How to setup a raid

Each RAID adapter has a firmware configuration program, unique to that make or model, that lets the user select the type of RAID array to install and choose which hard drives to include in the array. Refer to your adapter or motherboard documentation to guide you through the specific installation steps for your adapter. Be quick: You have only a few seconds to press F6 and launch the installation process.

Press S. Once done, you should be able to see the drives attached to the RAID controller. It can be difficult, and sometimes impossible to transfer an existing operating system installation to a RAID array.

It all depends on the hardware and Windows operating system involved. Follow the steps below for the best chance of success. Start over. Create a backup image in a safe, accessible location external hard drive, flash drive, hard drive not to be included in the array, etc. Preferably one with bare metal restore capabilities, i. Reboot and create your array. Preferably, with new disks while keeping your old disk as a backup. Restore the image using the program you created it with.

If you see it, then you will need to press F6 to initiate the installation process. In this case, you will be prompted to insert the floppy disk that came with your adapter, as this disk holds all of the third-party drivers. Include your email address to get a message when this question is answered.

Most motherboards already have a RAID controller, and newer motherboard chipsets offer integrated RAID, eliminating the need for an additional controller. Helpful 0 Not Helpful 0. Save setting and exit. Helpful 0 Not Helpful 1. If your current install of Windows is working fine without problems, you can clone it to your RAID array. Acronis True Image is a good tool used for drive cloning. Submit a Tip All tip submissions are carefully reviewed before being published. By using this service, some information may be shared with YouTube.

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Is this article up to date? Read performance is improved since either disk can be read at the same time, meaning if one disk is busy the other is accessed. Write performance is the same as for single disk storage. RAID-1 provides the best performance and some fault-tolerance in a multi-user system, although for a single user it's unlikely to see as much benefit. Again drives are typically added in multiples of two.

It has no advantage over RAID-3 and has generally been superseded. The embedded error checking ECC information is used to detect errors. Data recovery is accomplished by calculating the exclusive OR XOR of the information recorded on the other drives.

For this reason, RAID-3 is best for single-user systems and uses three or more drives. RAID-4 non-consumer : This type uses large stripes, which means you can read records from any single drive. That means all read and write operations can be overlapped. RAID-5 stores parity information but not redundant data but parity information can be used to reconstruct data if a single drive fails. The most uncomplicated way is to unplug it one by one and try to reboot the computer.

It is still functioning well if the computer continues to boot. Hence, a backup from time to time is significant to prevent a sudden deletion of the relevant files. In case of a drive failure, a BIOS system in Windows usually informs the system if something is falling apart.

Besides that, using the disk utility function on the system proves to be vital to know the status of the drive. It is possible to access the hard drives during reconstructing it, but it is recommended that the process should not be interrupted to avoid any roadblocks in the performance.

To make these strenuous tasks easier for you, it is important to reach out to professional data recovery services for professional help with an extra hand regarding data protection in raid 1. Small businesses usually look for a cost-effective way to not only improve their performance and speed but also data protection. A raid 1 can be the perfect solution to the needs of such enterprises. A minimum of two drives is required for the raid 1 setup, whereas raid 5 requires a minimum of 3 disks.

The number of drives combined can be further added to increase speed and efficiency in business operations. Still making it a cheaper alternative for small businesses as compared to the other options. The Windows operating system will show an alert on the screen in case of a failure but you can continue working with the operating files, making raid 1 an optimized and uncomplicated option. In the background, the operating system will continue to boot from the other working disks and copy the data on them to ensure nothing is lost.

Since all the blocks in raid 1 are mirrored, if one drive gets corrupted, the next thing you know is data on all the drives are corrupted. The mirroring system in a raid 1 cannot be an alternative for a backup. Ultimately, a backup is crucial before setting up new disks in the Windows system.