Software RAID

[Guest UselessUser]

Hi all,

 

I was just wondering about software RAID, and how the server boots after a

failed disk. I have read various horror stories about RAID 1 requiring a boot

disk if the primary disk fails.. and that people get around that by putting

an mbr on the second disk, and editing boot.ini to reference both disks...

 

I have also heard rumours that if the primary disk fails, and the user

breaks the mirror, then attempts to boot the second disk fail because it is

listed in the registry as a drive letter other than C: which causes

problems...

 

Can anyone confirm/deny any of this and explain how it works?!

[Guest Irresistance]

Re: Software RAID

 

If you are talking about windows-software raid (the raid you configure in

Disk Manager) you can not boot from that disk, as you first need to install

the OS and such a configuration can not be created during setup, only once

Windows is installed.

 

If you mean "software" raid as in - cardless/onboard "cheap" raid, there

should be no problem at all booting if one disk fails, as Windows does not

actually know it is RAID, to Windows the drive appears like any other, only

your Bios/el-cheapo adapter is aware that it is raid, and it will report the

faulty disk to you on boot, and (status critical) and work as normal.

 

hth

 

"UselessUser" <UselessUser@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message

news:C63816A1-CADA-4066-9999-1F560776D5BF@microsoft.com...

> Hi all,

>

> I was just wondering about software RAID, and how the server boots after a

> failed disk. I have read various horror stories about RAID 1 requiring a

> boot

> disk if the primary disk fails.. and that people get around that by

> putting

> an mbr on the second disk, and editing boot.ini to reference both disks...

>

> I have also heard rumours that if the primary disk fails, and the user

> breaks the mirror, then attempts to boot the second disk fail because it

> is

> listed in the registry as a drive letter other than C: which causes

> problems...

>

> Can anyone confirm/deny any of this and explain how it works?!

[Guest Hank Arnold (MVP)]

Re: Software RAID

 

UselessUser wrote:

> Hi all,

>

> I was just wondering about software RAID, and how the server boots after a

> failed disk. I have read various horror stories about RAID 1 requiring a boot

> disk if the primary disk fails.. and that people get around that by putting

> an mbr on the second disk, and editing boot.ini to reference both disks...

>

> I have also heard rumours that if the primary disk fails, and the user

> breaks the mirror, then attempts to boot the second disk fail because it is

> listed in the registry as a drive letter other than C: which causes

> problems...

>

> Can anyone confirm/deny any of this and explain how it works?!

 

You should avoid software RAID at all costs.

 

--

 

Regards,

Hank Arnold

Microsoft MVP

Windows Server - Directory Services