Setting up RAID

[fuxor]

This will be my first venture into RAID.

I just got my K7N2 Delta-ILSR (http://www.msicomputer.com/product/detail_spec/product_detail.asp?model=K7N2_Delta-ILSR&search_text=K7N2) up and running (typing on it now :D) and right now I've just got winXP installed on one of my 80gb WD SE drives... Thing is I've got this other identical WD SE drive :D and I want to RAID 0 them.

There's a floppy disk that looks like it's got the RAID drivers on it (Promise 376/378)... should I just pop that in and see what it does? Does anyone know where a good online tutorial is?

also, how worried should I be about data loss? will I lose everything if a drive fails and what are the chances of that happening?

Thanks :)

ohh also, there are three IDE controllers, and the manual says that only one of them is a RAID controller, and I can only have one hard drive on that controller (along with a CDROM or LS120 orsomething)... Does this mean I should have one HD on that controller, then another on one of the other controllers for RAID to work?

[primesuspect]

If you've already got windows installed on one of them, you cannot RAID them. You need to install windows ON the raid.

So, you go into the BIOS, and create the raid 0, striped, 64K clusters.

Then, boot off the WinXP CD, hit F6 to install 3rd party drivers, and then insert that floppy when it asks.

Then you create the partition as normal (Setup will see the RAID as a single drive) and go from there.

The way I choose to look at RAID 0 is thus: You have twice the chance of losing your data - if either drive dies or fuxx0rs, you're screwed. However, the performance increase is worth the risk. Just make sure you back up your shizz.

You need to have both drives on the RAID controller to create a raid - you cannot have one on the RAID port and another on a non-raid port.

[EQuito]

If the mobo didn't come with adapters, I'd buy 2 HPT RocketHead 100's and use SATA RAID. That way you can add a third HD for backup as master on IDE1 plus the 2 ATAPI devices as masters on IDE2/3.
Also, unless you'll be video/sound editing, I'd use a lower cluster/stripe combo.

Interesting enough, looks like this MB supports RAID with HD's connected to both controllers or they mean one PATA drive via adapter and one native SATA drive... :confused:

[Spinner]

I suggest you head on over to the RAID FAQ's thread, there is a lot of good information in there, which should bring you up to speed on what you need to do.

I also wrote a little 'how to setup up RAID' article as well, (you can find it near the end of the thread), I feel that will probably help you out considerably. After you've had a read the stuff over in that thread, and you're still stumped, then post back here and we'll be glad to help you further.

http://www.short-media.com/forum/showthread.php?s=&threadid=195