Moving RAID array from one PC to another

Ken B. · May 9, 2015

Hey guys,

I have a HDD RAID 0 array working fine on one PC right now (using the motherboard RAID... NOT a separate RAID card or Windows software RAID). I'm putting together a new build, but I'd like to move that RAID array over to the new build.

Is that going to be a problem with alignment or anything like that, or just stuff it in there and set it up as usual and my data should pop back up?

ATMINSIDE · May 9, 2015

Back up the data first, it's doubtful it'll work on the new motherboard.

Mpegger · May 9, 2015

Unless you are moving to the same or somewhat newer chipset, I doubt it would work. Even upgrading to a newer chipset could pose problems, like trying to move from a ICH7 to the latest Intel offering could fail completely.

Do as Atminside says, backup, then try.

zPacKRat · May 12, 2015

Intel to intel, or AMD to AMD there is a good chance it will work, but as stated, you should back up your data to a 3rd drive so if you have to you can restore the image by injecting the drivers during the recovery process. I've upgraded this way on a few occasions.

ShrimpBrime · May 13, 2015

W7 and up is hot swapped enabled. I've used 3 platforms with W7. ready?

Am2+/AM3, s1155, back to AM3+. Actually typing on it right now. BUT also and in addition to hot swapping, I knocked the raid 0 SSDs down to a Single WD spinner.

This OS was created in 2011. 3/30/2011 @ 2:02:35 PM - Last boot time was 5/3/2015 @ 1:03:04 AM

You can find out the date your system was installed by opening CMD and typing systeminfo and hit enter.

This will also give some info on processor, Ram and pagefile. Also includes a list of the hotfixes.

Woomack · May 13, 2015

Each AMD generation had different RAID ROMs or RAID controllers. In most cases not compatible.
With Intel it's much easier as probably every ICH8+ RAID can be moved to higher series board and usually back from new to older. In any case best is to make backup as RAID0 can crash even after BIOS update.

Audioaficionado · May 23, 2015

RAID1 shouldn't be a problem should it?

I was planning on just plugging in the two mirrored sets in the same order they were before I moved them over from an ICH8 to an ICH10 SB.

ATMINSIDE · May 23, 2015

RAID 1 isn't a problem because it's just making a mirror.

Audioaficionado · May 23, 2015

I just didn't want two of everything showing up in the new system.

ATMINSIDE · May 23, 2015

Just enable RAID before booting to the drives and make sure they're an array.

Audioaficionado · May 23, 2015

After I get this operation done first.

Here you are (and thanks to the original poster elsewhere):

Re: How to enable AHCI/RAID mode without reinstalling windows (P35/ICH9/ICH9R)

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

After reading through this thread, I began to think that enabling ICH10R RAID on an IDE installed OS would have been a nightmare, considering this would be for Windows 7 Beta. Oh the sheer simplicity, of it.

Here's some specs,

i7 965 EE
Asus Rampage II Extreme - bios 1001 - ICH10R
12Gb Corsair TR3X6G1600C8D @ 1600Mhz
2x EVGA GTX 295
1x WD3000HLFS 300Gb
OS - Windows 7 6.1.7000

This has been running for the most part stable and was setup using IDE enhanced in the BIOS under Sata Configured To

The addition is to be 4x WD1001FALS (4x 1Tb) to be run in RAID 5.

On adding the drives to the system and booting Windows without changing anything they are visible as 4 normal independant drives. Thats a start.

Going back to the BIOS and changing Sata Configured To to RAID, adding the 4 new drives to a RAID 5 array via the ROM option and booting resulted in the system rebooting during OS Startup (safe mode, normal, repair). hmmmm

The SOLUTION.

Changed the BIOS back to IDE Enhanced so Windows could boot.

In the Windows\System32\Drivers folder is a file called iaStorV.sys installed by OS by default.

Into the registry we go.

Navigate to:

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Servic es\iaStorV

Change REG_DWORD "Start" from 3 to 0

Reboot

Go into the BIOS and change Sata Configured To to RAID

Windows should boot as normal, no lockups or BSOD's and you should see it installing Device Drivers followed by Device Installed Successfully.

I tested it prior to installing the Intel Storage Matrix v8.7.0.1007 (current as @ 18/2/09) and it worked fine.

I installed the Intel Storage Matrix software anyway to gain access to the Storage Console component and on reboot it worked just as good.

Long story short, ICH10R with Windows 7 required the modification of a single digit to enable RAID functionality right out of the box. No reg. keys, no copy/pastes, no prayers.

Anyway I think that wraps it up, try at your own risk and always backup first.

Moving RAID array from one PC to another

Ken B.

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ATMINSIDE

Sim Racing Aficionado Co-Owner

Mpegger

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zPacKRat

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ShrimpBrime

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Woomack

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Audioaficionado

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ATMINSIDE

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Audioaficionado

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ATMINSIDE

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Audioaficionado

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