Is it possible to create a RAID1 array with a drive that has pre-existing data?

[Sparky]

Basically:

Client has a server that was using the onboard nvidia RAID (yeah, YUCK) in RAID 1.
Nvidia RAID blew up, resulting in the RAID array completely falling apart and screwing up. Damaged Server 2003 SBS install while it was at it.
Could not rebuild the RAID1 due to the config being all wonked out (didn't even know which drives should be part of it anymore, stupid thing), but was able to set it in single drive mode and repair SBS 2003.

So yeah, server is online, the system is working OK, but the server has lost all drive redundancy. The system does nightly backups, so the important data is safe, but if the one drive was to blow it would quite the inconvenience.

Is there a way to recreate a RAID 1 array using a REAL controller card that won't wipe the data on the current drive, but rather just join the second drive in for redundancy again? For example, I have a 3ware LSI 9650SE-4LPML card available for use, but according to it's user guide it will erase the drives when creating an array of any type. This seems typical of all the cards I have looked at, so maybe I'm asking for the impossible, but I thought I'd ask anyway.

[Kayin]

Make copy of setup onto (extra) spare drive, set (original) two drives in RAID-1, ghost onto new RAID. It was always my solution to nVidia RAID.

[zanzabar]

i dont think that u can do anything non destructive unless u already had it as a single drive array.

the best way i would think would be to shut it off affter a full backup (i assume that u are doing incremental nightly backups, and once a week full so u could do it without changing the schedule if u want low downtime), then restore the drive to the raid 1 array. and make sure that u load the driver before restoring but being 03 i dont know if that will work right with an xp based OS to change to a different raid and have windows not tweak. (what kayin said but im more convoluted)

and i know u said yuck, but why was some1 using an NV board as a server and why the onboard raid1 when even a $20 jmicron card is more reliable.

[Sparky]

I don't know why it was using crappy nvidia RAID, they had it long before I started servicing their systems. It is a few years old.

Kayin, I did try doing something like that at first, only with the original nvidia RAID, but when I imaged it back over it nuked the array. Granted, that was still the software nvidia RAID so that was probably part of it. But it isn't something I can really just experiment with for a while.

It may just end up being in single drive mode for a little while longer, then just replaced with a newer unit with real RAID, server 08 R2, etc...

[zanzabar]

what are u using to backup with, if u have something that images u should be fine, and u could use it on a different computer with the raid card from inside windows to image the drives, there should be no way that can kill it.

[Sparky]

The backups are done with the built in ntbackup that comes with SBS 2003.

[Kayin]

I'm not surprised at nVidia chipset. nForce Pro 3600 or equivalent, right? That's what my Opty's board is. From what I remember of it that SBS backup isn't too bad. It should limp you by (got an offsite backup too?) until you get to make that upgrade.

Good RAID cards are getting cheaper, and I see you're already interested in migrating to a real RAID solution. Seems like you have a fine handle on things.

[Nosfer@tu]

I would use Acronis http://www.acronis.com/backup-recovery/
Place the file on a usb drive.

Then get 2 different disks, create the raid with them, use acronis media cd to boot from.
Restore the via the file.