Bman

Sorry guys, it's right after Christmas and I have lots of questions.

I have been looking on google for Raid help and solutions but first off I don't know what kind I need or want.

My old drives (2 80GB Seagate drives) I want to have RAID setup so I can use it as a bigger storage device.

When I first got them they were in raid but I removed that awhile back and don't know how to set it up. In my BIOS there is option to turn RAID on, which I did, and selected the 2 drives. On boot up it gives me the option to press F10 but in there it just shows the 149.1 drive, as if it was RAIDed together and no other options. In windows they are still 2 different drives.

I would like to know the best way, fastest, easiest, and best kind of RAID to use and setup.

I know you guys have your opinions, so let me hear them.

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fitz

First, there are different types of RAID you can setup.

If you have only two drives, you only have two options on which raid type to use.. either a mirror (RAID1) or a straight stripe (RAID0). You can search the forum for my opinions on using a straight stripe set..

Creating the stripe set will require the data to be wiped on both drives (I'm assuming you don't have a high-end raid card that will be able to preseve data on one drive). Creating a mirror will wipe data on one of the drives.

A mirror won't give you any additional capacity.. in fact, your 2 80GB drives will become a RAID1 set with only 80GB total..

Why do you want to do this in the first place?

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Bman

I want to do this so I can have 160 (149 or so) GBs instead of 2 different 80GB ones. It would be better to store files on 1 thing then on 2 things.

The data on the drives are already gone and they have be formatted. I do not have a high-end raid card. So how do I go about doing this?

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Heeter

Then I would just plug them in normally, and use Disk Mangler on your console (right click on "myComputer and select Manage) and create a full partition out of those two drives and assign one letter to both, then format.

Then under MyComputer, you will see one drive letter and 160 partition with it.

This partition will not work/will collapse if you move it onto another computer, or reinstall XP as it is a XP software RAID setup, sort of.

Heeter

Bman

For some reason only one of the drives show up in Explorer now.

In device manager it shows both, but only one is showing up.

Also, When I right click on my computer there is no Manage.

The copy of windows was a nlite made slipstream and at the time I might of choice some options, because right click on my computer shows

Device Manager
regedit
Scan with AVG

and so on with normal things.

Is there a way I can restore this to default windows?

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Heeter

hmmm, don't know about restoring the menu back to default. Should be able to select the menu options through the registry somehow.

As for the drive,

Since only one shows up in explorer, what is the size of the one? 80 gigs?

If so go back to the Device Mangler, Delete the partitions that were created, and start over again,

Create an extended primary partition involving both drives, and assign it a letter.



Heeter

Bman

Device Mangler? I can't use Manage if that's how to get to it.

Both drives are 80GB

All this can be done in Device Mangler, well if I can get there I will see.

I got into the Device place, and removed both partitions, but there is no option to make them both into 1 partition? Where do I do that?

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Heeter

Sorry Bman,

I assumed you can get to the Management Console from right clicking. Didn't fully read your last post about nliting your XP install disc.

Anyways, go this route: Start -> Run ->type in without quotes "diskmgmt.msc" to get to the disk managment console


Heeter

Bman

You didn't read my post again, or I was not clear. I found my way there already I just don't know how to make them into RAID from there. I don't see any options for that. I can partition both drives, but not together.

Explain to me in steps please how to do it from there?

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Luna

To RAID the drives you will first need to boot into the RAID setup menu you mentioned earlier (Press F10 on bootup). From here you may have to delete your current RAID setup and create a new one. Since you want both drives combined you can set them to stripe which is Raid 0. This basically combines both drives into one larger drive, with some slight performance gains as well.

Once this is setup, you should be able to boot into Windows and initialize / format the drives through Disk Management. It should show up as a uninitialized disk if you create a new array from scratch. If this is the case you won't see it in My Computer until it's setup through Disk Management.

Doing this will remove any data that's on the drives. Another thing to keep in mind is if one drive fails, the array is gone.

Bman

I did all that, created a new stripe from the F10 menu.

Loaded into windows and it asks me to install drivers for 2 new things, I tried and it can't find anything for it, they now don't show up in explorer again but in Disk Management.

Look at the pic....I don't get it!

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Dark Atheist

its prob asking for the drivers to the raid card, if its an onbaord card stick in the mobo cd and tell it to look there, or go to the manufactors site and get the drvers, is it an nforce board ? aslo in bios did you check to see (if like mine) you have it set to use it as raid and not ide.

Bman

Yea it's an nforce board, I will try the CD.

*UPDATE

I installed the drivers for the Unknown Device from my CD, rebooted, did the F10 menu again and setup a STRIPE.

Booted into windows, went into Disk Management and created the partition, formated,

and now I am good to go.


I will try to remember this for next time, thanks everyone for the help. AWESOME!!!

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Dark Atheist

what the mobo manufactors name and model number, and what version of nforce is it ? and im guessing your on xp

Bman

Read my post above, updated.

Thanks again!

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Dark Atheist

might be updated drivers on the mobo site thats why i asked, but if your happy with the drivers from the cd all is good

Bman

Yea I figured there were new ones, but I just felt like it's working so I'm good.

Thanks.

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Heeter

There, that is how you do it, Bman....

Good thing you posted that pic, didn't realize that the BIOS wasn't setup yet.


LOLOL

Sorry got a little late to the site,


Heeter