New MOBO and RAID set up

I have just replaced my ABIT IC7-G MOBO with a new ABIT IP Pro 35 MOBO. I had my system in a RAID 1 (mirrored) configuration with 2 WD 200 SATA HD’s. and would like to run RAID 1 again. I understand I can’t just run the XP CD in the repair mode to set up RAID again but have to format my HD and do a fresh XP install. I would rather not have to format, install XP, then set up RAID, and then have to completely reinstall all my programs, email, and files all over again.

My question is, is there some way I can configure RAID 1 with my system without having to completely start over? Can I format one of my HD’s, install XP, configure RAID, and then move my files, programs, and so on from the unformatted HD to the freshly formatted HD?

Thanks

IMSA

 

Is that what you intended to say? How can you have "files, programs, and so on" on an unformatted HD?

I don't know much about RAID but I know RAID 1 is where one drive mirrors the other. And, I believe that, at least with some RAID controller cards, the controller card BIOS allows the user to build the RAID 1 configuration without having to reinstall programs, etc. The RAID 1 buidling process is basically copying everything from the original HD to the second HD, right? That's the mirroring. So, why would you need to reinstall programs after setting up RAID 1?

Do you have some documentation on your motherbaord that talks about setting up RAID? Have you visited their website to search for info?

 

With the ABIT IP 35 Pro RAID is set in Bios and Intel drivers are used. I have not formatted either of my HD's to do a fresh XP install but formatting a drive would not only remove XP, but the rest of my programs and files , correct? Basically wiping my HD clean. I would not hesitate a second to format my drive to reinstall XP and set up RAID 1 if I didn't have to worry about losing everything on my HD.

I tried to install set up RAID 1 by using the XP Repair process but I wasn't able to install the RAID drivers. I was then told that RAID could only be set up with a new OS install.

Thanks

IMSA

 

I'm no RAID expert, but since the 2 drives are exact copies of each other, why not (temporarily) just run a repair install on one drive with the 2nd drive completely disconnected from the motherboard and power. Once the repair install has completed and you've installed the new drivers and verified that everything is hunky-dory, simply set up the RAID in the BIOS after getting the 2nd drive hooked up. Every time I've set up a mirrored RAID, there's been a prompt to image the first drive to the 2nd drive to "start" the RAID. If the 1st drive (the one you ran the repair on) is OK and all your stuff is there and working, then go ahead and use the RAID1 imaging tool to copy the 1st drive to the 2nd drive and it should be fine. If you start the repair process with only one drive connected, and have RAID disabled when you do it so Windows and the BIOS just think that only one drive is there, the repair should be fine. If by 'RAID drivers' you're referring to the F6 floppy SATA drivers, they usually aren't needed if the drive has already been formatted as NTFS. So, boot to your XP disc with only one HD hooked up. Press any key to boot from CD when prompted. DO NOT press F6 for the 3rd party RAID/SCSI driver when prompted. Press Enter at the screen where it mentions using the recovery console to repair a Windows installation (DO NOT press R). Then the install should progress as usual and you'll press F8 to agree to license agreement and then you'll press 'R' to repair the listed XP installation.

I'm making this sound much more difficult and confusing than it really is....