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Move Server 2003 SBS from IDE to RAID array


rnielsen151

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As I understand it, if you change the disk controller to a standard/universal one, then when you swap over it should be okay. You might also have to worry about HAL's if you are changing to a different server all together.

But for some reason I've always gone a different route. Mostly because for me I came into the equation after the old computer had failed and you couldn't get into windows to make the changes...so I would have no choice to go the in-place upgrade route. Most people just call it a repair install, so we'll go with that.

Before you shut down, take a few minutes and download all your drivers for your computer. RAID, VGA, Sound, NIC, etc. You'll have to reinstall them eventually, so get em now while it's easy too. Then, shutdown and hook up the RAID drives. Create the array, and then use Ghost or TrueImage to clone the IDE to the new RAID array. After that, shutdown and remove the IDE. Config BIOS to boot to CD then RAID, and put the 2003 SBS CD in the drive. You'll also need to have the RAID controllers drivers on a floppy, or possibly integrated in the source if possible.

Basically you boot to the OS setup, then continue on like you were installing a fresh copy. Don't forget to press F6 to load the RAID drivers if you are using a floppy. And when it gives you the choice to install a fresh copy or repair a previous installation, you wouldn't do the obvious thing and hit r to repair...no, you continue going like a fresh install. Eventually, if the gods are happy, you'll come to a screen where it says it's found a previous version and ask what you want to do. This is where you choose the repair option. From that point on all your settings are saved, but setup run through all the low level stuff. All your applications should still be working fine, but that's no guarantee. When setup is done you should be back to a desktop, but you'll have to reload drivers. Here is where you can load the new drivers you downloaded earlier, including the new RAID controller. You might also lose the smaller settings, like desktop icons and positions, but most things seem to stay in tact otherwise.

However, I have never done this on a server so I can't say for sure if all the AD, DNS, Exchange stuff is gonna stick around. I would hope so, but you never know. And I have had several occassions where the repair option never showed. Meaning, I would follow the process but it would never detect the previous version. So I would then be forced to do a full fresh install. Why? Don't know...

Personally, I would probably just rebuild the sucker from the ground up, but that's just me. Good luck!

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Here's a better idea of the situation

Server 03 SBS installed on 120GB IDE drive connected to mainboard IDE port 1 Master

DVD-RW is on Port 2 Master

Want to add a Promise PCI RAID Controller and run 2x250GB on a RAID1

Want to move the whole thing for backup purposes.

Rebuilding from the ground up is not an option.. Way too much of a pain in the a$$ to get all 15 users and email server reconfigured to new server.

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  • 3 weeks later...

Here's how I'd do it - a ten step move server program:

1. Power down the system.

2. Install the Promise RAID controller into the existing server.

3. Power up the system, and install drivers for the Promise controller once Windows boots up.

4. Reboot, then ***make a full system backup, either via Ghost or some other backup software***.

5. Shut down your system.

6. Install the new drives to the Promise controller, and remove the old drive (do not reformat it until you're sure everything is running properly on the new array!).

7. Power up the system, and enter the Promise BIOS to create the RAID1 array.

8. Reboot.

9. Restore the Ghost (or whatever) backup to the new RAID1 array.

10. Reboot.

If all goes well, you should have the server come back up on the new RAID1 array after step 10 without issue. I can't guarantee you this will work (because you can't run sysprep on a domain controller without losing all domain information, which would be bad!), but it should work if the drivers already exist for the RAID controller before you move the OS over to it.

Edited by cluberti
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