Should I have degraded my RAID?

rhysduck · 3 Oct 2011 at 09:13

Morning,

RAID1 was setup on my pc, I've fitted new components yesterday but yet to install Windows on the new SSD..

The question being, should I have degraded the RAID prior to rebuilding the pc?

Got lots of mumbo jumbo on there I need

Inaharry · 3 Oct 2011 at 09:39

Hi,

If you're not replacing the motherboard, (assuming that your RAID 1 was set up on it rather than a dedicated controller), then you're RAID will remain intact after installing Windows to a separate drive, (the SSD).

If you're replacing the motherboard and the chipset uses the same controller, such as an ICH10, then it'll most likely be picked up on the new board anyway and still be accessible, but at worst case, if they go back to single drive status, as it's a RAID 1, both drives will contain the information individually anyway, so you shouldn't lose any data.

rhysduck · 3 Oct 2011 at 10:11

Thanks Harry.

I'm fitting a new board due to my new cpu needing it.
So hopefully my RAID'd drives will just show up as 2x single drivers with identical data on.

When I come to rebuild the array on the new board... is there a way of doing it so I can keep the data on both/one drive without having to format/wipe the drives?

RAID is the only thing I can never get to stick in my head

Inaharry · 3 Oct 2011 at 10:21

If your new RAID will be on an Intel chipset, like the ICH10 and you find that they do go back to individual drives, you can install the Intel Rapid Storage software which should be either on the motherboard CD, or you can download it either from the motherboard manufacturer's website, or Intel themselves. I'd recommend getting the latest version, so it'd be better to download it rather than using the one from the CD.

Once installed, this will allow you to re-create the mirror again while retaining data. Don't re-create the RAID in the BIOS as this will generally delete the data and create a new array.

If you're going to put the new SSD on the same controller as your RAID drives, remember to use the updated RAID driver to install Windows. I'd recommend disconnecting all other drives during installation, so only your SSD and DVD drive is attached. It's very important to make sure that RAID is enabled in the BIOS and use the RAID driver during the installation of Windows otherwise you won't be able to install the Intel Rapid Storage software because it'll say that your system doesn't meet the necessary requirements.

I hope this helps.

skyripper · 3 Oct 2011 at 13:43

If you install on the SSD with the motherboard in IDE or AHCI mode and need to switch to RAID later there is a registry fix you can apply after the Intel RST drivers are installed. I'll post which registry key it is you need when I'm home.

But it would be smarter to download the IRST drivers and have them on a usb key or CD at install time - saves the pain.

rhysduck · 3 Oct 2011 at 18:55

Thanks guys.

I have tried loading the Intel RST drivers during the install of W7 (no other drives connected apart from the SSD and DVD Drive) but Setup doesn't like them....

Franklin · 3 Oct 2011 at 19:07

I was hoping system would read the current installed RAID stats.

Inaharry · 4 Oct 2011 at 11:38

rhysduck said:
Thanks guys.

I have tried loading the Intel RST drivers during the install of W7 (no other drives connected apart from the SSD and DVD Drive) but Setup doesn't like them....

Three things to check...

1. Have you definitely got 'RAID' set as the SATA control mode in the BIOS, (rather than IDE or AHCI)?

2. Is your SSD drive attached to a port that uses the Intel chipset, like the ICH10? Check that it's not attached to ports which may use a different chipset like Marvell etc. For example, my Gigabyte board had 6 ports that use the Intel chipset and four that use a JMicron controller.

3. Check the driver you downloaded for the Intel RST, there are generally two downloads. One is for the actual software that installs once Windows is running and contains a driver as part of the installation and the other one, (which you need while installing) is generally called the 'F6' based driver. For example, the latest one that covers most Intel chipsets and is available for both 32 and 64 bit can be found here:

Intel Rapid Storage F6 Drivers

rhysduck · 5 Oct 2011 at 19:09

I don't see a way withing the Intel RST software to recreate a RAID for my two drives.

Does this mean I am going to have to transfer my data to another drive before I recreate the RAID? The only other alternative I see is to do it in the BIOS.

Board is a GA Z68XP-UD3

Edit: I'm only seeing one of my previously RAID'd drives in Windows Explorer.... wtf. There's two drives showing in the IRST software. Can't see no indication if they are raided though.
Edit: Disk Manager is saying "This disk is offline because it has a signature collision with another disk that is online". I take it this is because they were both raided.