How to configure RAID on 2 addit drives

[3G]

Hi there~

I have a unit with an ABIT AL8 motherboard. I added two additional WD SATA drives which work fine as individual drives, but I got them so I could have a high-performance RAID array for digital audio/video, etc.

At the moment, the drives are accessible in the system, but I haven't used either.

I'm seeking some step-by-step instruction on how to configure the two drives as RAID. I guess Striped would be the performance option, but am open to suggestions there as well. I'm sure it's easy as pie, but hardware and I just do not get along.

Any and all help very much appreciated!

GGG

3G
Onward & Upward

 

[rvnguy]

3G,

This is covered in detail in appendix E: in the mobo manual.
Assuming that this will not be your OS drive you can use the GUI install provided to set this up. Pay attention to the re-boot "press F4 step" to enter & set the SIL3132 BIOS controller.

If you do not have the manual you can get it here:

Abit Manual

http://www.abit-usa.com/products/mb/manual.php?categories=1&model=281

Hope this helps

rvnguy
"I know everything..I just can't remember it all

 

[3G]

Oops - thought I had submitted a story which mentioned a few of the discrepancies I encounted during this adventure.

I do appreciate the reply, and you are right; however, the screens, tabs, menu options, folder structures and contents that I encountered were similar but different enough to cause confusion - at least for me.

Having gone through several attempts, I finally hit upon a routine that was trying to install RAID 5 but it failed. It occurs to me that I may be blown out of the water anyway because I only have the two drives, and it seems most of the RAID levels require at least three.

I dunno - may just have to be happy using the two separately...I'll tell myself the performance gain wouldn't have been that neat anyway.....!!! Or I'll lay out more bucks and buy another 300 gig WD drive and start all over...

3G
Onward & Upward

 

[Prydonian]

3G;

RAID 0 + 1 can be done with 2 discs, but anything higher (like RAID 5) requires a MINIMUM of 3 discs... Your total disc capacity is 2/3 the aggragate of the 3 drives as the third one is used a a pariy drive which contains the information to rebuild a failed drive in the array.

Mike, The IT Guy





Life is too short to drink warm beer....

 

[rvnguy]

3G,

so I could have a high-performance RAID array for digital audio/video, etc.

Page E-3 states that this controller supports RAID 0/1, it does not mention support for RAID 5. It also states that this mobo has the Sil 3132 controller that supports 2 SATA channels and thus you are limited to RAID 0/1.

RAID 0 is what you would want for the highest performance as this essentially doubles your read/write speed allowing for some overhead. This requires a minimum of only 2 drives of similar to identical capacity/speed.

RAID 1 on up provides for different levels of redundancy and operate at normal r/w speeds with a reduction for the redundant overhead.

Give RAID 0 a shot this might also be called a striped pair.

Hope This Helps

rvnguy
"I know everything..I just can't remember it all