quick Raid 1 Q for ya

[cokecan]

Hey Guys

I'm in the process of setting up a small home file server to store all my itunes music + TV as well as all my personal photo's etc. I also plan to have the PC's in my house backup to the file server every couple of days or so.

I'm planning on using a raid 1 array in the file server because I'm more concerned about disk failure and loosing all my media than having the odd file deleted by accident (also the bits I really want to keep will be backed up on a seperate drive in my own PC).

My question is: if one of the drives in the raid 1 array die, I understand that the array should continue to work using the second drive. If i get the dead drive RMA'd and connect the new drive upto the array will the array then copy everything from the second drive onto the new drive and continue to function as before or will I need to set the array up again?

 

[rpstewart]

RAID1 functions exactly as you've described, with one dead drive the array will continue to operate on the remaining drive. Once the new drive is added the controller will rebuild the array onto the new drive. Pretty much every controller will do this online so you can continue to use the machine although it will be thrashing the disks so don't expect stellar performance. Once the rebuild is complete you're back to where you started.

 

[Yurka]

Digging this thread up as it's the nearest one to my question.

I'm setting up my new rig but one of the hdds had to be RMA'd. Can I install the OS onto the other hdd and then make the RAID1 array with the other hdd once its been returned? or does there have to be an array setup in the first place for this to happen?

First time making Raid, using the mobo software - Biostar X58