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Need to format...possible save of data ?

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envy

Member
Joined
Jun 3, 2004
Location
Belgium
Ok so I have two computers...my old(ish) one and the new one i recently built (see sig). Both are having problems and I just bought a router and wireless PC card to set up a wireless network for these two rigs and a laptop.

I just need a new modem and then i can set it all up. The old computer has a 20GB hard drive, so thats not too much of a hassle to back up, the new computer has 72GB of 'fast storage' from my two WD360s in raid0 that i have windows and all my programs etc. on, and then a separate 120GB Maxtor that i keep movies, music, pictures, documents etc.

Both desktops are on the same desk, so right next to each other, and are connected via ethernet cable, i was wondering if i could just put all of the data from the old computer, and the data from the raid0 in the new computer onto this 120GB Maxtor drive, then format both computers (somehow leaving the 120GB drive alone) and installing windows back onto my raid0 setup on this computer, then just redistribute all the data from the 120GB drive again over the wireless network.

Could i save alot of work like that or if i formatted and re-installed windows on my raid0 would the data on the 120GB be lost?

I've never had a raid setup before, or more than one harddrive in a computer before so i have no clue..thanks in advance :thup:
 
As far as I know, formatting, drag/drop etc. with a 0 is no different than anything else. You say you have a 120gb and the 36s in the same computer? Just drag and drop everything from the two Raptors(C,D?) and put them on to the 120gb(E?)

Then install the 20gb in to the new computer, and drag and drop everything from the 20 to the 120gb.

When you format a hard drive you're not formatting the entire computer, so there's no real worry that you'll end up formatting ALL of the hard drives, but if you would like to take a precautionary, just remove the 120gb from the comptuer after backing everything up.

I wouldn't bother with the network AT ALL unless you absolutely NEED to.
I think Wireless-G is what, 22MbPS? Ethernet cables can hit what, 1Gb? Heh, transferring from one hard drive to the next via motherboard will save you a few hours, and some headaches. Do that. :)
 
I need the network stuff for the laptop, its all the fastest stuff out there, 108mbps. My rig (the one in my sig) is the only one i really care about, i need fast net on that, and that will be directly connected to the router with a cable, the other pc is just for my mum to check her mail or friends and they wont mind, the laptop is to keep me company in the bathroom :clap: as long as i can get on the forums with it im happy.

Anyway back to the subject,
raptors in raid0 are C:
120GB Maxtor is F:

I dont plan on moving the 20GB harddrive from the old computer, just the info from it onto my F: on the new rig so i dont need to go burning to DVDs or whatever. If i can safely format my C: on the old computer, and the C: on the new computer, get windows on both and have all the data that was on those on the F: while i do that then im a happy laddy. Yay or nay?
 
Yay.

As long as you make sure of the drive you're formatting (load the RAID drivers and check the capacity before you format!), you'll be fine.
 
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