How to set up RAID 1 on Dell PERC S300 With Existing OS Install

dell-percraidwindows-server-2008

We have a server that is being used in production, but it was not originally meant to. The main thing I want to add to it is a Dell PERC S300 RAID Card to have the main hard drive (Windows Server 2008 R2) mirrored on another hard drive. I can not initialize the disk and wipe the the OS to create the array and then re-install. Is there a way to create the array with a current hard drive, without affecting it, and just mirroring the drive? If that card is not an option, is there a card that would allow that? The server is a Dell PowerEdge T110 II.

Best Answer

If you are looking to create a RAID 1 from an existing disc. The following procedure has worked for me.

  1. Use Acronis to clone the drive to another drive.
  2. Use Acronis to backup the drive as a recoverable image and store it on an external drive.
  3. Install the RAID card of choice.
  4. Install new drives or reuse the original with another drive.
  5. Create a RAID 1 on the drives.
  6. Use Acronis to restore the image we made in Step 2.
  7. Boot system on new RAID 1.

Steps 1 is critical if you choose to reuse the original drive in the array. IF anything goes wrong you will still have a copy of the OS you can simply put back in the system and continue as if nothing happened.

Related Topic