to build array or use the intel matrix manager software?

I'm not really sure which operations do what?

I would like the array to be built in such a way that the array will function properly regardless of the OS used. Can I switch to linux with this setup?

PogMoThoin

techguy wrote: »

It is just a temporary backup while I reinstall windows. I will then format the drives and build the array once windows is setup with RAID working.

Creating the array will loose any info on the drives

techguy wrote: »

So:
Once windows is "repaired" with the RAID drivers and BIOS is in RAID mode what do I do next?

Are You installing Windows to the raid? If not then You can just install the driver afterwards

techguy wrote: »

Press ctrl + i @ boot screen to build array or use the intel matrix manager software?

I'm sure its ctrl and l (L for Lenny). Forget about the Intel matrix software, I've never bothered with it.

techguy wrote: »

I'm not really sure which operations do what?

If You've stuff to backup, do it on another drive, preferably an external

techguy wrote: »

I would like the array to be built in such a way that the array will function properly regardless of the OS used. Can I switch to linux with this setup?

A little bit tricky with this raid (linux users call it fake Raid as its neither hardware or software) but the latest versions of Ubuntu have better fake Raid support. More here

techguy

I am only copying to 1 of the TB drives while I repair windows..just in case something goes wrong with the install...

I am installing windows on my exisiting 500GB drive.. the RAID array is just for storage. I am aware that creating a RAID array is destructive. The drive will be treated as external because it will be disconnected during the install process, I will then runwindows make sure everything is intact then go and build my array..

So all I need is to press ctrl + l to build the array..? Is this the fake RAID you speak of?

What's a real RAID setup then? One using a dedicated RAID card??

PogMoThoin

techguy wrote: »

I am only copying to 1 of the TB drives while I repair windows..just in case something goes wrong with the install...

I am installing windows on my exisiting 500GB drive.. the RAID array is just for storage. I am aware that creating a RAID array is destructive. The drive will be treated as external because it will be disconnected during the install process, I will then runwindows make sure everything is intact then go and build my array..

You've no need to reinstall windows then so, just create the raid and install the driver. You only need to slipstream the driver in Windows if You're installing to the raided volume. You can add a raid volume to Your existing Windows no problem.

techguy wrote: »

So all I need is to press ctrl + l to build the array..? Is this the fake RAID you speak of?

Yes, just ctrl + l create the raid volume with the 2 drives, boot to windows, install the driver and enable the drive (windows will see it as a single drive) in Disk Management.

techguy wrote: »

What's a real RAID setup then? One using a dedicated RAID card??

Real raid requires a card. There's also a software raid in linux.

techguy

You see the problem was that when I enabled RAID in the BIOS i'd get a BSOD when windows (XP) starts..then the computer would just restart..

I should have mentioned I was using xo as Vista doesn't have this problem..

I just ran a windows reapir install from a disc with slipstreamed RAID drivers..it didn't solve the problem.. What can I do now that wouldn't require a full windows reinstall..I don't have time to do that as I have an interview coming up and have a lot of work to get done before it..

I am beginning to regret not getting an external box to handle taht would handle everything without any hassle..

techguy

I am actually completely lost here!!

I'm not even sure I used the correct drivers in my last windows repair session, the intel site isn't very clear.

I've tried searching for ICH9R with no results..bummer!!

What to do, what to try next??

PogMoThoin

Ok, have you tried setting your sata mode from ide to combined or enhanced (can't rem rightly what its called, its the other option other than raid or ide) in the bios instead of raid. Make sure your boot order isn't set to the raid volume, this may change itself when you make changes in sata mode (also you say You're using sata 1 and 2). Check your setings, its something like this. I suspect you're blue screening as you're trying to boot from them.

Also repair installs of Xp often cause more problems than they solve.

techguy

Ok,

So I have put a fresh install of windows on my 500GB drive (with format) my data is back on there.

All I need to do now is build the RAID array.

PROBLEM:

it seems that only the first few ports on the MOBO are for the Intel raid. Drives aren't recognised by the intel matrix manager if they are on other ports.

Also, with all the drives plugged in to work perfect my HD cage won't fit into the case (cable protruding)

I need to change my boot HD(500gb) to a higher port number and one of the 1tb drives to where the 500GB was.. When I do this windows won't boot..

It gets to the verifying DMI pool data and then fails to boot..

I've a funny feeling that it's the boot.ini file I should edit to tell windows to boot from a drive in a different port.

Any advice??

Maybe I should just buy a right angled SATA cable, it may solve the problem..

Thanks..