Need help with RAID

[concreteDonkey]

I'm working with my Dad's pc:

Asus A7V8X
1 x SATA hdd in 1+0 Array (please don't ask why)
1 x Old WinXP hdd with 2 partitions on it

and my Samsung 250 GB SATA hdd.

I want to add my hdd to my dad's pc so that I can do some stuff with it in vista. At the moment, there are 2 SATA points on the board and if I connect my drive to the 2nd connector, it is not seen by vista.

*Edit* Got to my next post for clarified situation, cheers. **

I can see it in the RAID setup(you know, DOS-style screen just before windows starts to load). If I add it to it's own 0(striped) array, will it need to be formatted to be visible in windows or will I lose the data on it(very important I keep the data)?

Any other suggestions for getting access to it? The old drive still boots to WinXP so could I remove the vista drive, turn off the arrays all together and plug mine into the 1st SATA slot?

Thanks for any help

 

[Captante]

I'm not sure I understand your question, but I'm guessing that the old drive isn't part of any RAID array and is configured as a single drive... if this is the case, using it to create a striped (RAID 0) array using a single drive may work, but theres no way to garantee the data the drive contains will remain intact because the file system will be modified when the RAID is created.

It would be a better bet to try excluding the old drive from any kind of array & simply install it as a single stand-alone HD because this won't require any changes to the file system which will modify existing data, then copy the files you need to preserve over to dads HD.

 

[concreteDonkey]

The old WinXP is indeed an old P/ide.

So to clarify:

Drive C: is my dad's SATA drive in it's own 1+0 array (boots to vista)
Drives D: & E: are one parallel ide drive (D: boots to winxp)
Drive X: is my SATA drive with just data on, not bootable (it's not been assigned X:, I'm just distancing it)

I can't seem to get X: into windows because (i think) the raid chip is turned on so both SATA connectors are looking for arrays. Is it possible, without data loss on any drives, to:

1) remove C:
2) disable arrays (disable promise chip in bios)
3) install X: as normal drive
4) remove X: after I'm done with it
5) enable arrays
6) reinstall C: to it's 1+0 array
?

Thanks again

 

[concreteDonkey]

Still need help with this ppl. Why do my posts always get such poor viewings?

 

[RebateMonger]

Considering that I can't make head nor tail out of your drive situation (what's a single-drive RAID 1+0 array?), why don't you just network your Dad's PC to your own PC, share some folders on your SATA drive with your Dad, and work off of his Vista PC using your shared SATA drive as the source of the data? THAT's safe.

 

[Captante]

Originally posted by: RebateMonger
Considering that I can't make head nor tail out of your drive situation (what's a single-drive RAID 1+0 array?), why don't you just network your Dad's PC to your own PC, share some folders on your SATA drive with your Dad, and work off of his Vista PC using your shared SATA drive as the source of the data? THAT's safe.

This sounds like the safest bet, because after your second post I'm even more confused ... frankly I think you should backup all important data on your PC & start fresh with it properly configured because right now it sounds like somthing is fundamentaly wrong with your setup.

 

[chusteczka]

The Asus motherboard requires a RAID array for a SATA hard drive, even if there is only one drive in JBOD.
Discussing the partitions on the hard drives only confuses the issue.

Adding your SATA drive to the motherboard will require a RAID array to be setup for it.
Once the RAID array is setup and the system started, the nVidia MediaShield is probably going to want to format the array.
It all depends on the logical software process of the nVidia MediaShield and whether or not this software will accept a RAID array that has already been created. I think the MediaShield will require the new drive to be formatted.

It is safe for you to create the array and attach the drive. It is the MediaShield that will format the drive, or not, based on you starting the process. If MediaShield recognizes the partition on the drive, then you are fine.

If the nVidia MediaShield requires the drive to be formatted in the new RAID array, then the best alternative is to obtain an external drive enclosure and connect your drive to your dad's computer through the USB connection.

 

[concreteDonkey]

Originally posted by: RebateMonger
Considering that I can't make head nor tail out of your drive situation (what's a single-drive RAID 1+0 array?)

It's 1 drive in a 0 (Striped) array. Remember what I said before:

Originally posted by: concreteDonkey
1 x SATA hdd in 1+0 Array (please don't ask why)

and

Originally posted by: RebateMonger
why don't you just network your Dad's PC to your own PC, share some folders on your SATA drive with your Dad, and work off of his Vista PC using your shared SATA drive as the source of the data?

Isn't it obvious? Have a little think. Why do you think my hard drive isn't in my pc to begin with? Geez! By not explaining the situation with my pc, I am actually simplifying the problem.

Originally posted by: Captante... frankly I think you should backup all important data on your PC...

and how can I do that when my hdd is on my desk, I can't connect it successfully to the only pc I've got and the only help I'm getting is people suggesting I magically backup my hdd and start again?

I'm really trying very hard not to get angry, but thost two posts were SO frustrating. I don't mean any harm, just poking a bit of fun at you two helps me calm down.


Thanks for all replies, especially chusteczka. I will try all the suggestions (yes even the fantastical ones )

 

[chusteczka]

Originally posted by: chusteczka
The Asus motherboard requires a RAID array for a SATA hard drive, even if there is only one drive in JBOD.
Discussing the partitions on the hard drives only confuses the issue.

Adding your SATA drive to the motherboard will require a RAID array to be setup for it.
Once the RAID array is setup and the system started, the nVidia MediaShield is probably going to want to format the array.
It all depends on the logical software process of the nVidia MediaShield and whether or not this software will accept a RAID array that has already been created. I think the MediaShield will require the new drive to be formatted.

It is safe for you to create the array and attach the drive. It is the MediaShield that will format the drive, or not, based on you starting the process. If MediaShield recognizes the partition on the drive, then you are fine.

If the nVidia MediaShield requires the drive to be formatted in the new RAID array, then the best alternative is to obtain an external drive enclosure and connect your drive to your dad's computer through the USB connection.

I posted this late last night and was tired so I did not check the details. Your motherboard has a VIA chipset, not nVidia, and I do not know how a VIA chipset handles SATA hard drives and RAID arrays. The VIA chipset may handle RAID arrays similar to the way the nVidia nForce4 chipset handles RAID arrays. Everything I have said and will say is based on this assumption of similarity.

It is safe to physically connect the drive to the motherboard and turn on the system. A RAID array is required for the motherboard to recognize a SATA drive. The single drive should be put into a JBOD array. The array setup does not physically affect the drive at all.

The drive will be physically affected by the software program on the operating system that controls the RAID array. For nVidia, this is MediaShield. It is this software program that will setup the RAID array on the new drive by creating a partition and formatting the drive.

Hopefully, in your case, the software program will recognize the partition on the drive. This is logical and hopefully probable for a JBOD RAID setup. The software program should not just start formatting on its own because it will need the user's input to create partition(s) before the partition(s) are formatted.

 

[RebateMonger]

Originally posted by: concreteDonkey
Isn't it obvious?........ I'm really trying very hard not to get angry, but thost two posts were SO frustrating.

Good luck with the ESP stuff.

 

[concreteDonkey]

Yeah, nice one mate :disgust: