Re: Raid Array and Changing Motherboard
On 7/2/23 13:11, Mick Ab wrote: On 19:58, Sun, 2 Jul 2023 David Christensen On 7/2/23 10:23, Mick Ab wrote: I have a software RAID 1 array of two hard drives. Each of the two disks contains the Debian operating system and user data. I am thinking of changing the motherboard because of problems that might be connected to the current motherboard. The new motherboard would be the same make and model as the current motherboard. Would I need to recreate the RAID 1 array for the new motherboard I.e. re-initialise the current RAID 1 disks and repopulate the disks with data or can I just set up the software RAID on the new motherboard without affecting the current data on the RAID 1 drives ? Shutdown the machine. Boot using a live USB stick. Type notes into a text file. Use script(1) to record console sessions. Use dd(1) to take an image of each disk to an external HDD (consider piping dd(1) to gzip(1) to save space). Shutdown. Take note of which HDD is cabled to which motherboard port. Replace motherboard. Connect HDD's to the same motherboard ports. Boot. It should "just work". Post details if you have problems. David Thanks for your reply. I don't quite understand what you are proposing. Backup the RAID member drives first, then swap motherboards. Do you mean the external HDDs would form a new RAID 1 array for the new motherboard ? No. For each existing RAID member drive, copy its blocks to a file on the external HDD. What would happen to the original RAID 1 disks ? They stay in the chassis and are connected to the same ports on the new motherboard. David
Re: Raid Array and Changing Motherboard
On 02.07.2023 22:23, Mick Ab wrote: I have a software RAID 1 array of two hard drives. Each of the two disks contains the Debian operating system and user data. I am thinking of changing the motherboard because of problems that might be connected to the current motherboard. The new motherboard would be the same make and model as the current motherboard. Would I need to recreate the RAID 1 array for the new motherboard I.e. re-initialise the current RAID 1 disks and repopulate the disks with data or can I just set up the software RAID on the new motherboard without affecting the current data on the RAID 1 drives ? It's hard to tell what exactly will happen, because it depends on BIOS/Firmware of the motherboard, even though there is a special metadata record on each disk, which contains role of the disk and configuration of the RAID array. I predict two outcomes: 1. Two disks connected to a new motherboard will be recognized by BIOS/Firmware right away after you switch controller mode from AHCI to RAID, and appear as existing RAID1 array. 2. Two disks connected to a new motherboard will appear as two normal disks and won't be recognized as a RAID1 array, asking you to create\init array. In case #2 data on disks will be lost, so before you do any manipulations make and verify backups. Usually BIOS RAID software is very basic and won't allow to preserve current data on disks, or select a role (primary/secondary) for the disks, or create incomplete RAID1 array using only one disk to allow to copy data over from the second disk. If you happen to have any other two old disks on hand, I suggest you to experiment with those on current motherboard, i.e. create an additional new RAID1 array and see if that array stays intact after simulated disks "transfer". You can simulate disks transfer by powering of the computer, disconnecting the test disks and check if test RAID1 array still listed. If test array will be listed and report two test disks missing then array information is also recorded in BIOS and this array information won't be on a new motherboard. However, if there won't be any information about test array, then it should appear when you reconnect test disks and data on test disks should be intact. There could be also a manual available from motherboard's manufacturer which could give some clues about what is possible and what would happen. -- With kindest regards, Alexander. ⢀⣴⠾⠻⢶⣦⠀ ⣾⠁⢠⠒⠀⣿⡁ Debian - The universal operating system ⢿⡄⠘⠷⠚⠋⠀ https://www.debian.org ⠈⠳⣄
Re: Raid Array and Changing Motherboard
On 19:58, Sun, 2 Jul 2023 David Christensen > On 7/2/23 10:23, Mick Ab wrote: > > I have a software RAID 1 array of two hard drives. Each of the two disks > > contains the Debian operating system and user data. > > > > I am thinking of changing the motherboard because of problems that might be > > connected to the current motherboard. The new motherboard would be the same > > make and model as the current motherboard. > > > > Would I need to recreate the RAID 1 array for the new motherboard I.e. > > re-initialise the current RAID 1 disks and repopulate the disks with data > > or can I just set up the software RAID on the new motherboard without > > affecting the current data on the RAID 1 drives ? > > > Shutdown the machine. Boot using a live USB stick. Type notes into a > text file. Use script(1) to record console sessions. Use dd(1) to take > an image of each disk to an external HDD (consider piping dd(1) to > gzip(1) to save space). Shutdown. Take note of which HDD is cabled to > which motherboard port. Replace motherboard. Connect HDD's to the same > motherboard ports. Boot. It should "just work". > > > Post details if you have problems. > > > David > > Thanks for your reply. I don't quite understand what you are proposing. Do you mean the external HDDs would form a new RAID 1 array for the new motherboard ? What would happen to the original RAID 1 disks ?
Re: Raid Array and Changing Motherboard
On 7/2/23 10:23, Mick Ab wrote: I have a software RAID 1 array of two hard drives. Each of the two disks contains the Debian operating system and user data. I am thinking of changing the motherboard because of problems that might be connected to the current motherboard. The new motherboard would be the same make and model as the current motherboard. Would I need to recreate the RAID 1 array for the new motherboard I.e. re-initialise the current RAID 1 disks and repopulate the disks with data or can I just set up the software RAID on the new motherboard without affecting the current data on the RAID 1 drives ? Shutdown the machine. Boot using a live USB stick. Type notes into a text file. Use script(1) to record console sessions. Use dd(1) to take an image of each disk to an external HDD (consider piping dd(1) to gzip(1) to save space). Shutdown. Take note of which HDD is cabled to which motherboard port. Replace motherboard. Connect HDD's to the same motherboard ports. Boot. It should "just work". Post details if you have problems. David
Re: Raid Array and Changing Motherboard
On Sun, 2 Jul 2023 18:23:31 +0100 Mick Ab wrote: > I am thinking of changing the motherboard because of problems that > might be connected to the current motherboard. The new motherboard > would be the same make and model as the current motherboard. > > Would I need to recreate the RAID 1 array for the new motherboard I.e. > re-initialise the current RAID 1 disks and repopulate the disks with > data or can I just set up the software RAID on the new motherboard > without affecting the current data on the RAID 1 drives ? I believe that will depend on how you built the RAID array. Assuming the new motherboard supports your current hard drives and peripheral cards. (As it should if it is the same make and model, and the manufacturer did nothing stupid.) If you used mdadm (Linux software RAID), you should have no problem. Some hardware RAID systems on a card should be OK. RAID in the firmware on the motherboard should be OK, unless the manufacturer made an incompatible upgrade. -- Does anybody read signatures any more? https://charlescurley.com https://charlescurley.com/blog/
Raid Array and Changing Motherboard
I have a software RAID 1 array of two hard drives. Each of the two disks contains the Debian operating system and user data. I am thinking of changing the motherboard because of problems that might be connected to the current motherboard. The new motherboard would be the same make and model as the current motherboard. Would I need to recreate the RAID 1 array for the new motherboard I.e. re-initialise the current RAID 1 disks and repopulate the disks with data or can I just set up the software RAID on the new motherboard without affecting the current data on the RAID 1 drives ?
