Re: SBS 2003 Mirror OS Drive Question

OK (been distracted with another project so maybe I'm not paying as much attention as I should).

But you're not gonna use hardware RAID (heck, for the cost of a SCSI RAID1 controller you _should_) so your end result will be dynamic disks anyway.

Change the current HDD to dynamic type. I've never know this to fail but standard caveat, 'have a good backup...' and of course, YMMV.
Establish RAID1 of your existing partition(s) to the new drive.
follow on about removal of the old and RAID rebuild to the 2nd new, additional space as new partition.

--
SBS remote support services. (Fees apply)
mickm at mickmalloy dot dyndns dot org
"Northwest Upgrades Plus" <andyn@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx(donotspam)> wrote in message news:63FF12B0-21AD-4F0C-9830-0C84F9B22C9F@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
Not sure that you read the entire first post. Their is currently only one
drive with the OS on it, so if I remove it, here is only the data drivess
that are installed. Is a solution still viable via software?
--
Thanks for your help.


"SuperGumby [SBS MVP]" wrote:

OK, my assumptions got the better of me when I assumed this was hardware
RAID. Your solution is EASY. Your drives are already dynamic.

Take drive0 (the first of your software RAID1 set) out and place it in an
antistatic bag on the shelf. DO NOT adjust the RAID in software.
Ensure you can boot from drive1. The system should come up clean with a
missing member to the array.
Shutdown and put one of your new drives in, on a higher SCSI ID than the
remaining drive, start up, rebuild the mirror(s) to the new drive, allow
time to complete.
Shutdown, remove your 2nd original drive, boot off the new drive.
Shutdown, add 2nd new drive (at a higher SCSI ID again) repeat rebuild.

This should result in the existing partitons being copied to the new drives,
use the additional space as new partition(s) and move stuff out of the
original partition(s).

For most of the time the system will be available. I'd probably do the 2st
drive replacement tomorrow morning, rebuild during the day, do the 2nd
replacement and rebuild either that afternoon or the next day.

The 1st drive you took out is your fallback point. Should anything go wrong
you remove all drives, put drive0 back in, boot.


--
SBS remote support services. (Fees apply)
mickm at mickmalloy dot dyndns dot org
"Northwest Upgrades Plus" <andyn@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx(donotspam)> wrote in
message news:32DD4124-6664-4DCC-B753-510A69D6765B@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
> They use Backup For Workgroups, not the SBS Backup software. It has a
> pretty
> good disaster recovery option, so I will most likely go that route. I > have
> to
> use Software mirroring, as they do not have a RAID controller. All that > is
> available is the Adaptec SCSI controller card. Once again, they are on > a
> TIGHT budget. Thamks for the help.
>
> ( I just dit not appreciate the first comments in Cliff's post)
> -- > Thanks for your help.
>
>
> "SuperGumby [SBS MVP]" wrote:
>
>> I don't really think Cliff's comment was as harsh as you may be taking
>> it.
>>
>> The DR route (method 3) doesn't actually take a long time. You only >> need
>> install the base OS from SBS, and your current Windows SP, not all >> CD's
>> and
>> fully configured.
>>
>> Some HDD suppliers have 'drive imaging' software, mainly designed for
>> workstation OS's but in fact OS agnostic.
>>
>> Are you using SBSBackup or some other backup program?
>>
>> -- >> SBS remote support services. (Fees apply)
>> mickm at mickmalloy dot dyndns dot org
>> "Northwest Upgrades Plus" <andyn@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx(donotspam)> wrote >> in
>> message news:C2FF0FB0-02A9-4B17-8EE4-466F287AECC8@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
>> > Yes, But I would have to reinstall SBS 2003 and then the backup
>> > software
>> > and
>> > then do the restore. What 3rd party SW do you recommend for SBS >> > 2003? I
>> > have
>> > used Drive COpy before, but if I am not mistaken it does not support
>> > SBS.
>> > Thanks for the help, unlike Chris.
>> > -- >> > Thanks for your help.
>> >
>> >
>> > "SuperGumby [SBS MVP]" wrote:
>> >
>> >> I'd probably build a new array as an additional RAID1 and either:
>> >>
>> >> (officially unsupported by MS) Use some form of drive copy/image
>> >> program
>> >> to
>> >> get the existing partitions across to the new array OR
>> >> (MS Supported but involves changing to 'dynamic' type) Use software
>> >> mirroring to RAID1 between the arrays.
>> >>
>> >> The 3rd method is actually the best, allows full testing of your
>> >> disaster
>> >> recovery plan (to same hardware). Perform full backup, shut her >> >> down,
>> >> throw
>> >> in the blank drives, create your array, restore.
>> >>
>> >> -- >> >> SBS remote support services. (Fees apply)
>> >> mickm at mickmalloy dot dyndns dot org
>> >> "Cliff Galiher" <cgaliher@xxxxxxxxx> wrote in message
>> >> news:et$of0l5JHA.1096@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
>> >> > The snarky answer is: Shouldn't you have had a plan in place
>> >> > *before*
>> >> > selling a client a solution?
>> >> >
>> >> > The real (and short) answer is: It depends entirely on your RAID
>> >> > controller. Some allow this, some don't. You'd be best served
>> >> > referencing
>> >> > their documentation.
>> >> >
>> >> > -Cliff
>> >> >
>> >> >
>> >> > "Northwest Upgrades Plus" <andyn@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx(donotspam)>
>> >> > wrote
>> >> > in
>> >> > message >> >> > news:13B06C3D-6740-436A-8F96-C95F3E952E15@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
>> >> >> OK, So here is the situation. After years of trying I have >> >> >> finally
>> >> >> been
>> >> >> able
>> >> >> to convince my client to mirror their SBS 2003 Standard >> >> >> Operating
>> >> >> System
>> >> >> drive. They currently have 1 Ea. 36 GB 68 Pin SCSI drive. They >> >> >> will
>> >> >> be
>> >> >> replaced with 2 Ea. 72 GB 68 Pin SCSI drives. My question is >> >> >> this:
>> >> >> Is
>> >> >> it
>> >> >> possible to create a mirror and copy the old OS drive to the new
>> >> >> Mirror,
>> >> >> or
>> >> >> perhaps create the mirror with one of the new drives and the old >> >> >> OS
>> >> >> drive
>> >> >> first and then remove the old drive and add the second 72GB >> >> >> drive?
>> >> >> I
>> >> >> really
>> >> >> do not want to go through the hassle of reinstalling the OS and
>> >> >> then
>> >> >> having
>> >> >> to restore it from backup in disaster recovery mode. Thanks for >> >> >> any
>> >> >> help,
>> >> >> suggestions or links to documents that anyone can provide.
>> >> >> -- >> >> >> Thanks for your help.
>> >> >
>> >>
>> >>
>>
>>



.

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