Possible failing discs on a RAID 1 array

Hello,

I have DELL POWER EDGE SC 440 server running Windows Server 2003.

It was supplied with two 80g hard drives.

I subsequently installed a Promise TX 2300 raid controller card set up as RAID 1 – so the operating system sees only a single disk although it is partitioned as C: and D:

All was working well until recently when the server appeared not to like large file writes and started to hang occasionally.

It as been suggested that one on the drives is starting to fail. CHKDCK produced some bad sector errors and also states that the second ????? is unwritable.

Although still under warranty, DELL will not advise because the raid card was not supplied by them and their diagnostics will not address the individual discs (obviously!)

They have suggested removing the raid card and connection the disks back to the mother board and then running the diagnostics.

1 If I do that will the discs ever work again once connected back to the Raid card? I have reservations.

2 If one of the drives is faulty, after fitting a new one (identical) will the remaining good drive rebuild the array? I believe that it should.

3 Or should I just back up everything (it already is backed up) fit two new drives and re-establish the server from scratch?

4 Or – any other options?

Just a final point – disconnecting one or other of the drives does not stop the server from booting fully off one drive and on reconnection there appears to be a period of “rebuilding”. But this is simply after a quick reboot with little or no other activity before closing down again.

I look forward to any advice that is available.