smpross
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Installing RAID on a Preconfigured Operating System
Hi All,
I have a windows 2003 server with a 36 GB hard drive. The 36 GB hard drive is currently on the motherboard SCSI controller. I want to install 3 more 36 Gb hard drives and move to a RAID 5 configuration using Hardware RAID. My goal is to do this without having to reinstall / restore the operating system. I have attempted this with an LSI MegaRAID controller, but they are now saying that they do not support moving a preconfigured OS to the RAID Controller. So my question is does anyone know of a SCSI RAID controller that will allow me to move my Windows 2003 operating system onto the the RAID controller and then create the RAID-5 array with the two new disks.
I have been working on this problem with leew and The cleaner and they have been a great help. Their comments and help are again welcome.
Scott
I have a windows 2003 server with a 36 GB hard drive. The 36 GB hard drive is currently on the motherboard SCSI controller. I want to install 3 more 36 Gb hard drives and move to a RAID 5 configuration using Hardware RAID. My goal is to do this without having to reinstall / restore the operating system. I have attempted this with an LSI MegaRAID controller, but they are now saying that they do not support moving a preconfigured OS to the RAID Controller. So my question is does anyone know of a SCSI RAID controller that will allow me to move my Windows 2003 operating system onto the the RAID controller and then create the RAID-5 array with the two new disks.
I have been working on this problem with leew and The cleaner and they have been a great help. Their comments and help are again welcome.
Scott
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Yes the reason that it did not boot is the old os install was set to boot to your motherboard SCSI controller. An upgrade install with the added driver will preserve your OS and settings and add the driver to allow the system to boot. Sounds to me like you want to make the array RAID 5 so you have some data protection. I just noticed you said something else too [quote]RAID-5 array with the two new disks.[/quote] You need 3 disks for a RAID5 configuration for optimal data protection.
Regards,
-D-
Regards,
-D-
ASKER
I meant the two new disks along with the current disk for a total of three disks. Thanks for the info. I am still wondering if there is another way of doing this. Anyone know of a RAID Controller that supports this? One more question D, how can I get a server 2003 CD with the most recent service pack so that the repair does not screw things up?
Thanks.
Scott
Thanks.
Scott
http://www.petri.co.il/windows_2003_sp1_slipstreaming.htm
This will show you how to make one 8)
I do not know of another way to get it to work successfully. And like I said I have been through this myself a few times. If you were going from raid to raid with similar controllers the upgrade install with the F6 would still be needed.
-D-
This will show you how to make one 8)
I do not know of another way to get it to work successfully. And like I said I have been through this myself a few times. If you were going from raid to raid with similar controllers the upgrade install with the F6 would still be needed.
-D-
[quote]I meant the two new disks along with the current disk for a total of three disks. [/quote] you are going to have to ghost this drive to another drive entirely to be able to use the current drive in the array. Do you have Norton Ghost or equ?
ASKER
Why would I need to Ghost the drive? I have successfully been able to add the drive to the Array without disturbing the contents using the RAID adapter bios. If I know that the drive can be read by the card (because the Windows 2003 server screen is displayed for a while before the crash occurs, I am nost sure why I would need to ghost the drive?
Scott
Scott
In RAID 0 I can see that working.. When you change the array to RAID5 it will stripe across all three disks. Some controllers support this without dataloss, some don't. I did not see that capability with your controller. Just make sure it is possible and that you have a backup before performing the operation.
-D-
-D-
ASKER
Thanks.
Anyone else want to chime in regarding ideas on how to do this?
Scott
Anyone else want to chime in regarding ideas on how to do this?
Scott
ASKER
One other question D....
When I do the upgrade on the disk, I am guessing that I should have the disk with the OS installed on the RAID controller and not the motherboard SCSI?
SCott
When I do the upgrade on the disk, I am guessing that I should have the disk with the OS installed on the RAID controller and not the motherboard SCSI?
SCott
That is correct. You want to do the upgrade on the RAID disk where the OS will be housed.
