argh!! help with RAID1 question please!! - Tilted Forum Project Discussion Community

cartmen34 · 10-05-2004, 10:54 AM

So here's my deal....

I want to build myself a RAID1 array. I've already got a 200GB Maxtor drive, but I don't want to buy another 200GB to make the array with. So, I was thinking I'd buy a 80GB disk and make the array an 80GB array by partitioning the 200GB disk in to two partitions (80/120). I know that if I just slap the drives in the compy and enable RAID, the array wll default to 80GB. That is fine with me, but I want to be sure that I can still use the other 120GB partition of the 200GB disk.

Now..... my question is this: Will this setup work? Can RAID arrays function on a partition of a bigger disk? Or does RAID technology function by copying sector by sector across both disks? Neither of these disks hold the OS, so I can set all this up without having to worry about the OS being on either disk.

Any links or help my fellow tfp'ers can provide will be very helpful. Googling over the last two days has brought me no useful information.... thanks peoples!!

bendsley · 10-05-2004, 11:23 AM

Yes, you can set multiple partitions up on a drive without all of them being of type RAID. However, doing this will yield you slower performance. RAID is specifically meant to be used on 2 or more drives, depending on which raid type you use.

theburner · 10-05-2004, 12:26 PM

bendsley is correct. You will have a huge speed hit (especially if you try to copy from the RAID Group to the partition), but it is doable.

zynyxx · 10-05-2004, 03:14 PM

I wouldn't recommend doing this. Generally it's best to have the same size HD's in your RAID and preferrably same manufacturer. I've had too many bad experiences trying to make this work correctly otherwise. Plus trying to use the other 120mb would be S L O W.

cartmen34 · 10-05-2004, 06:03 PM

I see. Seems like the answer is pretty much the same from everybody. Wouldn't recommend it. The performance hit was not something I'd thought about.

Well, I guess that answers it. I guess I'll just cough up the extra dough and get two identical 80GB drives.

Thanks for all your help guys!

10-05-2004, 10:54 AM	#1 (permalink)
cartmen34 Psycho Location: the hills of aquafina.	argh!! help with RAID1 question please!! So here's my deal.... I want to build myself a RAID1 array. I've already got a 200GB Maxtor drive, but I don't want to buy another 200GB to make the array with. So, I was thinking I'd buy a 80GB disk and make the array an 80GB array by partitioning the 200GB disk in to two partitions (80/120). I know that if I just slap the drives in the compy and enable RAID, the array wll default to 80GB. That is fine with me, but I want to be sure that I can still use the other 120GB partition of the 200GB disk. Now..... my question is this: Will this setup work? Can RAID arrays function on a partition of a bigger disk? Or does RAID technology function by copying sector by sector across both disks? Neither of these disks hold the OS, so I can set all this up without having to worry about the OS being on either disk. Any links or help my fellow tfp'ers can provide will be very helpful. Googling over the last two days has brought me no useful information.... thanks peoples!! __________________ "The problem with quick and dirty, as some people have said, is that the dirty remains long after the quick has been forgotten" - Steve McConnell Last edited by cartmen34; 10-05-2004 at 11:00 AM..

10-05-2004, 11:23 AM	#2 (permalink)
bendsley Professional Loafer Location: texas	Yes, you can set multiple partitions up on a drive without all of them being of type RAID. However, doing this will yield you slower performance. RAID is specifically meant to be used on 2 or more drives, depending on which raid type you use. __________________ "You hear the one about the fella who died, went to the pearly gates? St. Peter let him in. Sees a guy in a suit making a closing argument. Says, "Who's that?" St. Peter says, "Oh, that's God. Thinks he's Denny Crane."

10-05-2004, 12:26 PM	#3 (permalink)
theburner Canadian Beer Ambassador Location: Cumming, GA	bendsley is correct. You will have a huge speed hit (especially if you try to copy from the RAID Group to the partition), but it is doable. __________________ Take Off Eh!

10-05-2004, 06:03 PM	#5 (permalink)
cartmen34 Psycho Location: the hills of aquafina.	I see. Seems like the answer is pretty much the same from everybody. Wouldn't recommend it. The performance hit was not something I'd thought about. Well, I guess that answers it. I guess I'll just cough up the extra dough and get two identical 80GB drives. Thanks for all your help guys! __________________ "The problem with quick and dirty, as some people have said, is that the dirty remains long after the quick has been forgotten" - Steve McConnell

10-05-2004, 03:14 PM	#4 (permalink)
zynyxx Tilted	I wouldn't recommend doing this. Generally it's best to have the same size HD's in your RAID and preferrably same manufacturer. I've had too many bad experiences trying to make this work correctly otherwise. Plus trying to use the other 120mb would be S L O W.