Windows server 2003 with RAID 6 reinstallation

[kida]

I'm remotely (telephone) helping a user with a Windows Server 2003 issue. Their server crashed (several times) due to power failure (and UPS failure). Windows Server needed to be reinstalled.
From what I understand, they have a RAID 6 volume. I'm not sure, yet, if the OS was on that volume or on it's own... hopefully on it's own.
Assuming it's on it's own....
During the reinstallation of Windows Server, it would only reformat the volume that the OS was on! Correct?!
If that's true, would windows automatically see the other volume as a RAID partition or would she have to go into disk manager and set it as so?
She has a C and a D. the C housed the OS, backup software, SQL Server, and other apps. D houses the data.
If windows doesn't see the RAID partition, when it's set in Disk manager, will it destroy the data?

 

[goombawaho]

1. I wouldn't try to do this remotely. Very hard to "see" things and bad things can happen.
2. You don't know enough about the config to be able to put things back the way it was.
3. If no good/recent backup is available, I would stop and have a professional go out to take care of things.

 

[kida]

I did find out a little more.
They are running Windows 2003 with RAID 6. The OS is installed on the raid volume. She's already reinstalled with os and the system is seeing the raid volume.
You are right.. I need to go there and look at things.
I know very little about RAID 6... is it basically the same as RAID 5? RAID 6 just does double distributed parity.
Anyway, thanks for your comments... I will go there and actually see what's happening.

 

[itsp1965]

RAID-6 is typically inherent to larger SATA drives because they tend to have a higher tendency to fail. RAID-6 is similar to RAID-5 only that you can suffer up to two drive failures as opposed to one. (as per double distributed parity)