Good Luck to you!
-D-
Good Luck to you!
-D-
ASKER
Thanks.
Scott
Scott
ASKER
D,
Another question...
When I boot up to install windows and I install the RAID Driver, I believe that I will have a choice to reinstall or repair the current Windows Operating System. Do I was to reinstall or Repair (I can't remember exactly what it is going to say.
Scott
Another question...
When I boot up to install windows and I install the RAID Driver, I believe that I will have a choice to reinstall or repair the current Windows Operating System. Do I was to reinstall or Repair (I can't remember exactly what it is going to say.
Scott
You want to skip the recovery console and when it finds your current OS it will ask you if you want to upgrade.
ASKER
Ok, just select upgrade even though I am not upgrading. Scott
ASKER
D,
What is your experience with the reinstallation process succeeding without destroying the current contents and configuration of the server. Last night, I demoted this server to a member server so at least it is not a domain controller.
Scott
What is your experience with the reinstallation process succeeding without destroying the current contents and configuration of the server. Last night, I demoted this server to a member server so at least it is not a domain controller.
Scott
My experience was success doing it exactly as I have posted. Demoting to a member server was not a bad idea. You can always roll it back up to a DC after the process. Just to go through the steps again:
1) Make a backup.
2) The current drive should be ghosted to a different drive. (This step could be considered your backup too ;-)
3) Set up your RAID5 array on the target machine.
4) Ghost image back onto new RAID5 array.
5) Perform upgrade install of Server 2003 (Slipstreamed with the service pack).
If you can't get the slipstream to work then you can do an upgrade of 2003 you will just have to reinstall the service pack immediately.
All will be well.
-D-
1) Make a backup.
2) The current drive should be ghosted to a different drive. (This step could be considered your backup too ;-)
3) Set up your RAID5 array on the target machine.
4) Ghost image back onto new RAID5 array.
5) Perform upgrade install of Server 2003 (Slipstreamed with the service pack).
If you can't get the slipstream to work then you can do an upgrade of 2003 you will just have to reinstall the service pack immediately.
All will be well.
-D-
ASKER
Thanks D. If all goes well. I should be performing this tomorrow afternoon.
Scott
Scott
ASKER
D,
Just an update... I need to push back the reinstallation. My tape drive failed last night and I am not going to try this without a good onsite backup. I am crazy... not stupid.
Scott
Just an update... I need to push back the reinstallation. My tape drive failed last night and I am not going to try this without a good onsite backup. I am crazy... not stupid.
Scott
Understood. You need a backup most definately!! Let me know how it goes!
ASKER
Hey D,
Well, The reinstall did not work. Windows 2003 would not let me do a reinstall on that partition. I have a feeling that it may be due to the fact that it was a dynamic disk. In fact, when I deleted the C partition in Windows Setup to install the new operating system (It said I must delete the partition in order to install the OS), it also deleted the D partition that was on the same physical disk! Thanks for all the help anyway. There is some really good info in this thread that may help others so you deserve some points!
Well, The reinstall did not work. Windows 2003 would not let me do a reinstall on that partition. I have a feeling that it may be due to the fact that it was a dynamic disk. In fact, when I deleted the C partition in Windows Setup to install the new operating system (It said I must delete the partition in order to install the OS), it also deleted the D partition that was on the same physical disk! Thanks for all the help anyway. There is some really good info in this thread that may help others so you deserve some points!
Thanks, Sorry that did not work out. But the above mentioned steps usually work in most situations.
ASKER
On the first card that I tried (LSI Logic MegaRAID Card), I was able to take my drive and make it into a RAID 0 array with the RAID BIOS during the bootup. When the system begain to boot, it would show me the Windows 2003 server screen and about 10 seconds later, it would display the BSOD. The error was an 0x000007B which is an inaccessible boot device. If I did an "upgrade", do you think it would boot normally if I installed the driver using F6?
Also is there any RAID Cards that claim to have a utility to do this?
Thanks.
Scott