Hello, Thanks in advance for any and all advice. I have a number of hard drives in my computer, 2 of which are a stripe raid, done in software from windows xp. Upgraded to windows 7 a while back and was able to re-activate the raid no problems. Then I needed to replace the motherboard in my computer. To save on complexity of a new install and raiding the right disks in hardware I left the software disks unpluged for a while, the data on them is useful but not needed. So the other day I plugged in the two drives and went to the disk manager as I had done previously. Both disks appear, Disk 1 and Disk 2, but Disk 2 is reporting it's status as invalid. And no matter how much I try I cannot get it to yeild any more information that that. Disk 1 is reported as Foreign, which I expect as it's not imported. Disk 1 right click options tell me I can import, but clicking through this process tells me I'm importing 1 of 1 disks, then that it's incomplete and then that I'll loose data as I've not moved both disks into the computer. So I abort. I could also convert Disk 1 to a Basic Disk, but warns again I will loose the data on the disk. Abort Disk 2 also say I can convert to Basic Disk, but loss of data. Abort Disk 2 has a reactivate option but this just brings up a message box "Virtual Disk Manager: This operation is not allowed on the invalid disk pack." With just an okay option. After that both disks have options to take the offline, this yeilds nothing but a new option to bring them back online. Properites option just tells me about the disks, both yield the same information and that the device driver is working properly. And finally Help, that doesn't seem to mention anything of what to do if a disk status is invalid or anyways to correct it and make it a vaild disk once again. Searching the internet seem to yeild similar results, with one exception: http://windows7forums.com/windows-7-support/3906-dynamic-disk-invalid.html The think about this solution is that I get to the part where it says "opened the disk in it." I go to extras and open disk... and the drive is not listed there, so I can't do that. Also juding by the sounds of the solution it will essentially convert the disk over to a basic and I will suffer loss of data as if I'd used the computer management to do this, and if I'm not mistaken to raid them in software they need to be dynamic disks. Another thing to note that I'm disappointed with is the lack of information or even reference to the status : Invalid. No where can I find what this means and if Microsoft believe the drive to be recoverable, unrecoverable or what to do with an invalid disk. All I can do is ask for help and wonder in the mean time, is it time to throw out the drive and start looking at restorations. Regards NutterEver

Hello, I am not familiar with Windows software RAID but I would imagine that if you changed the MB and o/s, you will need to import because it's a foreign RAID to the new OS. I would try to import it and see if both disks are once again back to RAID0. Unfortunately, I would not want to be in your shoes because in RAID0 the loss of any of the two drives menas the loss of the volume.... If you have the time and extras, clone the two disks and then you have some freedom to experiment without fear.Miguel Fra / Falcon IT Services Computer & Network Support, Miami, FL Visit our Knowledgebase and Support Sharepoint Site

Hello, Yeah I've thought about an import and see what happens, just with it reporting that some data will be lost I'm reluctant to do it. The cloning of disks would be useful but half the reason I'm trying to recover this raid now is the extra space of those two drives, everything else I have is smaller. Thanks again, I'll give the thread another couple of days and see if anyone comes up with any other suggestions... After that I'll just have to try the import without the clones and see what happens.

you can clear some reasons why dynamic disk invalid, then find the solution. because your dynamic volumes are stripped volume, so, please read carefully and find FAQ out. (:

Thanks for that, half my problem in this is trying to find out if the drive was recoverable and using the right tool to recover. And if the drive itself was failing or if it a data issue. By the sounds of it was the replacement of the motherboard that killed the drive off, but kinda surpised that it only affected one half of the stripped raid. Still disappointed in the actual windows help files, still can find no reference to what the invalid state is. That site and FAQ has answers those questions. I am happy to report that I've recovered neccessary files off the drives, and that they have been re-formatted and all disk check utilities I've run over them have reported no issues.