Advice? Replace HD in RAID 1

Discussion in 'Acronis True Image Product Line' started by Mike9685, Jan 18, 2007.

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  1. Mike9685

    Mike9685 Registered Member

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    Need some advice for this. I have 2 x 80 gig hard drives in a RAID 1 (2 partitions - C:\XP SP2 and D:\Image); also 2 x 400 gig hard drives IDE for storage (2 partitions each)

    In the XP events log this morning, I had a notice that 1 of my RAID hard drives says that it might fail. I have 2 x 160 gig SATA hard drives available.

    What's the best way to swap the SATA hds and retain the operating system and RAID? I have True Image 10 and Disk Director Suite 10.

    Specs:
    A7n8x-e deluxe
    AMD 3200+
    1.5 gig Corsair pc 3200

    Thanks in advance for the help!

    Mike
     
    Last edited: Jan 22, 2007
  2. shieber

    shieber Registered Member

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    If you have a RAID 1 setup, you should be able to remove one of the drives and install a new one and the RAID software will rebuild the image on it using the image on the drive you aren't replacing. Check with any instructions that came with the RAID provider.

    You shouldn't even need ATI to be able to do this.

    good luck,
    sh
     
  3. Mike9685

    Mike9685 Registered Member

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    I apologize for not getting back sooner - overcome by events at work. Here some more information I should have included in my first post...

    BLUF - I want to replace both of the 2 x 80 gig SATA hard drives in my system with 160 gig hard drives without reinstalling the OS and applications.

    Here's the current system -

    ASUS A7N8X-E Deluxe
    AMD XP 3200
    XP SP2

    2 x WD SATA 80 gig in a RAID 1 (1 is about to fail)
    C: Windows and Apps (50 gig)
    D: Backup C (with True Image) (30- gig)
    2 x Maxtor 400 gig IDE (G:, H:, I:, J

    Additional stuff for the swap-

    2 x WD 160 gig SATA drives (new, unformatted)
    1 x 500 gig external USB drive
    1 SATA to USB cable (with power)
    Acronis True Image
    Acronis Disk Director

    Options?

    1- Replace 1 x 80 gig with 1 x 160 gig and allow the RAID to rebuild the 160 gig; then replace the remaining 80 gig with the extra 160 gig and again allow the RAID to rebuild the new drive.

    - Should I setup/format the 160 gig drives with the external cable (SATA to USB) first (before installation in the RAID) (using DD)?
    - How do I get the drives to full capacity (160 gig) after the rebuild? (DD?)
    - What do I need to do in the bios when I swap the drives?

    2- Setup (format) the drives with the external cable and use True Image to "clone" C: to one of the drives. Install both and let it mirror to the other empty drive (formatted)?

    - What do I need to do in the bios after I install the new drives?

    3- Put both new drives in and use one of the 80 gig hard drives (on the external cable) to "clone" to the new array? (TI?)

    4- Any better ideas?

    Thanks in advance for the help! I'm looking for the most reliable way to do this.
     
  4. shieber

    shieber Registered Member

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    I'm not sure if you can build a RAID 1 with diff types/sizes of drives. In that case. I would take down the RAID with the RAID software. Repalce the nonsys disk with a 160GB. Image the sys drive onto the new 160GB -- you don't have to clone, you can jsut make an image file. Then replace the sys drive with a new 160GB and using the ATI boot CD restore the image fromthe file on the "D" drive to the new C drive that you want to be the sys drive. Now you have two 160GB drives installed with you image on the sys drive. Then use the Raid software to build a RAID 1 array out of the two drives. This shouldn't disrupt the image on the C drive -- it should be maintained by the RAID software and mirrored onto the second drive. The mirroring willl wipe out the ATI backup file taht you saved to that disk, but it's already done it's job.

    That would work with the Intel IAA RAID chipset and software. So maybe with yours.



    good luck,
    sh
     
    Last edited: Jan 23, 2007
  5. snmavronis

    snmavronis Registered Member

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    Maryland, USA
    I believe in RAID drive recovery you can install a larger drive but it will rebuild the drive to the same size as the original lost drive in the array. So your 160gb drive would basically be formatted to an 80gb capacity losing 1/2 the actual space.
     
  6. Mike9685

    Mike9685 Registered Member

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    snmavronis,
    That's one of my questions - What happens when I put the second 160 gig into the array? (so you have 2 x 160 gig HDs) Can I use Disk Director to get the other 80 gigs back?

    shieber,
    What do you mean by "take down" the array? I've talked to a couple of our IT folks here. Their suggestion is that I image the array (since they're both essentially system disks in a RAID 1) to one of the new HDs (with TI and resizing the partitions) using the external USB to SATA connector. Then put the imaged 160 and the blank 160 into the array. They seem to think that on boot (after checking the bios to make sure that they are recognized) the RAID will rebuild the second 160. Sounds possible. Wish that second drive would hurry up and get here...
     
  7. snmavronis

    snmavronis Registered Member

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    Location:
    Maryland, USA
    Don't think you can get the wasted 80gb back since it is part of a RAID array. I think only is you redo the RAID with both bigger drives and do a full restore after the RAID array is created to recognize the larger size of the drives. Be careful with your old 80bg drive set. You don't want to redo the RAID array and wipe them out accidentally!!! If you want to swap them with both larger drives make sure you've verified your backups are good first, etc!
     
  8. Tsu

    Tsu Registered Member

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  9. shieber

    shieber Registered Member

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    That makes sense, especially if your doing RAID 1.
     
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