Raid 5 after re-installing Windows 2000 Server 1

[mvelasco2]

I have a windows 2000 server SP2 with a software raid 5 configured for the data drive. The system partition is not in a raid. I need to re-install Windows 2000 but I'm afraid to lose the raid set I configured. How do I go about re-installing Windows 2000 without losing data on my stripe set?? Assume I'm going to reformat the system partition.

Thanks,
Marlon

 

[FilthPig]

I've never worked with software RAID5, but I'd just plan on getting a good backup, re-installing windows, and if the raid volume isn't there anymore (I would not be surprised if the RAID information is in the system volume information on the disks and would remain intact, but perhaps somebody else can confirm or deny that.), run a restore. Marc Creviere

 

[Ashaman074]

While I cannot say for certain there is no way; I would agree with the above advise. Software RAID makes me nervous enough as it is without going through something as drastic as an OS re-install.

If the data is important, I would back it all up and re-create the array once the OS was up and running again. Better safe than sorry.

Asha'man

 

[ShackDaddy]

I think that if the RAID5 volume is on a set of disks considered a dynamic disk, the information you need is stored in the LDM (Logical Disk Manager) database. I think that as long as you don't reformat your system partition, erasing the boot sector, you will probably be able to bring your RAID5 online without problems, once you've loaded any needed SCSI drivers. I'm not sure how you'd back up the LDM database if you were going to reformat the system disk.

But let's say you didn't back up the LDM. Let's do the following:

1) Take the disks that are part of the RAID5 array physically out of the system.

2) Reformat and rebuild your server, and install service packs. Don't install applications yet. Turn the server off.

3) Add the removed disks back to the system (this may just involve plugging the SCSI cable back in.

4) Boot the server up again, and go to the Disk Management console. You will see some drives in there listed as 'Foreign'. Make sure the number of disks listed there is the same as in your RAID5 array.

5) Right click on the 'Foreign' disks and choose 'Import Foreign Disks' from the context menu.

6) Click Ok, then choose 'Verify Volumes on Foreign Disks.

7) Acknowledge 'Data Incomplete' warnings, if any. Continue clicking OK when needed and the LDM will bring the disks into the system and initialize the file system.

8) Right-click each new drive and 'Reactivate Disk' till all the drives have been reactivated. Plan on waiting a LONG time for the volume to be brought back on line.

ShackDaddy

 

[mvelasco2]

I tried the above procedure...steps 1-3. When the server rebooted and I went into disk management and the stripe remained intact but under a different drive letter. There were also the same number of logical drives as physical ones (weird). I could still access the same data no matter what logical drive I chose.

I rebooted a second time and I only had 1 logical drive this time. I went into disk management and changed the drive letter back. Everything is OK now.

I guess the LDM is stored along with the raid drives.

Thank you all for suggestions,
Marlon