Korean Job Discussion Forums

Cigar_Guy · Joined: 05 Dec 2005

I feel that I already know the (unfortunate) answer to this question, but I thought I'd ask it here anyway. I've got a single HD on my desktop now and want to upgrade to a RAID 0 setup. I've looked around online a bit and can't quite seem to find the answer to this question: Can I upgrade my desktop to a RAID configuration, or must I only have one from scratch?

I'm thinking the answer is "back everything up onto boot discs and then start from scratch," but am hoping someone has some more specifics as well.

Giant · Joined: 14 May 2003 Location: South Korea

I would say do it from scratch. You can try using a partition app maybe, never tried that though. Also, sometimes you need to install drivers for RAID, so thats also complicates matters.

But why do you want to go RAID 0 if I may ask?

phatrick · Joined: 18 Apr 2006 Location: Busan

Raid 0 will speed up your computer! You do have two of the exact same hard drives right?

I don't think there is a way to transfer over to Raid from a single drive and if you could I wouldn't waste my time because chances are it might not work. Just back up your data and do a clean install.

Giant · Joined: 14 May 2003 Location: South Korea

It may depend on if you are doing a hardware or a software raid, but these days it does not usually matter for a RAID 0. At home I run a Windows 2003 server with 3 different size drives running RAID 0, works well. At work I have 4x250GB drives so I have 1TB!!

Its when you do a RAID 1 that size becomes somewhat important. In RAID 1 if the size of the drives are different, then it will just make a volume that is in line with the smaller size.

Hope this helps.

Giant

phatrick · Joined: 18 Apr 2006 Location: Busan

Yes you are right, doh, but you will lose disk space.
120gb & 100gb = 200gb

Bulsajo · Joined: 16 Jan 2003

Isn't there much more of an inherent danger of data loss in RAID 0?
If you lose 1 disk, you're f__ked, right?
But with three disks you can set up a raid 0+1?
(or maybe it's called raid 3 but it's the same as array config 0 plus config 1).
Asking, not telling here- my memory of raid is fuzzy.

Right now I'm trying to beat my promise fast trak controller into submission- I can set up raid 0 and I can set up raid 1, but I can't seem to get 2 SATA disk to function independently, the way they would if they were eide. Basically, I've bought a second sata drive but just want the extra storage, I don't want to set up a raid array.
Is anyone familiar with the promise fast trak utility that could give me some pointers?
My 1st SATA (boot) drive is already there and functional (obviously) and listed as its own array.
So I go into the utility pre-win and add my second drive as a second functional array on its own; this seems to be fine, the utility can see both drives and I'm telling it they are independent, no array between them, but when win loads the new drive doesn't appear in disk manager and in device manager it appears with a warning "!" and says that it can't load the driver...

Confused

Giant · Joined: 14 May 2003 Location: South Korea

If you want to do RAID properly, get a PCI raid controller. I did. I bought an Adaptec SATA RAID controller and it works much better than the onboard controllers. It has a BIOS that you boot into and setup what drive is in what array. Very useful!!

And yes, there is more inherant danger running RAID 0, but its not 100% fatal, it just means you need more savvy to recover stuff.

The 'best' is of course RAID 5.

Bulsajo · Joined: 16 Jan 2003

Interesting idea, I will look into buying a controller rather than using the onboard. how much did you pay for it?

Raid5, does anyone use raid 5 on their home pc and not running a some sort of business server at home?
That's for the ubergeeks and the ultra paranoid if you ask me.

Giant · Joined: 14 May 2003 Location: South Korea

I paid about W150,000 for mine, it has 4 connectors for 4 SATA drives, you can of course get one with 8 connectors for 8 drives.

Yes, RAID 5 is for the ultra paranoind or for a business that cant afford downtime.

Bulsajo · Joined: 16 Jan 2003

I tried it again today, and did everything the same as yesterday (as far as I'm aware) and now it works.

2 SATAs with onboard controller, 1 promise EIDE controller, and 2 standard EIDEs, that's plenty for me!

Thanks anyway for the suggestions Giant.
I hope Cigar guy gets his RAID sorted out.