Hello. I basically have 2 questions. One involving the install of windows on the new RAID, and the other involving adding 2 more SATA ports and by what means to do so.
Preface:
I currently have 1 WD Raptor 150GB with all my OS and installed programs on it.
I also have 4 Spinpoint F1's in a RAID 5 for storage.
Mobo is Asus Striker Extreme 680i with 6-SATA II ports.
Question Part 1:
I just got another Raptor 150 and want to put it in a RAID 0 with the other one. I know there is a process for installing windows on a RAID array involving a floppy at install for the RAID drivers. But I don't have an FDD and don't want to re-install everything.
Is there a way to just backup my HDD (I have True Image) and restore it after the RAID is built? Would that be a good Idea or should I just bite the bullet and reinstall everything?
Question Part 2:
I also have 2 DVD burners to install, and am short 2 SATA ports to plug them into.
So total I have 8 SATA devices to plug in and only 6 spots to do so.
Should I plug all the HDD's(current RAID 5 and the new RAID 0) into the mobo and then the 2 burners into an expansion card? OR should I plug the 2 burners and the RAID 5 into the mobo and then the new RAID 0 into the expansion? Will my on board RAID controller even be able to do 2 separate RAID arrays at the same time(5 and 0)?
Question 2b:
What type of expansion should I get? I have found 100's of PCIe to SATA port cards in various flavors but they all seem to be x1, and to me it does not make since to plug a 3Gbs SATA device into a 2.5Gbs PCIe x1 port. I have also found a few IDE to SATA cards but have my doubts about using something like that.
Thanks in advance for any advice you can provide.
PS. My main goal is to get the best performance out of the Raptors.
Preface:
I currently have 1 WD Raptor 150GB with all my OS and installed programs on it.
I also have 4 Spinpoint F1's in a RAID 5 for storage.
Mobo is Asus Striker Extreme 680i with 6-SATA II ports.
Question Part 1:
I just got another Raptor 150 and want to put it in a RAID 0 with the other one. I know there is a process for installing windows on a RAID array involving a floppy at install for the RAID drivers. But I don't have an FDD and don't want to re-install everything.
Is there a way to just backup my HDD (I have True Image) and restore it after the RAID is built? Would that be a good Idea or should I just bite the bullet and reinstall everything?
Question Part 2:
I also have 2 DVD burners to install, and am short 2 SATA ports to plug them into.
So total I have 8 SATA devices to plug in and only 6 spots to do so.
Should I plug all the HDD's(current RAID 5 and the new RAID 0) into the mobo and then the 2 burners into an expansion card? OR should I plug the 2 burners and the RAID 5 into the mobo and then the new RAID 0 into the expansion? Will my on board RAID controller even be able to do 2 separate RAID arrays at the same time(5 and 0)?
Question 2b:
What type of expansion should I get? I have found 100's of PCIe to SATA port cards in various flavors but they all seem to be x1, and to me it does not make since to plug a 3Gbs SATA device into a 2.5Gbs PCIe x1 port. I have also found a few IDE to SATA cards but have my doubts about using something like that.
Thanks in advance for any advice you can provide.
PS. My main goal is to get the best performance out of the Raptors.