Gigabyte: How to Raid 1 from an existing single disk setup

[g0dM@n]

I have this model Gigabyte AM2+ board:
GA-MA78GM-S2
-Manufacturer's Link rev1.0
--Manufacturer's Link rev1.1
-NewEgg Link

I have no idea how to check if I'm rev 1.0 or 1.1. I just couldn't find it on the board itself... if anyone knows how to find out please let me know. *Edit* comparing the pictures from both manufacturer's links I guess the only change is the NB chipset. I guess I'm rev1.0 then

Anyway, I have WinXP Pro SP3 installed on a single Seagate 1.5TB drive. I popped in a second Seagate 1.5TB b/c I want to Raid 1 this set up.

1. Unfortunately I had AHCI enabled in BIOS and when I change it to RAID, the OS will crash on load up. I'm guessing I have to change to RAID and do a full re-install? Please someone tell me...

2. Whether or not I do a re-install, is there a way to go from a single disk to a Raid 1 setup via software in Windows? I don't know where to get that software if there is one. I know with my Intel ICH*R setups I've been able to do this MANY times, even really old intel chipsets such as the ICH5!! I install the software and it can raid 1 from within windows.

Thanks in advance.

P.S. Right now I'm trying to image the entire hard disk over my network and wondering if I can just change BIOS to RAID and restore the image...

 

[g0dM@n]

anyone?

 

[g0dM@n]

HELP BUMP!!

Do I really need to reformat, or is there a way around this? I once was on my father's P4 2.8E socket 478 system and I installed the Intel Matrix Storage Manager, and was able to set up a Raid 1 from within windows!! Just popped in the same exact HDD, turned on the PC and used the software. That was on an ICH5 (old school).

I can't do it on this AM2 board? I know it supports Raid 1 for sure, but is there ANY WAY to do it from within windows?

 

[deadlysyn]

Have you tried installing the driver into Windows, along with the Intel Matrix Storage Manager and then switching from IDE to RAID in BIOS? I think that is how I have had to do it in the past with my old Abit AS8.

 

[chop_wood]

The easiest way I've found to get the RAID drivers loaded is:
1) Enable RAID in main BIOS for the controller where the blank new drive is connected, leaving your boot drive as a simple non-RAID drive.
2) Go into NVRaid BIOS (also called MediaShield in some very new BIOSs) and add the new blank drive to a RAID-0 striping array. In main BIOS make sure that this is not assigned as the priority boot drive.
3) Boot into Windows and run the nForce driver pack install, which should install the RAID drivers.
4) Reboot into Windows to get the drivers properly installed - check that the dummy RAID-0 drive is available.
5) Reboot and in NVRaid BIOS delete that dummy striping array, exit NVRaid utility and in main BIOS assign the controller for the boot drive to RAID.
6) Go into NVRaid BIOS and assign the boot drive to a single drive striping array, leaving the new blank drive as a RAID drive but unassigned to an array.
7) On the reboot, go into main BIOS and make the RAID drive the priority boot drive.
8) Boot into Windows and use MediaShield to Migrate/Convert the RAID-0 boot drive to a RAID-1 mirror, which will pick up the spare drive and create the mirror.

this is from http://forums.nvidia.com/lofiversion/index.php?t52856.html

 

[g0dM@n]

The easiest way I've found to get the RAID drivers loaded is:
1) Enable RAID in main BIOS for the controller where the blank new drive is connected, leaving your boot drive as a simple non-RAID drive.
2) Go into NVRaid BIOS (also called MediaShield in some very new BIOSs) and add the new blank drive to a RAID-0 striping array. In main BIOS make sure that this is not assigned as the priority boot drive.
3) Boot into Windows and run the nForce driver pack install, which should install the RAID drivers.
4) Reboot into Windows to get the drivers properly installed - check that the dummy RAID-0 drive is available.
5) Reboot and in NVRaid BIOS delete that dummy striping array, exit NVRaid utility and in main BIOS assign the controller for the boot drive to RAID.
6) Go into NVRaid BIOS and assign the boot drive to a single drive striping array, leaving the new blank drive as a RAID drive but unassigned to an array.
7) On the reboot, go into main BIOS and make the RAID drive the priority boot drive.
8) Boot into Windows and use MediaShield to Migrate/Convert the RAID-0 boot drive to a RAID-1 mirror, which will pick up the spare drive and create the mirror.

this is from http://forums.nvidia.com/lofiversion/index.php?t52856.html

Marking the primary drive as raid is what scares me... don't want to "destroy data".

So when you say mark the spare as Raid 0... you can do that even if there's no other drive to add as Raid 0? I didn't know that.

As for nvraid... why couldn't I find that!!! I didn't know what raid utility to use!!

Maybe I'll use this method...

 

[QuietIce]

Post back on how that works out, please. I've got some upcoming RAID issues myself and every little bit of migration info helps ...

 

[g0dM@n]

Dudes... Maybe I stupidly overlooked this... I'm on the 780G chipset, not nvidia...

 

[g0dM@n]

SOMEONE BAIL ME OUT OR I'M JUST GOING FOR THE DAMN FORMAT (which I don't want to)

 

[chuck4456]

You're going to have to set up an entyre new array if you want it to work.
Back up those files and have at it.

 

[g0dM@n]

You're going to have to set up an entyre new array if you want it to work.
Back up those files and have at it.

 

[QuietIce]

Was it possible to set up a single HDD RAID0 ...?

 

[g0dM@n]

Was it possible to set up a single HDD RAID0 ...?

No, not on a 780G. It told it it needed a 2nd HDD.

 

[g0dM@n]

Btw, The ATI Array Management is pretty cool. You have to download it from ati.com (it's in optional downloads for the ATI 3200 drivers).

It's a web browser login and was easy enough to know admin/admin was the login. Anyway, I want to set up email notification, but I'm not sure if I've done it right.

I set it so I'm notified of everything as I don't see a "test email" option... figured it'll greater the chances of me potentially receiving email alerts.

Does anyone have any experience with this?

 

[g0dM@n]

Btw, The ATI Array Management is pretty cool. You have to download it from ati.com (it's in optional downloads for the ATI 3200 drivers).

It's a web browser login and was easy enough to know admin/admin was the login. Anyway, I want to set up email notification, but I'm not sure if I've done it right.

I set it so I'm notified of everything as I don't see a "test email" option... figured it'll greater the chances of me potentially receiving email alerts.

Does anyone have any experience with this?

Anybody??

I'm trying to figure out how to have email alerts set up, but I'm not sure if this is meant for Exchange or something. It says "email sender" but doesn't ask what email it's sent to. =/ Please see attached.

 

[QuietIce]

I would think the program would use your system e-mail program and main account so I'm not sure why it would ask for that information. Maybe that's actually the recipient's information to be listed there ...??

 

[g0dM@n]

I would think the program would use your system e-mail program and main account so I'm not sure why it would ask for that information. Maybe that's actually the recipient's information to be listed there ...??

Does that mean I should set up my outlook so that there's a default email?