Cloning a Windows Server installation to a new RAID

[nseekong]

I have a Windows Server 2008 R2 server with two 1 TB hard drives configured in a RAID1 array. I started up my server this morning to be greeted by an "Invalid Raid drive" error message. I took out one of the hard drives and placed it in a regular non-RAID SATA controller to get the data off.

I really don't want to go through the hassle of reinstalling Windows Server and reconfiguring the domain. I have 2 brand new 1 TB hard drives and I plan to set up a new RAID1 array with the new drives. Does anyone know of a tool that I can use to copy the entire Windows partition from one of the old drives to the new RAID array that I'm about to set up?

Does anyone see a problem with this plan? Again, the hardware remains the same. I just want to clone my old Windows Server installation to the new RAID1 array and I'm looking for the software to do this.

 

[Wamphryi]

Is it not possible for you to put the drive that you took the data off back into the array? Then you add one of your new drives which should prompt the controller to rebuild the RAID 1 array. Then take out the old drive and add in your next new drive and repeat the process?

 

[nseekong]

Is it not possible for you to put the drive that you took the data off back into the array? Then you add one of your new drives which should prompt the controller to rebuild the RAID 1 array. Then take out the old drive and add in your next new drive and repeat the process?

I haven't tried that. If that works, then that will be great. Remember though that the RAID controller currently gives the message "Invalid Raid drive" in the RAID Configuration Utility. Will installing a new drive cause this error to disappear? I'll try it when I get back to the office, but in the meantime can anyone recommend software to copy the Windows installation partition to a new drive?

 

[Wamphryi]

Well if it is the controller causing the issue then any drive you add will have problems. If that is the case an identical controller will pick up the RAID Array when the drives are plugged in to it. However a different type of controller will require you to set up the array from scratch thus resulting in a loss of data.

Most people I know use Ghost for cloning. If you grab a copy of that you should be able to clone what you want.

 

[nseekong]

When I put any of the original drives in the RAID controller in any combination (one new drive and one drive with data on it) I received the same "Invalid RAID drive" error.

I put two brand new drives in the server and created a new RAID drive. I then hooked up one of the old drives to the SATA controller and used Clonezilla to copy that drive to BOTH new drives in the RAID controller. I then removed the old drive from the SATA controller and rebooted the server and the server started up as normal.

Thanks for taking the time to help.