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Acronis can't handle a mirrored Raid +1

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Hi,

I have been using Acronis True Image Home for many years. Recently I purchased a new PC and the OS is Windows 7 home premium 64 bit. It has 2 x 500GB drives configured as a Raid 1 + mirrored.

I read somewhere on this forum (for the life of me can't remember where) that I can't use Acronis on my new system as it can't handle the mirrored Raid 1 configuration. This of course is very disappointing as Acronis backup is the only software I trust.

However, I have 2 external WD drives, 500 GB and 2 TB respectively. My question is can I still use Acronis to backup one of my external drives to the other one without Acronis interfering with the mirrored C: drive.?

I haven't figured out yet how I am going to backup my mirrored C drive. I want to do this so I have an external copy just in case.

I would very much appreciate for someone to clue me in on all this. I am not very tech savvy and know enough to be dangerous, so please explain things so I understand it.

Many Thanks,
Con

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Hi there,

If your RAID a software RAID (that you have setup in Windows) or a hardware RAID (you set it up in the BIOS)?

ATI doesn't support software RAID, but does support hardware RAID.

May I ask why you use RAID1?

Software mirror is available only in Windows 7 Ultimate, so it must be HW RAID. However you still need to check that ATI bootable media supports the RAID controller of your computer.

dev-anon wrote:

Software mirror is available only in Windows 7 Ultimate, so it must be HW RAID. However you still need to check that ATI bootable media supports the RAID controller of your computer.

Hi dev-anon and Pat L,

Based on both of your comments I must have a HW setup. The only way (that I know of) I can access the raid program is called "Intel Rapid Storage Technology". It gives me the various status info and it appears I can change the raid configuration but I am not sure.

I elected the Raid 1 (mirrored) configuration while purchasing the PC as it would give me an instant backup if one of the drives goes bad.

BTW, what is ATI and how do I check that ATI bootable media supports the RAID controller of your computer?

I much appreciate you willingness to help me out?

Take care,
Con

To check whether ATI supports your RAID, create your bootable media from ATI or from a download as an ISO from your Acronis account. Boot the computer on the CD/DVD/flash drive you created (the "CD"), launch ATI that is on it. If the CD works and you can see your RAID as one disk, you are in good shape.

You can still ATI to create some other backups from Windows and restore from Windows, or from the CD if you can see the right disks from the CD.

It is right the RAID1 protects your data but is typically targeted towards cases where you need to swap disks in case of failure. A regular home user should be just fine with imaging/backup software. Most home users are rather shooting for performance with a RAID 0.

Since it is a RAID 1, you should be able to undo it, if you want to, using the Rapid Storage Technology. Check the RST manual. You would then turn your disk into AHCI mode in the BIOS. Note that you wouldn't be able to undo a RAID0 that easily.

BTW, make sure you have the latest version of the Intel RST.

Thanks Pat L for the info and advice. This is very helpful.

Con

Hi Pat L,

I downloaded ATIH2011_en-US ISO Image file. I copied it to a CD and rebooted from the CD. It appeared the system was looking at the file on the CD as it took a little longer than normal for the Win 7 to come up and ask for my password. Since there was no response from the ATI file on the CD I suppose this means that it didn't see the drives? I would have expected for a screen of sorts to come up but nothing did.

However, it dawned on me the fact I have as yet not installed Acronis on this PC and might be the reason. The reason I have as yet not installed Acronis is to check first if it would function with my Raid+1 (mirrored) drives, hence the reason for starting this thread.

If this is the case I suppose I could go ahead and install Acronis and use for backing up my other external dives etc.

I appreciate your input and you helping me with this issue,
Con

Windows 7 shouldn't load if you boot the TI CD (at least not without showing the Acronis menu first). It sounds like maybe the CD didn't boot.

Did you just burn the ISO file to a CD or did you burn it using an ISO capable burning program? Windows 7 can burn ISO files correctly (right-click and select Burn disc image). Make sure the BIOS is set to boot the CD/DVD drive before the hard drive or use the BIOS Boot Menu key to select it. You can also try the CD in another computer to see if it boots properly.

TI doesn't need to be installed to use the TI CD.

Hi MudCrab, I did burn the CD correctly this time as per your advice and this time it worked. The Acronis screen came up and clicked the Backup prompt but didn't do a backup as I just wanted to see which disks it showed me. The following details are as following:

Disk 1 (which is my C: drive)    FLAG        CAPACITY          USED SPACE        TYPE
NTFS (Recovery) C:                 Pri,Act       13.25GB            7.294GB              NTFS
NTFS (OS) D:                          Pri             452.4GB           69.25GB              NTFS
FAT 16 (Unlabeled)                  Pri             39.19GB            9.157GB  FS: FAT 16 Partition:0xDE (EISA Configuarion)

Pat L. in a previous response staed "If the CD works and you can see your RAID as one disk, you are in good shape"

I am a novice and not totally understand how to interpret the stats above. Based on the stats are we seeing 1 disk or 2? Not sure what the D: drive is but looks like it is the main drive designation as its capacity is 452.4GB and the two raid configured drive are 500GB each.

If we are seeing 1 drive I suppose Acronis would be able to back it up?

Thank you,

Con

It seems to be ok - it sees the RAID as one disk of 500gb with all partitions on it (one visible and two hidden, that are not assigned a disk letter under Windows) and they have reasonable size and used space.

Yes you are OK. The drive letters that you see when you use the recovery disk are often NOT the same as the ones Windows will show you (In Windows, I would guess OS is C: and Recovery maybe without a letter altogether). Don't worry about it.
ATI sees your RAID as one disk, you are in good shape.

Your backup should include all partitions of Disk1.

Thanks dev-anon, Pat L and mudgrab. You have been very helpful in resolving this issue for me. I can't thank you enough and I am most grateful.

Take Care,
Con