How to create a mirrored volume on a remote Windows 2000-based computer in Windows XP-based computer (307880)

SUMMARY

This step-by-step article describes how to create a mirrored volume on a remote Windows 2000 Server-based computer by using the Disk Management snap-in in Microsoft Windows XP. You can use the Disk Management snap-in to create a mirrored volume from unallocated disk space on a dynamic disk, or mirror an existing simple volume on a dynamic disk.

A mirrored volume, also known as a RAID-1 volume, is a fault-tolerant volume that duplicates data on two different physical disks. Mirrored volumes are supported on dynamic disks, and provide data redundancy by using two identical copies (mirrors) of the volume.

You cannot create mirrored volumes on computers that are running Windows XP Home Edition, Windows XP Professional or Windows XP 64-Bit Edition. However, you can use a computer that is running Windows XP Professional to create mirrored volumes on remote computers that are running Windows 2000 Server, Windows 2000 Advanced Server, or Windows 2000 Datacenter Server. You must have administrative privileges on the remote computer to do this.

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How to Create a Mirrored Volume

To create a mirrored volume on a remote Windows 2000 Server-based computer from a Windows XP Professional-based computer:

Connect to the Remote Computer

1. Log on as administrator or as a member of the Administrators group.
2. Click Start, and then click Control Panel. Click Performance and Maintenance, click Administrative Tools, and then double-click Computer Management.
3. Right-click Computer Management (Local), and then click Connect to another computer.
4. Click Another computer, type the name of the computer to which you want to connect, and then click OK. Or, click Browse to locate the computer, and then click OK twice.
   
   The Computer Management window of the remote computer is displayed. Expand Storage (if it is not already expanded), and then click Disk Management.

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Create a Mirrored Volume on the Remote Computer

1. In the Disk Management window, right-click unallocated space on one of the dynamic disks in which you want to create the mirrored volume, and then click New Volume.
2. In the New Volume Wizard, click Next.
3. Click Mirrored volume, and then click Next.
4. Under All available dynamic disks, click the disk in which you want to host the mirror, and then click Add. Verify that the disks in which you want to create a mirrored volume are listed in the Selected dynamic disks box.
5. In the Size box, specify the amount of unallocated disk space to use for the volume, and then click Next.
6. Assign a drive letter or path, and then click Next.
7. Specify the formatting options that you want to use, and then click Next.
8. Confirm that the options that you selected are correct, and then click Finish. The mirrored volume is created and appears in the appropriate dynamic disks in the Disk Management window.
9. Quit Disk Management on the remote computer.

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How to Add a Mirror to an Existing Simple Volume

To add a mirror to an existing simple volume a remote Windows 2000 Server-based computer from a Windows XP Professional-based computer, follow these steps:

Connect to the Remote Computer

1. Log on as administrator or as a member of the Administrators group.
2. Click Start, and then click Control Panel. Click Performance and Maintenance, click Administrative Tools, and then double-click Computer Management.
3. Right-click Computer Management (Local), and then click Connect to another computer.
4. Click Another computer, and then type the name of the computer to which you want to connect, and then click OK. Or, click Browse to locate the computer, and then click OK twice to return to the Disk Management window. The Computer Management window of the remote computer is displayed. Expand Storage (if it is not already expanded), and then click Disk Management.

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Add a Mirror to an Existing Simple Volume on the Remote Computer

To mirror an existing simple volume:

1. In the Disk Management window, right-click the simple volume that you want to mirror, and then click Add Mirror.
2. Click the disk in which you want to host the mirror, and then click Add Mirror.

The mirrored volume is created, formatted with the same file system as the existing volume, and appears in the appropriate dynamic disks in the Disk Management window.

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Troubleshooting

Disk Management displays status descriptions in graphical view and under the Status column of the list view to inform you of the current status of the disk or volume. Use these status descriptions to help you detect and troubleshoot disk and volume failures. The following is a partial list of disk and volume status descriptions:

• Online
  This is the normal disk status when the disk is accessible and functioning correctly.
• Healthy
  This is the normal volume status when the volume is accessible and functioning correctly.
• Healthy (At Risk)
  The volume is accessible however, underlying I/O errors are detected on the disk. The disk status may display as Online (Errors).
  
  To resolve this issue, right-click the disk, and then click Reactivate Disk to return the disk to Online status. This action should also return the volume to Healthy status.
• Failed Redundancy
  One or both members of the mirrored volume has failed. The volume is no longer fault-tolerant. The disk status may display as Offline or Missing, or Online (Errors).
  
  To resolve this issue, repair any disk, controller, or connection problems and verify that the physical disk is turned on and correctly attached to the computer. Right-click the failed disk, and then click Reactivate Disk to return the disk to Online status. This should also return the volume to Healthy status.

For a complete list of disk and volume status descriptions and troubleshooting procedures, see Disk Management Help (in the Disk Management snap-in or Computer Management window, click Help on the Action menu).

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