Hi ALL!!

I have couple questions...

I have a computer with RAID-1, SATA and two hardrivers. If RAID-controller will crash can I use these drivers on another computer or not? If 'yes' how I can do it?

Thank you in advance!

Raid is the controller type, and method of utilizing the drives, but has little to do with how the drives work if removed from the RAID system. Format the drives, install on a typical IDE controller and they should work fine.

If used on the same motherboard, it might even work without formatting one drive, but it depends on the RAID type used. If the data is split among all drives, you'll be forced to format to use the drives in another configuration. If it's mirrored you may be able to use one as Primary and format the other, retaining the OS.

If used on a different motherboard, format and proceed as usual, the RAID setup should not change the drive so that it is not usable on a standard IDE controller, but probably will make it mandatory to format.

Sorry for my English...

1. RAID level 1
2. I need to use data from this disks on another motherboard with serial ATA. Is it possible?

I don't think there should be any problem with a RAID-1 (mirror) on SATA drives - even if the new mobo uses completely different RAID controllers or stores the array information if a different location (it seems common to use the last track on the drive to store this array information).

Basically one should be able to add just one drive containing data along with another "blank" drive (which is best if new or has been zeroed or all partitions deleted on it); possibly both drives could just be transferred but more likely to confuse the issue.

You would then enter the array setup and choose an option similar to "Create and Duplicate" - then wait for the array to be created and the mirror to be rebuilt.

Personally I would not attempt this without having imaged the drive onto CDs or another HDD using Drive Image or Ghost beforehand - because if any problems one could then set up a brand new array with two blank drives (zeroed or all partitions deleted) and then restore the image file to the array.

Presumably you are only transferring data and not an operating system as the latter would have problems with the new hardware.

PS It was a good question and would be interested to know if you have any problems when you attempt this. I haven't had to do this (YET) and, like you, have wondered if it could be problematic. I'm sure the imaging backup is a very wise precaution and I regularly use DI to restore my own SATA RAID-1 to an earlier time.

Actually I'd like to know can I use drives from RAID-array on another computer without RAID but with SATA? If I cannot run OS from SATA-drives, can I read data from these disks (SATA) if I'll start Windows from IDE-drive?

There's no way of knowing for sure till you try it or get confirmation from someone who has done so.

Theoretically there should be no problem since any SATA's I have looked at with a hex editor have a normal mbr, partition tables and partition boot sectors.

You can of course try it with just one drive first since if there is then any problem you should be able to put it back in the current pc and rebuild the array from its mirror.

Well...
A computer with IDE-drive (Windows 2000) and SATA-drive (Windows 2000 Advanced Server) was booted from IDE... BIOS saw two disks. I went to Disks Administration... Well, I have two disks... I connect SATA-disk, but it's not with Blue color (Base, I think... Actually I use Russian edition and it's difficult to translate exactly) but with Black... In the Explorer I have only one disk - IDE-driver... So what I can do else?

It's not quite clear what you did. Is the SATA with Win2000 Server your current SATA or another drive altogether. You boot to the IDE but it doesnt see the SATA drive, which you have added to the system. Then, despite the BIOS detecting the SATA, it doesn't show up in Windows Explorer. Is that correct?

If so, does Device Manager show any yellow question marks etc - in other words are the drivers for the SATA installed OK.

On some systems SATA's are only functional on a RAID - even if this is a single disk RAID 0. Read up on the mobo's documentation carefully.