Possible to move windows to a different disk?

growse · 4 May 2007 at 15:12

I'm planning on moving windows from a single disk to a RAID-1 array. Both are currently installed. Am I right in thinking I can just copy everything across to the array, unplug the single disk, and then boot happily off the array? I imagine not, as windows will probably have a fit.

Any step-by-step guides out there? I suppose it may matter that the single disk is 18Gb and the array is 36gb...?

stickroad · 4 May 2007 at 15:15

If you want to setup a RAID configuration am i right in saying, when you set up RAID it wipes the Hard Drives first?

growse · 4 May 2007 at 15:21

I've already got the array in place. Windows sees it as an empty 36Gb drive (D

. Windows is, however, installed on C:. I'd like to move it onto the empty drive and then remove the original drive. I think this is possible, but am not sure.

Corasik · 4 May 2007 at 15:51

You could try to ghost the windows partition onto the array, but the biggest problem will be the change of disk controller during the next boot up. Windows makes a check on this, and if it fails it will just lockup.

When moving between two drives of the same type (IDE - IDE, or even IDE to SATA), you can often get away by forcing windows to default back to 'Standard IDE Controller' driver. But thats not going to work on your array.

I suspect you'll just have to bite the bullet and do a fresh install on the array.

growse · 4 May 2007 at 16:33

Corasik said:
You could try to ghost the windows partition onto the array, but the biggest problem will be the change of disk controller during the next boot up. Windows makes a check on this, and if it fails it will just lockup.

When moving between two drives of the same type (IDE - IDE, or even IDE to SATA), you can often get away by forcing windows to default back to 'Standard IDE Controller' driver. But thats not going to work on your array.

I suspect you'll just have to bite the bullet and do a fresh install on the array.

I should point out that both the single disk and raid-1 array are attached to the same controller. Windows sees everything as an "HP LOGICAL VOLUME SCSI Disk Device".

I suppose there's no reason why I can't copy the stuff over, switch the boot disk on the controller to the array and see if it works. If not, I can always switch back....