How in the Tech

Recovering software raid arrays in Windows with Raid 2 Raid

By Adam Myers ⋅ December 14, 2009 ⋅ Tags: File Management, System Administration

RAID is generally a complicated piece of technology that has become more mainstream thanks to it’s inclusion in a lot of consumer-based motherboards. On the surface, RAID is a method of disk redundancy and potential performance gains that involves combining a bunch of hard drives together, presenting one large file system to the operating system. There are a number of iterations of RAID but the three most prevalent are: RAID 0 – high performance, no redundancy, RAID 1 – redundancy, minimal space, and RAID5, good performance, good redundancy. In high performing servers most administrators stick with a tried and true hardware-based RAID controller. The falacy that most consumers are making is thinking that the RAID controller on their $100 motherboard is true hardware-based RAID. It’s not, simply – it’s all handled in software layer that communicates with the RAID controller.

For many, this is acceptable; you get what you pay for but performance is generally comparable to the more expensive solutions, and redundancy is there if you are using the appropriate RAID level. However, consumers can get into trouble because, in general, these software-based RAID arrays are not portable. Meaning, should your motherboard go on the fritz and need replacing, the odds are that the new motherboard will be utilizing a different RAID controller – and thus render your large array unreadable. It’s important to realize that hardware RAID controllers like the ones in servers also suffer a similar problem. However, these types of RAID controllers are accessible years after their release, whereas motherboard technology changes quite rapidly. You may find it quite difficult to source a motherboard purchased over a year ago, for example.

Computers rarely fail when it’s convenient for their user so what are your options if you motherboard RAID goes tits-up and you are unable to find that same motherboard RAID controller? DiskInternals provides a piece of software called Raid 2 Raid that just may save your data. With Raid 2 Raid, you are able to mount an array that was created on a different controller or even assist in RAID array recovery if you’ve encountered a software glitch.

Raid 2 Raid is free, available for all versions of Windows including 7, and supports all iterations of NTFS.

Those that practice safe backup procedures know that RAID is no replacement for maintaining backups. Raid 2 Raid may save your day but as night falls, hopefully the lesson learned will be to undergo proper backups of your array so that you are prepared for disaster – as it will happen eventually.