Removing RAID 1 array without losing data?

[kevinmd88]

Basically, I have a 2TB drive setup in a RAID 1 with another 2TB drive. It has the OS and all my data on it. I'm trying to disable the RAID 1 configuration, but leave the two drives as they were, so I can boot to one of them (guess it doesn't matter which) as if nothing had changed (other than the data no longer being mirrored).

 

Is this possible? I've been using the RAID that came with my motherboard, Gigabyte GA-970A-UD3. I believe it's an Advanced Micro Devices controller.

 

[EDIT]

I should mention that when I press Ctrl-F at boot time and go to Delete LD Menu, it says "Press Ctrl-Y to delete the data in the disk!"...

[/EDIT]

[patseguin Global Moderator]

As far as I know, there is no way to break an array and retain your data. You'd have to back up everything, then configure your BIOS for separate drives instead of RAID, and install your OS and restore data accordingly. Others can feel free to correct me if I'm wrong, but I've done this before by accident actually and lost my data. That was on a RAID 0 setup though so since maybe you are on RAID 1, you can keep your data on one of the drives when breaking up the array.

[UseLess]

All the RAID-1 configurations I have encountered would not have the data persist if you delete the RAID. You have to pull the data off the RAID, delete the RAID, then put the data back.

 

This is the MAJOR reason I don't like realtime RAIDS, and prefer snapshot raids for archiving data (note, OS' don't work well with snapshot raids...)

 

I would get confirmation of this...but my advice is to backup before deleting the RAID.

[patseguin Global Moderator]

I don't know what "realtime" and "snapshot" raids are. Can you clarify? I use Windows' software RAID with my 2 2TB drives for a 4TB volume. I stay away from hardware RAIDS because if the hardware fails, I am kind of screwed. With a software RAID, I can just reinstall WIndows and it's back.

[1ON]

No way of breaking the raid without loosing data - Quick idea though.

 

Boot with 1 disk into Windows, plug in the second drive and format (NTFS), then perform a bare metal backup using Windows Backup and Restore to the second drive. Change boot from RAID to AHCI in BIOS and boot into the Windows disk (DVD), select restore and recovery, wipe the drive (DISK1), plug in the second drive with BMR files, restore using BMR to the formatted drive. When booted back into Windows you will have all your data and applications on a single disk, then plug in the other drive and format.

[JJ_]

I have Intel Rapid Storage Technology installed which monitors the RAID in Windows and well as having it setup in BIOS. If I was going to split my RAID1, I would firstly uninstall the Intel application monitoring the raid then physically disconnect 1 of the drives in the raid. Next turn on the system and change SATA configuration from raid to ACHI. Then go into Windows and check if the drive is detected on its own with all data present, if so, I would go ahead and get the second drive connected back up again.

[patseguin Global Moderator]

I have one of those Intel RST cards too, in a parts drawer lol. I used it for a long time and was annoyed by how much longer Windows seemed to boot with it because of posting. I've found the Windows software RAID to be just as fast and safer because there's no hardware to break.

[Todlay]

So I’m trying to repair my raid basically the same as you I want to delete it, so I’m using an extrenal had mirror my current raid then going to break/ delete raid then reboot off the extrenal had then re mirror off that with just the one drive, Anya thoughts ?

 

[Xahid]

Hello Todlay,

 

They prolly forget about it, since its posted ages ago ...

you should look for "Raid recovery" in google.

[Todlay]

It’s ok I was just throwing my 2cents in seeing what might pop

With win 10 it has storage app(mirrors) I’m playing with atm