How to install without loosing data

[Ayman Altounji]

I have a prolinat 3000 server with 1-18GB H/D connected with integerated SCSI controller and OS is windows NT. The server is live and some applications are running.

How to install smart array 3200 controller with new 1-18GB H/D to configure as RAID1without loosing data. Can I connect two H/D (existing H/D and new H/D) with single SCSI cable and configure with array controller? The user guide which I went through is not enough explain about configuring array controller with existing data full H/D. Can some one explain how to configure array controller and how the cable should be connected?

[Ayman Altounji]

If you are migrating from a standard scsi controller to an array controller you will have to back up all data, create your new array install your base so and restore from backup. Why you might ask. When an array controller is configured it writes a disc table to the add's whereas the standard scsi does not and likewise you cannot go from an array controller to a standard controller and not loose data.

[Ayman Altounji]

You are correct. You must backup all OS partitions and files on the current hard drives and then install the array controller into the system. Run the Compaq system configuration program and save the new hardware configuration to CMOS.



Next, you must boot the system with the SmartStart CD and run the Compaq array configuration program and create a logical array volume on the new set of drives that is connected to the array controller. If these are your original hard drives, all data on the drives will be lost when you create the logical array volume. This is because the array controller is not using the same drive geometry and data mapping scheme that the original SCSI controller was using, so the original OS partitions will NOT be accessible. All data is therefore lost. The original SCSI controller writes a whole 8-bit byte per head and sector. If you are using a RAID 5 logical array volume, the array controller divides the byte into 8 separate bits and distributes the 8-bit byte across the multiple heads and drives in the array. See the Compaq Engineering white papers on RAID technology at these web addresses.

http://www5.compaq.com/support/techpubs/whitepapers/ecg0790698.html

http://www5.compaq.com/support/techpubs/whitepapers/0291-0799-a.html