Creating a RAID 1 setup. Will the disk lose its data?

[Shahmatt]

I want to create a RAID 1 setup with a HDD with data existing on it and a new empty HDD. I've never done this before so not sure about the impact.

Will the existing HDD lose its data after the RAID is setup? Or will it simply sync with the empty HDD?

 

[szeli]

I want to create a RAID 1 setup with a HDD with data existing on it and a new empty HDD. I've never done this before so not sure about the impact.

Will the existing HDD lose its data after the RAID is setup? Or will it simply sync with the empty HDD?

i ever tried something like this on a HP Proliant. it mirrored properly after setting up e RAID1.
but to play safe u better take an image of e hdd before attempting.

 

[davidktw]

I want to create a RAID 1 setup with a HDD with data existing on it and a new empty HDD. I've never done this before so not sure about the impact.

Will the existing HDD lose its data after the RAID is setup? Or will it simply sync with the empty HDD?

Are you using Linux ? If so, the technique is simple.

Simple, create a degraded RAID 1 array using the new empty HDD. Here is one instruction to get you started http://www.zmonkey.org/blog/content/create-degraded-raid1-array

After that, copy all data in the existing HDD into this new degraded RAID 1 array.

Last add your old harddisk as a new harddisk into the degraded RAID 1 array. Resilvering should happen automatically.

 

[Shahmatt]

No i am not using Linux.

I guess I better make a backup before trying anything.