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Hardware and Windows Vista Hardware issues in relation to Windows Vista. (microsoft.public.windows.vista.hardware_devices) |
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Automatically Duplicate 2 Internal Drives
Hi,
I am about to purchase a new Dell Vista 64-bit system. I originally intended to have a pair of 500gb to 640gb hard drives in a Raid 1 configuration, so I would have automatic duplication of both OS and data files. If one drive failed, I could just swap in the other, and be good to go. The particular system I'm looking at doesn't offer a Raid 1 configuration, only Raid 0. The system is otherwise exactly what I want, at a very good price, so I'm trying to figure out an efficient work-around. Systems that do come with Raid 1 installed and active just don't have the hardware I'm wanting. Basically, I want to accomplish the same thing as Raid 1 - have 2 identical internal hard drives, including all OS files, boot files, partitions, etc. so the duplicate could be swapped in if the primary one were to fail. Is there a utility that will automatically do this, or one that I can schedule to do this on a daily basis, for example at night? If so, I would buy the system with a single HD, purchase a second HD myself (cheaper than from Dell directly), and then just install and use the utility to duplicate the primary drive, and have it automatically update it on a nightly basis, so I don't have to think about it. Any suggestions on an efficient way to accomplish this, and the tools/utilities needed? Don P.S.: Getting a system with an installed Raid 0 configuration would require me to reformat/reinstall everything to switch to Raid 1, which is possible, but a time consuming task I'd rather avoid if possible. Getting a system with a single HD, and no Raid active, and then installing the 2nd drive, and activating Raid 1 is apparently not a simple task. From what I've read, it might require cloning to a 3rd drive, wiping the 2 drives, then activating the Raid 1 from the BIOS, copying the image to the Raid 1 system, etc., etc. Not a very elegant solution. |
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Automatically Duplicate 2 Internal Drives
"Don Cohen" ha scritto nel messaggio
... Hi, I am about to purchase a new Dell Vista 64-bit system. I originally intended to have a pair of 500gb to 640gb hard drives in a Raid 1 configuration, so I would have automatic duplication of both OS and data files. If one drive failed, I could just swap in the other, and be good to go. The particular system I'm looking at doesn't offer a Raid 1 configuration, only Raid 0. The system is otherwise exactly what I want, at a very good price, so I'm trying to figure out an efficient work-around. Systems that do come with Raid 1 installed and active just don't have the hardware I'm wanting. Basically, I want to accomplish the same thing as Raid 1 - have 2 identical internal hard drives, including all OS files, boot files, partitions, etc. so the duplicate could be swapped in if the primary one were to fail. Is there a utility that will automatically do this, or one that I can schedule to do this on a daily basis, for example at night? If so, I would buy the system with a single HD, purchase a second HD myself (cheaper than from Dell directly), and then just install and use the utility to duplicate the primary drive, and have it automatically update it on a nightly basis, so I don't have to think about it. Any suggestions on an efficient way to accomplish this, and the tools/utilities needed? Don P.S.: Getting a system with an installed Raid 0 configuration would require me to reformat/reinstall everything to switch to Raid 1, which is possible, but a time consuming task I'd rather avoid if possible. Getting a system with a single HD, and no Raid active, and then installing the 2nd drive, and activating Raid 1 is apparently not a simple task. From what I've read, it might require cloning to a 3rd drive, wiping the 2 drives, then activating the Raid 1 from the BIOS, copying the image to the Raid 1 system, etc., etc. Not a very elegant solution. It is unlikely that you'll be able to destripe the array onto itself, for the same reason that any data recovery procedure is carried out by definitely writing on another disk. I wonder why manufacturers do not install on a single disk leaving the choice to the user of building their striped disk (very trivial, just add the second drive basically). Why don't you inquire Dell for shipping a system like that (I know that Dell customizes their systems somewhat)? |
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Automatically Duplicate 2 Internal Drives
You might consider a non raid system and set up a backup program to back up
