From Xp to Linux without loosing my RAID array ?
 

Hello,

I read a bit here and there but i haven't found an answer about this so far. What i basically wanna do is get a dual boot going without loosing the data I currently have on my hardrives... which are on a RAID 0 array... Now from what i read, i doubt it's possible and i already started to archive stuff on dvds but hell, 300gigs is alot!

Anybody can tell me if it's possible and if so, share some knowledge or links with me!

tkx

Eps

The short answer: No you cannot set up a dual boot on the raid array without losing data.

if you have a drive controller space available, you can add a drive to that which is not in the array, then install the second os onto it and have the dual boot happening.

you cannot dual boot on a raid array, as the raid configuration is actually os specific. The way raid works, you lose any drivespace that is beyong the partitions in the array, so you won't be able to use the arrayed drives as an array and dual boot it.

i'm assuming it's software raid, right?

if so, you can't

if it's hardware raid, then it's quite possible

Firsly let me Firsly let me agree with comptiger5000. It is Very possible to have a dual boot system with a hardware raid (see my signiture). Not so much with a software raid

Secondly to Epsilum let start by saying BACK IT UP. Believe me man you want to. You are using Raid 0 that's a stripped disk array with no fault tolerances! You mess something up you can kiss ALL your data goodbye for good. so before you start messing with partition table and formatting space again BACK IT UP. 300 GB is a relatively large amount of data to back up be unless you want to copy all those CDs and DVDs on to you computer again (and I'm shure you legally own every single one of them) you need to BACK IT UP.

You mediem is your choise, DVDR is a lot 4.7GB = 64 Disks, 8.5GB = 35 Disks
so you might wana consider trying to borrow an external HD to temporarily store the data.

If you still wana do it despite my words of warning take a look at patition magic. It's worked in the past for me.

Hi Guys,

Tkx for the replies. It is indeed a software raid. I didn't waited the replies to start backing up though and most of my stuff was already backed up so all in all, i won't waste 300gigs. prolly 50gigs of crap.

To Jaqui : Tkx for that idea of using another drivespace to install fedora. It reminded me of a 80gig hd I have and that was staying on my shelves(full of huge .psd files). So i did burned 22 dvds this morning...

Right now Yum is currently updating it's queue of 535MB .... and i must set up grub to load back into xp. I have the feeling it's gonna be harder to choose another os from an unrecognised raid array then it is from another partition on the same hd...

Again, tkx for the feedback; much appreciated.

eps