RAID1 "Broken", Re- install or Recover ?

[Naunton]

I have two 150gb Raptor HDD's which I have had as my main drives
in a RAID 1 setup.(Sata 3 Gbs under a JMicron JMB controller).The Computer
crashed and I removed the drives without any software action.

I have built a new m/c based on an Asus P8Z68-V Pro with a SSD.6 Gbs
The m/c recognised the Drive under AHCI and everything seems fine, however I am now out of my depth - there are too many options available Controllers and Drivers etc
In fact I am not sure that my Raid 1 drives were actually unde JMicron.

I wish to recover data from the Drives is this possible ? and if so how - as they are "broken Raid hdd's.

My new MB seems to have JMicron Controller is this any help.?
Thanks for any assistance.

PS. I have read the thread of 11th January 2011 Which seems promising
however I need more practical advice

 

[Chewy509]

This is only a suggestion, any may result in data loss. If you are ensure, immediately grab a copy of Ghost or some other drive duplication application, and make a sector for sector copy of one of the drives for safe keeping in case something goes wrong.

I would connect both drives to the JMicron controller on the new board, and in the BIOS set the JMicron controller operation to RAID (and leave all other settings as default). Attempt to boot using that controller as the primary boot device. The BIOS for the JMicron controller should see the RAID metadata on the 2x drives and see that they are a RAID1 configuration, assuming they are using the same metadata format as your old controller. If that's the case, it should "just work". (The stripe size, caching options are normally stored in the RAID metadata block on the HDDs, so the new controller should just use those settings).

If in the fact the drives where on the other drive controller (you don't mention what it was, I assume ICH10R or ICH9R for Intel), then just do the same as above with the drives connected to the ICH SATA ports, and set the ICH SATA operation to RAID.

If you old chipset was non-Intel, then you may have further problems, in which case the easiest thing to do would be restore your data from your backup, after doing a full reinstall of your OS...

Also if you're using Windows, it may not boot as the underlying drive controllers are different, so you may need to run a Windows Repair option to get it working again, or worst case a complete re-installation of Windows.

PS. You do have working backups, don't you?

 

[Naunton]

HI Chew509, Thank you for the prompt reply

The drives were on an a Asus P5W DH Deluxe M/b with Intel ICH7R.During POST an announcement used to flash past under a JMicron heading saying, inter alia, that "no drives were attached" Unfortuneately the drives contained Windows 7 with a corrupted System which I was unable to repair and they cannot be used to Boot.

Backup is not a problem as I have most of the Data elsewhere. silly me !!

I am telling you the above because I am unsure what my RAID 1 was or was not
attached to.!

If I change the Bios from ACHI to RAID and try to set up JMicron 36X what effect will this have on my Boot SSD.Chipsets are all INTEL

Looking through my Motherboard Manual is beginning to horrify me is it OK to attach SAT1 drives to SAT3 or 6 Ports

 

[Chewy509]

Backup is not a problem as I have most of the Data elsewhere. silly me !!

Excellent.

I am telling you the above because I am unsure what my RAID 1 was or was not
attached to.!

Sorry can't help you with that one. Only you know which SATA ports on the mother board it was connected to.

If I change the Bios from ACHI to RAID and try to set up JMicron 36X what effect will this have on my Boot SSD.Chipsets are all INTEL

Does the SSD have a working OS installation on it?

I don't know your motherboard that well, but if it has 2 drive controllers, the Intel ICH10R and the JMicron controller, and the SSD is on the ICH (set to AHCI) and the 2x Raptors on the JMicron (set to RAID), it should be fine. (Or vice versa, the SSD on the JMicron and the2x Raptors on the ICH).

If however the 2x Raptors where on the ICH7R in RAID1 and you have your SSD on the ICH as well, your only option is to wipe the 2x drives and restore from backup. (IIRC, once you install Windows on a Intel controller in one mode (AHCI, IDE or RAID), changing the mode in the BIOS will stop Windows from being able to boot).

Looking through my Motherboard Manual is beginning to horrify me is it OK to attach SAT1 drives to SAT3 or 6 Ports

Yes, it's fine to connect SATA 1 drives to SATA 2 or SATA 3 based controllers. That individual port will just work at the slower speed.

 

[LunarMist]

I actually have a couple of those boards. IIRC the JMicron RAID is automatic (or default) and does not require ACHI. The Intel RAID is what requires the ACHI. Unfortunately there was an oddity with that board and it would not allow manual Vcore changes with the newer CPUS, such as Wolfberg and Yorkfield. I did not boot with RAID 1, but I did move the installation to another machine without any difficulties, but that was not such a big upgrade to Z68. I would take one of the RAID 1 drives and, after making a disk image as mentioned, try to boot from it. Try the other drive too if that does not work. Given that your data is not in jeopardy, there is probably not too much to lose.

 

[Naunton]

Quote:
Originally Posted by Naunton View Post
I am telling you the above because I am unsure what my RAID 1 was or was not
attached to.!
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Sorry can't help you with that one. Only you know which SATA ports on the mother board it was connected to.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Reading the MB manual it appears that the Port was ICH7R and a JMB363 controller was set for RAIDI
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Quote:
Originally Posted by Naunton View Post
If I change the Bios from ACHI to RAID and try to set up JMicron 36X what effect will this have on my Boot SSD.Chipsets are all INTEL
Does the SSD have a working OS installation on it?
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

I don't know your motherboard that well, but if it has 2 drive controllers, the Intel ICH10R and the JMicron controller, and the SSD is on the ICH (set to AHCI) and the 2x Raptors on the JMicron (set to RAID), it should be fine. (Or vice versa, the SSD on the JMicron and the2x Raptors on the ICH).

If however the 2x Raptors where on the ICH7R in RAID1 and you have your SSD on the ICH as well, your only option is to wipe the 2x drives and restore from backup. (IIRC, once you install Windows on a Intel controller in one mode (AHCI, IDE or RAID), changing the mode in the BIOS will stop Windows from being able to boot).
__________________________________________________________

The SSD is connected to a SATA 6 Gb connector automatically set to AHCI. This contains Windows 7.
I also have SATA 3 gb connectors Which I can try for the Raptors but I am not sure how the Bios will react to setting RAID1 or how to activateJMicron I guess I load the drivers.

 

[Naunton]

Solution

Just a note to let any intested party know what the outcome was :-

I installeed the JMicron driver to the M/c from the Motherboard Disc, then I
attached the two Raid 1 drives to the 3 Gb Sata ports and restarted !!!

Lo and behold the BIOS recognized the two drives and so did Windows 7 !!!

My computer loads so quickly that I cnnot read any pre W7 info.