Need help with setting up raid.

Warduke_uk · 18 Apr 2007 at 08:38

Hi all need some help setting up a raid on my dads new pc pls...I have Asus P5W DH Deluxe WiFi m,otherboard..My dad wants 2 drives to mirror each other for data storage.
Never done or set up a raid before..do i just install windows on 1 of his hard drives. then can i set up the mirror raid on the other 2 drives after i have installed windoes or do i need to set up the raid before i install windows first any help would be gratefully recieved many thanks in advance for the help.

skanky · 18 Apr 2007 at 08:47

set the array up then install windows as you normally would.

rpstewart · 18 Apr 2007 at 08:54

Warduke_uk said:
Hi all need some help setting up a raid on my dads new pc pls...I have Asus P5W DH Deluxe WiFi m,otherboard..My dad wants 2 drives to mirror each other for data storage.
Never done or set up a raid before..do i just install windows on 1 of his hard drives. then can i set up the mirror raid on the other 2 drives after i have installed windoes or do i need to set up the raid before i install windows first any help would be gratefully recieved many thanks in advance for the help.

Is the RAID1 (mirrored) array going to be the boot drive or is there a third disk that will have Windows on it?

If you're not booting from it then you can set it up after you install windows to the third disk, otherwise it needs created first.

In either case you'll need to make sure that the correct SATA ports are configured to run in RAID mode in the system BIOS and if you want to boot form the array you'll need the RAID drivers on a floppy before you start.

Warduke_uk · 18 Apr 2007 at 09:24

Hi thx for the reply so quick i have a third drive that windows will be on..all the drives are the same size and make hitachi deskstar..So can i install windows on the third drive then add the other 2 drives in a raid to become mirrored.

rpstewart · 18 Apr 2007 at 10:21

Yeah, best option will be to only fit one drive and install windows and get it working before adding the other two. This removes any potential for windows installing to one drive but booting off another.

I've had a quick look over the P5W manual and it looks like you can't split the Intel SATA controller so that some ports run in RAID mode and some don't which is a bit of a pain but nothing more. You may have to create a single disk RAID0 array with the boot drive to get it recognised and you'll also have to give the windows install the RAID drivers on a floppy (or use a slipstreamed install CD).

Once windows is installed OK then fit the other 2 drives, create the mirrored array in the RAID bios and then format it in Windows using Disk Management.

Warduke_uk · 18 Apr 2007 at 12:50

rpstewart said:
Yeah, best option will be to only fit one drive and install windows and get it working before adding the other two. This removes any potential for windows installing to one drive but booting off another.

I've had a quick look over the P5W manual and it looks like you can't split the Intel SATA controller so that some ports run in RAID mode and some don't which is a bit of a pain but nothing more. You may have to create a single disk RAID0 array with the boot drive to get it recognised and you'll also have to give the windows install the RAID drivers on a floppy (or use a slipstreamed install CD).

Once windows is installed OK then fit the other 2 drives, create the mirrored array in the RAID bios and then format it in Windows using Disk Management.

Great thx for the info help rpstewart mutch appreciated u are the man !!!!