migrate software RAID from level 1 to level 5

supermihi · Guru Joined: 09 Feb 2005 Posts: 348

Hello,
I have a server running a software RAID 1, with two physical hard discs. To add more disk space I want to add another hard disc and then use RAID 5. Is there a way to convert the running RAID 1 into a RAID 5 without needing a fourth disc to swap the data on?
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Keruskerfuerst · Posted: Fri Nov 10, 2006 11:21 am Post subject:

I think, you should backup your data and then reinstall the OS on a raid5 partition.

fangorn · Veteran Joined: 31 Jul 2004 Posts: 1886

I was told there were tools to do this, but I would never do this without a recent backup. At least if your data are of any value. Also it will be most likely more time consuming to convert than to copy from a backup disk.
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Strunzdesign · Posted: Fri Nov 10, 2006 12:18 pm Post subject:

Hi!

You could combine your new hard drive with one of your harddiscs from your RAID1 and create a new degraded RAID5 (3 Disks, 2 active). Then you copy all your data from your (degraded) RAID1 hard disk to your new (degraded) RAID5. Afterwards, you add your "last" RAID1 disk to the RAID5 array and you have a full functional RAID5 system :-)

Florian