Mirrored Discs - Windows XP

[ian turner]

Sounds like I'm being niggly now, and I don't mean to be, but is there a chance that my ancient motherboard/BIOS will not recognise the new card?

since you would be running the main boot drive in a raid configuration and therefore trying to boot from the raid card
itself then it's quite possible that it may refuse to boot from such devices as it depends on the chipsets on the cards
and how picky the motherboard bios is. There have been a number of cases where this has happened.
Windows doesn't need to know about the raid setup as the raid card handles distribution of data to and from the drives.
Note mirrored raid only protects you from drive failure due to the drive not mains spikes or PSU failure which may take out
both the drives
Your best bet is to create images of your drives as suggested and run backups to external drives every night.
In the long run you'll have to consider upgrading to windows 7 pcs (the pro versions that support running xp virtual machines
to run the production control software in) because those pcs may start to die soon and the best time to upgrade is not when
you don't have any choice.

 

[2Loose]

Because those pcs may start to die soon and the best time to upgrade is not when
you don't have any choice.

Now that is sound advice. Best to prepare in case of them falling over, rather than when they do.
Also, mirroring is not quite the 'silver bullet' that it sounds like. It does need some work to get them running correctly and then you are never quite sure if they are doing their job correctly until you need them...if they aren't then you are stuffed.

I would go with the image and backup method which is easily testable and you may keep various images, just in case one of them isn't right. Also far easier to achieve. You can even automate the system backup via imaging software so that it keeps in just as you leave. No hassle at all.

 

[Crackle]

How much data do you need to back up? What about these fellas www.mozy.com.

I've had over 20Gb with them, i.e. all my critical data.

 

[rosscbrown]

From a Continuity of Business perspective, secure offsite storage like Crackle suggests is an important consideration. I trust you have provision for a total loss of your hardware at the office? Theft, flood or fire for example?

 

[Proto]

From a Continuity of Business perspective, secure offsite storage like Crackle suggests is an important consideration. I trust you have provision for a total loss of your hardware at the office? Theft, flood or fire for example?

I back up Sage Accounts and Payroll, plus the production control data each night, about 20Gb, to a WD Passport portable drivr. It's been tested occasionally when we've inadvertently overwritten a CNC programme, and it restores okay. So not so concerned with data, just looking of a system that can't fail, and when it does (ho ho) is easy to rebuild.

 

[Crackle]

Then if the same model is still available buy it and put it to one side, image your PC and when it fails drop the image on the standby. Best method is to replace PC's in batches and keep a standard image and spare PC's and installation notes of any tricky software. Alternatively look at Microsofts business server on a proper server with mirrored discs. Of course this may be for the future, as for now, imaging sounds your simplest method.

 

[Proto]

Thanks for all your help. Much appreciated.