P8Z77-V DELUXE Raid 5 and SATA port locations

[exoenix]

Hi and howdy,

I'm looking for some help configuring my computer for Raid 5. I have never used Raid before, simply never cared about the redundancy, caring more for space then security.

I currently am running a P8Z77-V Deluxe motherboard with:
1 - 500GB Samsung 840 (OS and Programs) In Marvell 600 (Navy)
2 - Optical drives (DVD burners) (Blue)
3 - 3TB Seagate 7200 Drives (Data) (Navy and Grey)
2 - 2TB Seagate 5900 Drives (Data) (Blue)

Not Connected, 1 - 3TB WD Green drive, 2 - 2TB Seagate 5900 drive
I was contemplating buying two more Seagate 3TB drives to make a Raid 5 out of of the other 3TB drives replacing the 2TB drives. Is it even feasible with my current setup? I was reading on the manual that if I turned on Raid on any of the SATA ports it was a limitation that is was turned on for all.

Any help would be really appreciated, Thanks!

 

[siddharthmukul007]

you can turn on raid any time you want to.

the limitation is that it will be turned on for all the ports (depending on which controller you select)at once but again you have to select the drives that you want to put in the array. if your sata controller is set to ahci and not raid already,you will have to re install your os again since your primary hdd containing the os is already set as ahci.

another thing to keep in mind though is that while you set up your raid array,you will lose all the data 'if any' that is already present in it.

regards

 

[exoenix]

you can turn on raid any time you want to.

the limitation is that it will be turned on for all the ports (depending on which controller you select)at once but again you have to select the drives that you want to put in the array.
regards

So what does this mean actually? Do the ports not selected to be a part of the raid react differently?

 

[siddharthmukul007]

you have 2 sata controllers on your mother board (1 intel z77 and the other marvell)

selecting raid for intel controller will effect the ports connected to it and vice versa.

you will be able to create an array on those specific ports only.

mix and match between ports controlled by intel and marvell is not allowed

hope that makes things a bit clear to you

 

[siddharthmukul007]

[/quotemsg]

Do the ports not selected to be a part of the raid react differently?[/quotemsg]

once you enable raid,you will be given an option to select the drives which you want to be a part of the raid array.

the other drives will remain untouched and will work as they are working now (as independent drives)

 

[exoenix]

So if I am understanding this correctly I am able to say for instance just make a few of the ports as part of the RAID, but all the Intel ports will be eligible (since I want Raid 5 I am unable to use the Marvel's)???

Oh and if for now I just wanted to make the three 3TB drives the Raid 5 can I add more to the pool later without recreating from scratch (formatting the drives)?

 

[siddharthmukul007]

yes you got that correctly.

you can add more drives later.....but remember the drives should be of the same capacity as the ones you are going to use not. but let me tell you, rebuilding the entire array takes a lot of time.

and by the way, 6TB is indeed quite a lot of space

 

[GUNNY1966]

I currently am running a P8Z77-V Deluxe motherboard with:

? Whom is the MANUFACTURER of your motherboard ?

Yes most are the same, I used the following link for setting up my RAID: http://www.overclock.net/newsearch?search=Official+P8Z77-V+Deluxe&=Search