Greetings,
I've been all over the boards for the past couple of nights, looking for specific instructions & steps to take to break a RAID1. But there's so many different postings that it's hard to figure out the correct procedure. I'll specify what I have & need below. I'd really appreciate if specific instructions & steps could be provided, plus any additional info that you'd find helpful. A definitive 'How To' would be great or even a sticky.
System: Windows 7 Ultimate x64
Motherboard: Intel DP55KG
Hard Drives: Two identical WD RE3 750 GB SATA Hard Drives (WD7502ABYS)
RAID Config: RAID1 on SATA II, using the RAID controller built into this motherboard
RAID Software: Intel IRST v. 9.5.0.1037
RAID option ROM version: 10.6.0.1091
Notes: I've never had any problems with the RAID, no errors, no rebuilds, no problems at all over the past 4 years.
I want to break this RAID1, without losing any data on the drives, and use the two hard drives independently as normal drives from now on. I'm aware that I have to go into the Option ROM via the 'Control-I' procedure to access the RAID controller and this is where I get fuzzy after all my readings here.
IMPORTANT: My O/S, applications, and data are on the drives and I want to KEEP them intact. I do not want to lose any data and I do not want to format the drives. I simply want to break the RAID1 and then continue using one of the drives as my main drive in a non-RAID...just like a normal computer setup. (At a later date, I'll format the second drive to use for something else).
QUESTIONS:
- After entering the Option ROM, when in the Main Menu, do I first choose the option "Reset Disks to Non-RAID"?
- After this, and following prompts to complete the procedure, then what is the next thing to do?
- I'm curious if I ever go back and choose the option to "Delete RAID Volume". Since the RAID is broken, it seems logical to delete the volume, but how does this affect the data on the drives once I've "Reset Disks to Non-RAID"?
- In the BIOS, I'll leave the hard drive config set to RAID because I've read this is the most flexible way to leave things for future options?
- Do I disconnect, reconnect, or what with any of the drives during this procedure?
See what I mean...it's all these unknowns and questions that are hanging me up. I just can't find any solid documentation or step-by-step procedure on how to undo my RAID1 while preserving the contents of both drives. Any detailed help would be greatly appreciated.
If I can provide any other info, please let me know.
Thank you.