How do I reinstalling Windows (including WHS) and retain the existing pool?

If you are needing to re-install WHS 2011 (or another version of Windows), and have an existing Drive Bender pool that you would like to retain, follow these steps.

This guide applies to v1.4 and above.

Please note this is a guide only. There may be system configuration changes that have not been accounted for, and as a result, there may be issues during the restore process. However provided you followed step 1 correctly, all your pooled data will be safe. If you experience any issues, please contact support.

First and foremost there are some outstanding checks to be made.

1) This step is primarily focused on WHS, however, it may also apply to other versions of Windows. First, if you had converted the original "D" drive into a Drive Bender pooled drive (or simply added it to the pool), the underlying partition will belong to the same drive as the system drive. This means that when reinstalling WHS, this partition will be destroyed. So the first thing that needs to happen is to remove this drive from the pool.

Now we have completed the above step, you are ready to re-install Windows or WHS. Once you have performed the re-installation of Windows or WHS, continue on.

2) Install the latest version of Drive Bender.

3) If the pooled drive you are restoring already exists as a Windows drive letter (i.e. drive "D"), you will need to remove the drive letter before processing. Open the Windows Disk Management console (right-click Computer, select Manage, from here select Disk Management) and select the existing drive letter. Right-click the drive and select "Change Drive Letter and Paths" and remove the drive letter. If the pooled drives have been assigned a drive letter, remove these also.

4) Open the Drive Bender Manager via the start menu (or the WHS dashboard, select Pool management). Once this opens you will be asked if you want to restore the pool found on the existing drives, select yes.

Some WHS specific information

When the system comes up again, you may need to re-add some of the original server folders to WHS. To do this simply add the folders via the dashboard and point them it to the corresponding Drive Bender server folder.