 |
 |
RAID, disk mirroring
|
|
|
|
|
Dedicated MacNNer
Join Date: Oct 2003
Location: Round Rock, TX
Status:
Offline
|
|
I have a PMG5 with a 300GB drive. If I add a second 300MB, which I'd like to use as a mirrored drive (in case one drive dies the data is on the other), how do I make it RAID? Will OS X copy the existing files over to the new drive automatically, or is RAID something that has to be set up when the drives are first formatted?
Should I be doing this through a separate SATA/RAID card or will software mirroring work well?
Thanks for any advice.
|
|
|
| |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Dedicated MacNNer
Join Date: Oct 2003
Location: Round Rock, TX
Status:
Offline
|
|
So now I've read the help for Disk Utility, it sounds like you can add disks on the fly. You can even add an external drive as mirrored, and things will still work when it's disconnected. When reconnected, Disk Utility will automatically sync up the mirrors.
This sounds too good to be true! I can use this to effectively backup my laptop too by occasionally plugging in an external drive.
Is this too good to be true, or is Disk Utility that awesome? Are there any caveats? What is the downside to doing this, it sounds like something for nothing!
|
|
|
| |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Mac Elite
Join Date: Jun 2005
Location: UK
Status:
Offline
|
|
Something for nothing? No, its what you get for choosing Mac OS X Tiger, 'The World's most Advanced Operating System'
I am about to use Disk Utility to do the exact same thing as you in the PM I use (just had a major hard drive failure -> 600 gigs of video gone! ah!). I have confidence that the RAID feature built into disk utility will provide as expected.
|
|
iMac Core Duo 1.83 Ghz | 1.25GB RAM | 160HD, MacBook Core Duo 1.83 Ghz | 13.3" | 60HD | 1.0GB RAM
|
| |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Moderator  Join Date: May 2001
Location: Hilbert space
Status:
Offline
|
|
The downside is that mirroring is not a backup.
|
|
I don't suffer from insanity, I enjoy every minute of it.
|
| |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Dedicated MacNNer
Join Date: Oct 2003
Location: Round Rock, TX
Status:
Offline
|
|
Well, yeah, if you mean it doesn't help me recover from accidental file deletion. But, I just had a HD die on me - luckily near the completion of copying everything to a newer, bigger drive - so having two mirrored drives gives an extra degree of security against the day a HD dies again. I am stupidly lax about timely backups; mirroring would be an extra safety net. You're right though, backups will still be needed.
|
|
|
| |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Dedicated MacNNer
Join Date: Oct 2003
Location: Round Rock, TX
Status:
Offline
|
|
I added a second, identical drive and went to Disk Utility. I went to the RAID tab but it won't let me drag the boot drive to the set. The extra drive I can drag in - but it's no good on it's own :-)
The help says that the boot drive is OK to use as long as there aren't multiple partitions. Mine has only one partition.
So how should I create this mirrored set? Boot off an install DVD and go to Disk Utility there perhaps?
|
|
|
| |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
 
|
|
|
Forum Rules
|
|
|
|
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts
|
HTML code is Off
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Top
