how to setup RAId & migrate data

wibble1 · 25 Mar 2010 at 14:22

Mobo: MSI NEO2-FR. Raid controller ICH9R

Current HDD setup: 34GB OS/80GB music/500GB data (all full).

Ordered: 2x1TB, 1x500GB.

Plan to do full system rebuild onto W7 and migrate data with 1TB as RAID-1 config.

I'm unsure when to build RAID array.

Do I,

a) build array FIRST in the BIOS, then connect new 500GB and install OS on that?

b) Install OS onto 500GB, then connect 2x1tB and build array in BIOS after.

c) Install OS onto 500GB, Connect 1x1TB. Migrate all data onto 1TB from old 500GB and 80GB then add second 1TB and build an array from that? (Is that possible?)

What are your thoughts on the above?

Thanks

rpstewart · 25 Mar 2010 at 14:42

Option B) but remember to set the SATA controller to RAID mode in the BIOS first. That will ensure that the OS is installed with the correct drivers needed to access the array when you create that.

You could do option A) but it's safer to only have a single drive / array attached when you install the OS.

wibble1 · 25 Mar 2010 at 15:15

okay so to confirm.

change BIOS setting from IDE mode to RAID mode.
Install OS on 500GB.
Reboot, plug drives in.
Boot, then in BIOS go into RAID menu and setup raid.

rpstewart · 25 Mar 2010 at 16:53

Yep, that's pretty much it. Just remember you'll need to partition and format the array in Windows before you can access it.

wibble1 · 26 Mar 2010 at 15:12

I've done that and created the array in the BIOS.

Is there any point in installing the windows software, Intel Matrix Storage Console? Will it affect my setup of the array?