from one drive to the other on a regular basis. Even Raid 1 systems can be unrecoverable if the OS writes corrupt data to both drive at once. "Riccardo L." wrote in message ... "Don Cohen" ha scritto nel messaggio ... Hi, I am about to purchase a new Dell Vista 64-bit system. I originally intended to have a pair of 500gb to 640gb hard drives in a Raid 1 configuration, so I would have automatic duplication of both OS and data files. If one drive failed, I could just swap in the other, and be good to go. The particular system I'm looking at doesn't offer a Raid 1 configuration, only Raid 0. The system is otherwise exactly what I want, at a very good price, so I'm trying to figure out an efficient work-around. Systems that do come with Raid 1 installed and active just don't have the hardware I'm wanting. Basically, I want to accomplish the same thing as Raid 1 - have 2 identical internal hard drives, including all OS files, boot files, partitions, etc. so the duplicate could be swapped in if the primary one were to fail. Is there a utility that will automatically do this, or one that I can schedule to do this on a daily basis, for example at night? If so, I would buy the system with a single HD, purchase a second HD myself (cheaper than from Dell directly), and then just install and use the utility to duplicate the primary drive, and have it automatically update it on a nightly basis, so I don't have to think about it. Any suggestions on an efficient way to accomplish this, and the tools/utilities needed? Don P.S.: Getting a system with an installed Raid 0 configuration would require me to reformat/reinstall everything to switch to Raid 1, which is possible, but a time consuming task I'd rather avoid if possible. Getting a system with a single HD, and no Raid active, and then installing the 2nd drive, and activating Raid 1 is apparently not a simple task. From what I've read, it might require cloning to a 3rd drive, wiping the 2 drives, then activating the Raid 1 from the BIOS, copying the image to the Raid 1 system, etc., etc. Not a very elegant solution. It is unlikely that you'll be able to destripe the array onto itself, for the same reason that any data recovery procedure is carried out by definitely writing on another disk. I wonder why manufacturers do not install on a single disk leaving the choice to the user of building their striped disk (very trivial, just add the second drive basically). Why don't you inquire Dell for shipping a system like that (I know that Dell customizes their systems somewhat)? |
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Automatically Duplicate 2 Internal Drives
Hi Riccardo,
Thanks for the reply. It is unlikely that you'll be able to destripe the array onto itself, for the same reason that any data recovery procedure is carried out by definitely writing on another disk. The system I'm looking at getting would come with a single HD, with RAID *not* enabled. I'm wanting to add a second HD and through software duplicate the primary HD, with automatic nightly updates. I wonder why manufacturers do not install on a single disk leaving the choice to the user of building their striped disk (very trivial, just add the second drive basically). Why don't you inquire Dell for shipping a system like that (I know that Dell customizes their systems somewhat)? I have pursued this at length with the guy at Dell, but the customization doesn't extend this far. Basically, given the system as it comes, and with more reading about some of the pitfalls of RAID, I'm inclined to not use RAID at all. So, I want to have two regular, non-RAID internal HD's, and use a software solution to have the 2nd drive effectively mirror the first, through a nightly update. I'd like this to include all partitions, the full OS, etc. Do you (or anybody else) know if this can be done, and if so, using what software? Don |
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Automatically Duplicate 2 Internal Drives
"Curious" wrote in message ... You might consider a non raid system and set up a backup program to back up from one drive to the other on a regular basis. Even Raid 1 systems can be unrecoverable if the OS writes corrupt data to both drive at once. Actually, that's exactly what I'm wanting to do. My post here is to get advice on what backup program to use, that will work the way I want it to. Acronis True Image and Norton Ghost will create images of the drive, which can then be restored. But that's different from simply having all the files copied and available (including the OS files) on the 2nd hard drive. Traditional back-up programs will copy files, but won't really allow OS files to be copied since they're in use. Are there backup type programs that will effectively make the 2nd HD a full duplicate of the primary HD, so that if the primary HD fails, I can just plug it in where the failed drive was, boot from it, and be back to work right away? (I would then purchase/install a replacement HD.) Don |
