Question on Raid 1
 

If I have two hard drives (same ones) and one is empty and the other is filled with data, then when I want to make them a Raid 1 setup, will it automatically copy the data from the filled one to the empty one, or do they both need to be empty when I set them up as Raid 1?

no it will erase the data and start coping the data from that point on to both drives

Thank you :)

Finally, is there any point in finding the right stripe size as you have to do on a Raid 0 or does that not matter with Raid 1?

I don't think it matter that much on raid1 i don't know for sure i don't run it that often. But i have always found that 128k or 64 strip always gives pretty good performance:thumb:

Thanks again :)

RAID 1 arrays can be built as you choose
 

not automatically - but if you choose to build a RAID 1 array by adding a second HDD to match an existing HDD (w. data) then that is how the array is built. From that point on data is written to both drives to keep them functioning properly in the RAID1 config.

he's right i think at the os level you can install a second hard drive that's the same and see through the intel storage manager software about building a a raid1 array from there ( sorry I never use raid1 at all )

So the data on the first one wouldn't be deleted? It just wouldn't be mirrored either?

^ see that's where i am not sure if when it builds the raid1 within the OS if it copys all data that's on the 1 hd to the 2nd hd ( I don't use raid1 and when i do it's from the hardware level )

Well just to be safe, I"ll move the data onto an external drive, format them both, build a Raid 1 and put it back on .. little extra work, but leaves out the guessing :)