Is it possible to enable software RAID 1 on Windows XP system partition?

Question

I have heard, that it should be somehow possible to use just one partition with Windows XP, and be able to mirror that by enabling RAID 1 in XP. I'd appreciate tips how to do this.

If this is true, is it also possible to enable RAID for an existing Windows installation?

Solution

Windows XP/2003 and later versions has mechanism called "Dynamic disks". But you can create mirrored drives only in 2003 server and XP Pro.

More information about dynamic disks here

Comments

[quack quixote]

you want to mirror it ... to what? another drive? another partition on the same drive?

[tputkonen]

Nauturally I would like to mirror it to a second drive

[tputkonen]

I don't mean hardware RAID (aka one implemented with RAID in SATA adapter), but a software-only RAID included in Windows.

[Joel Coehoorn]

The button is F6, not F2 (I corrected your answer for you).

[afrazier]

XP Pro doesn't support creating mirrored dynamic disks. However, I think that if one had a mirror set up in advance (with, say, 2003 Server), XP could be installed onto it.

[Canadian Luke]

I have a mirrored volume in XP pro. Want a screenshot? It's mirrored with Disk Management

[AnT]

@Luke: I also have a mirrored volume in XP Pro. However, enabling this functionality in XP Pro requires a hack. In "normal" XP Pro it is inaccessible.