Transfer RAID bootable mirrored array to new MoBo?

  • Thread starter Thread starter bikerdup
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bikerdup

RAID exterts - I need your help!

I have an existing SATA RAID bootable mirrored array (2 drives). The PC is
built on an ASUS A8N-SLI MoBo that uses the NVIDIA nForce 4 chipset. The OS
is XP Home Edition.

The MpBp failed and I decided to modrnize the system by using an ASUS MSA-VM
MoBo. This MoBo uses the ATI SB600 chipset and a completely different set of
RAID drivers (ATI's "WebPAM"). The system will not boot off the RAID drives
as they are now set up. I do not want to lose the applications and files on
the drives, and I am fearful of installing WebPAM drivers lest they wipe the
drives clear in the process of building array for the new MoBo.

Can anyone guide me on a process to reestablish the drives on the new system
without losing everything on them?

Thanks!
 
Well firstly the sys wont boot without a repair installation, as the
hardware has changed & new drivers are required.
I would try with only a single drive, forget the mirror, in nearly every
case a raid configured drive set requires the same raid controler drivers
You can but try a repair installation, you will probably need to F6 to
install raid drivers from floppy, but read your mobo manual as raid / sata
setup differs and may also involve bios settings
You can but try, maybe you will be in luck
If it works & you are satisfied that everything is intact, then connect your
other drive & build the array
PS a mirror setup is no replacement for data backups
 
Thanks, DL! I'll give it a whirl

DL said:
Well firstly the sys wont boot without a repair installation, as the
hardware has changed & new drivers are required.
I would try with only a single drive, forget the mirror, in nearly every
case a raid configured drive set requires the same raid controler drivers
You can but try a repair installation, you will probably need to F6 to
install raid drivers from floppy, but read your mobo manual as raid / sata
setup differs and may also involve bios settings
You can but try, maybe you will be in luck
If it works & you are satisfied that everything is intact, then connect your
other drive & build the array
PS a mirror setup is no replacement for data backups
Click to expand...
 
Another suggestion I could make is to fire-up one of the drives with a
BartPE, WinPE or Linux bootable CD, e.g. Knoppix.

This may allow you to recover the data with less risk of over-writing it.
The Knoppix CD and NTFS-3G driver route I have found useful with damaged NTFS
disks; sometimes this can read all or part of the data even when Windows
cannot.
 
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