GA-EP45-UD3P - How to Re-enble RAID ?

[blcats]

Hello all,
I have a question about Re-enabling RAID on my board ... appreciate any assistance.

Here's some background:

I built my system in Dec 2008 with Two 500GB Maxtor Drives setup in RAID 1 (Mirroring mode).

In Jan 2011, I had issues with Windows 7 slow boot-up - hence, I upgraded the BIOS to the latest version (do not recall exact version, but that is not important as far as I understand). The slow boot-up was fixed, but I did not realize that the new BIOS did not have RAID enabled by default. Hence, ast this time, my RAID setup was gone. I realized this after 15 months when my PC crashed due to some disk issue.

I now have my Two 500GB Disks with completely different data on them and have lost my mirrored set. One of the 2 drives is current (and good), the other one has a snapshot as of 15 months back. I have my boot partition (64GB) and 2 data partitions (200GB each) on the disks.

I now want to re-enable RAID (to get back the availability I want).

My question is - what is the safest way of doing so? The Manual speaks of a setup wherein you have 2 virgin disks. It does not address the case of either:
1. Setting up RAID when there is data on 1 disk OR
2. Replacing a bad disk in a RAID

Let me know if I am not clear - look forward to your expert advice.

Thanks in advance

[profJim]

Do a web search using: rebuild mirror raid
This should provide the basics and will help you when others post their suggestions.

[Conners]

Basically you set to raid in bios reboot should see a line of text on boot up about entering raid setup. my Dell used Ctrl I i think. Then select raid 1 for mirror methinks. Pretty self explanatory in there. However I think you'll lose all your data and have to reinstall windows/// Well I know you do on raid 0 but not really sure on raid 1.

Another option would be using the Intel Rapid Storage Technolgy program. I've never done it but I think its possible to create a raid array in windows using it.

[blcats]

Thanks Connors.

You are right - if I lost 1 Disk in a RAID 0 (Stripe) set, the surviving disk would have been unusable (without complete re-install).

However, since I had RAID 1 (Mirror), I effectively lost 1 Disk (fell out of RAID as I didn't have RAID anymore) but could continue on the surviving disk without any issue.

I'm looking for a way to "rebuild the mirror" as profJim said such that I do not need to do any re-install.

I haven't googled the "rebuild mirrid raid" yet - will do so later today when I get back from Office.

[Acebmxer]

Have you looked the IRST app? This would have been installed when you installed the Intel Raid drivers after you installed windows. If you cant find out how to rebuild the array, you can always just create a new on. Just delete the data off the one drive and start over. As you can create a raid 1 array at any time. Also next time to remember to enable raid or any other options as when flashing the bios all settings get set back to default.

[Chike]

There are two quesyions, is it possible to add the current drive to a raid 1 without destroying the data, and the second if that is not possible is it possible to build a raid 1 configuration with one disk only.
If the answer is yes to either of them it shouldn't be too difficult to do.

[2therock]

There are two quesyions, is it possible to add the current drive to a raid 1 without destroying the data, and the second if that is not possible is it possible to build a raid 1 configuration with one disk only.
If the answer is yes to either of them it shouldn't be too difficult to do.

I'm afraid your gonna need a 3rd HDD to restore your original data in a RAID. Copy the non RAID data to a different HDD and then slap your original HDDs in and build a new Array. Then copy the copy off the 3rd drive.

[blcats]

Sorry for the lack of updates. I spent the entire weekend trying to fight the issue (and I ended up very frustrated). The bottom-line is that there is no way to re-enable RAID without re-initializing both disks.

This is very problematic. The BIOS upgrade *must* maintain the RAID setting. Else, the moment I upgrade my BIOS I have to start all over again with the RAID setting - which is exactly opposite of what one sets-up RAID 1 for. At the very least, the BIOS Upgrade utility must warn the user of the consequences.

In my case, I had:
2x 500GB setup as RAID 1 (mirror)
2x 2TB setup as RAID 1 (mirror)

The only solution would be to backup data from both RAID sets, re-initialize the RAID sets, re-install my OS and apps (either fresh or from some backup like Acronis or Ghost) and then copy data back to the RAID sets. This process itself is highly error prone and compromises availability.

This is unbelievable :(

[blcats]

Have you looked the IRST app? This would have been installed when you installed the Intel Raid drivers after you installed windows. If you cant find out how to rebuild the array, you can always just create a new on. Just delete the data off the one drive and start over. As you can create a raid 1 array at any time. Also next time to remember to enable raid or any other options as when flashing the bios all settings get set back to default.

Yes - I installed the latest Intel Storage Drivers and also got the Intel RST (IRST) service and the App (IAStorUI.exe)
It does help with RAID setup (can do it via the App instead of from the Intel BIOS).
However, I had two issues:
1. For my OS Disks (2x 500GB), it simply did not allow me the option to mirror 1 disk to the other. If I chose one of the two, it immediately greyed out the other. I even tried putting them on a few different ports but same issue always.
2. I also tried this for the Data Disks (2x 2TB) - in this case, I could choose both the disks for the RAID 1 set. However, the GUI did not allow me to keep data one 1 disk because of some issue with supporting this operation on disks of 2 TB or more.

[2therock]

I feel your pain but I know if I flash a BIOS or do an "Optimize Defaults" or reset CMOS from experience of the worst kind, I know it defaults it back to AHCI. I must remember to immediately go back into the BIOS and change it back from AHCI to RAID and its like it never happened. I do not lose my RAID array. This has been the case in all three of my Gigabyte boards, a GA-EP35-DS3R, GA-EP45-UD3P and the current UD5H WB.

I admit I have forgotten to do that and barked off some mega 4-letter words but............

You get a choice after flashing a BIOS to restart or reenter BIOS. Just go back into BIOS and change it back. And then its safe to boot to windows. You will have your RAID all safe and sound.