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Can you image partitions on RAID0

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  • Can you image partitions on RAID0

    Anyone in the know on this here?

    A friend's rig has developed video problems and it looks like a new install. I would like to implement PQ install images solution similiar to mine.
    Specs:
    AMD KG7 RAID
    AthlonXP 1500+, 512MB PC 2100, GF2MX400, SB128PCI
    2× Maxtor 40GB 5400RPM drives in RAID0 on HPT (78GB NTFS)
    Primary master: Teac 16× CD-RW
    Secondary master: Pioneer CD-ROM
    Win2k no service packs
    Usage: DCC/CAD/gaming

    While gaming involves many reinstalls which eventually fuxor the registry, working requires a set of apps that don't change in a year or two and data is more important. My answer to that is dualbooting (NT and 98SE in my case); C - 98SE/2k/XP + utilities + games + websurfing (spyware); D - 2k/XP + utilities + peripherals + CDburning + applications; E projects, user data.

    After perfecct installation I create images of both completely installed OSes and when something goes bad I just reimage either partition, leaving other partitions intact.

    How does RAID0 get into play here?
    Is it possible to boot of a PQ floppy and reimage a single OS containing partition on RAID0 array (HPT) using PQ Driveimage?
    How about partition resizing?

    Is the following setup possible + suggest/comment OS choice:
    What's the case with 8.4 boot limit?
    C:\ (Primary active, NTFS) 5GB Win2k + Utilities + Games (Often installs, games less stable than serious apps - reboots, crashes)
    Is 98SE (FAT32) or XP better option? Partition size?
    D:\ (logical) NTFS 5GB Win2k + Utilities + CD-Burning + Office + Apps (Seldom reinstalls, reliable apps, uptime important)
    What drive size (My similiar install with NT is about 3-4GB)
    E:\ (logical) NTFS 68GB (the rest) Projects, user date (When reimaging this partition remains intact)

    Will reimages leave storage E: intact despite of RAID0?

  • #2
    Basicaly what I would like to know is:

    If you can reimage partitions on RAID0 array? (Does software like PQ driveimage see array or not?)

    Comment


    • #3
      Partitions are accessed the same way, whether the disks are setup in RAID (level x) or not. It's transparent for the applications.
      So PQ should see the partitions with no probl.

      If I remember correctly RAID 0 (striping), combines 2 or more disks, into one big continuos drive. So when you write to such an array (ex. 2 disks), a chunk is written on the 1st disk, the second on the 2nd disk, the third on the 1st disk, and the fourth on the 2nd disk and on and on ...

      The big disadvantage of this setup is that when a drive fails, you're screwed
      Loose bits sink chips.

      Comment


      • #4
        Not me, my friend.

        IMO for home/single machine user RAID0 is not that bad if you are a good boy, doing images and backup:

        1 DRIVE
        single drive fails:
        - You loose todays (this weeks, since last backup etc...) data
        - RMA or buy new drive (takes hours, days or even weeks.)
        - Reimage, copy data from backups

        RAID0
        single drive fails
        - You loose todays (this weeks, since last backup etc...) data
        - Reimage, copy data from backups on 1 drive (takes half an hour) and continue working
        - RMA (takes mybe days/weeks living with degraded STR performance.)
        Last edited by UtwigMU; 12 September 2002, 15:23.

        Comment


        • #5
          Well, it really depends. If the RAID0 is implemented correctly (aka BIOS calls all cascade down properly) then there's no problem, the app just sees one big ol' drive.

          There's no guarantee it's gonna come out bit-perfect the second time around, but again the app/os shouldn't care.

          - Gurm
          The Internet - where men are men, women are men, and teenage girls are FBI agents!

          I'm the least you could do
          If only life were as easy as you
          I'm the least you could do, oh yeah
          If only life were as easy as you
          I would still get screwed

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