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Automatically Duplicate 2 Internal Drives
Acronis or Ghost are your best bets but I don't think there is any why to
schedule them on a regular basis. At least you could depend on restore points if you perform a backup manually weekly or so. I use live one care to as network drive but I am aware that the entire drive is not backed up. "Don Cohen" wrote in message ... "Curious" wrote in message ... You might consider a non raid system and set up a backup program to back up from one drive to the other on a regular basis. Even Raid 1 systems can be unrecoverable if the OS writes corrupt data to both drive at once. Actually, that's exactly what I'm wanting to do. My post here is to get advice on what backup program to use, that will work the way I want it to. Acronis True Image and Norton Ghost will create images of the drive, which can then be restored. But that's different from simply having all the files copied and available (including the OS files) on the 2nd hard drive. Traditional back-up programs will copy files, but won't really allow OS files to be copied since they're in use. Are there backup type programs that will effectively make the 2nd HD a full duplicate of the primary HD, so that if the primary HD fails, I can just plug it in where the failed drive was, boot from it, and be back to work right away? (I would then purchase/install a replacement HD.) Don |
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Automatically Duplicate 2 Internal Drives
On Wed, 8 Oct 2008 13:37:30 -0400, "Don Cohen"
wrote: Are there backup type programs that will effectively make the 2nd HD a full duplicate of the primary HD, so that if the primary HD fails, I can just plug it in where the failed drive was, boot from it, and be back to work right away? (I would then purchase/install a replacement HD.) Casper 5.0 - I use it daily to clone my system drive another internal drive that is second in boot order in the BIOS should my system drive physically fail. It will clone WHILE YOU ARE IN WINDOWS. |
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Automatically Duplicate 2 Internal Drives
"Paul Montgomery" wrote in message ... On Wed, 8 Oct 2008 13:37:30 -0400, "Don Cohen" wrote: Are there backup type programs that will effectively make the 2nd HD a full duplicate of the primary HD, so that if the primary HD fails, I can just plug it in where the failed drive was, boot from it, and be back to work right away? (I would then purchase/install a replacement HD.) Casper 5.0 - I use it daily to clone my system drive another internal drive that is second in boot order in the BIOS should my system drive physically fail. It will clone WHILE YOU ARE IN WINDOWS. *Very* interesting, Paul. Many thanks. I'll be checking this out right away! Best, Don |
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Automatically Duplicate 2 Internal Drives
On Wed, 8 Oct 2008 21:29:10 -0400, "Don Cohen"
wrote: "Paul Montgomery" wrote in message .. . On Wed, 8 Oct 2008 13:37:30 -0400, "Don Cohen" wrote: Are there backup type programs that will effectively make the 2nd HD a full duplicate of the primary HD, so that if the primary HD fails, I can just plug it in where the failed drive was, boot from it, and be back to work right away? (I would then purchase/install a replacement HD.) Casper 5.0 - I use it daily to clone my system drive another internal drive that is second in boot order in the BIOS should my system drive physically fail. It will clone WHILE YOU ARE IN WINDOWS. *Very* interesting, Paul. Many thanks. I'll be checking this out right away! BTW... and it does "incremental" clones too! When you clone your drive, you can save the operation to a desktop/quick-launch shortcut. Click it and do the "incremental" clone - it will check one drive against the other and make the changes that are necessary from the last time Casper was run. Priceless, if you don't want to always leave Windows to do your work. |
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Automatically Duplicate 2 Internal Drives
BTW... and it does "incremental" clones too! When you clone your
drive, you can save the operation to a desktop/quick-launch shortcut. Click it and do the "incremental" clone - it will check one drive against the other and make the changes that are necessary from the last time Casper was run. Priceless, if you don't want to always leave Windows to do your work. This looks incredibly good, Paul. It does *precisely* what I was wanting. And the price is extremely reasonable. Almost sounds too good to be true! I've been looking for reviews and customer experience - haven't found much at all, which is a little bothersome, but everything I've found has been quite positive. This looks like such a useful tool that I'm surprised that it isn't extremely popular and widely known. Don |
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