RAID 1 setup with 3 drives -- ASUS A8N-VM CSM

[edgeice]

Right now i have a 74 gig raptor running on my asus a8n-vm csm with it plugged into SATA 1. I have two 80 gig WD drives that i want in a RAID1 array on order, should be here Monday. My questions are as follows. The chipset is nforce 430 so i will be using NVidia's RAID.

1. Should i attach the drives to SATA 2 and 3? I have read on a bunch of posts that people running this config attached their raid array drives to SATA 3 and 4 and left 2 open. What is the reason for this?

2. When i attach the drives, should i boot up and immediately go into the bios and set up the RAID, or boot into windows first and format them both so they are ready for RAID.

3. Do I install the RAID driver under windows from my MoBo CD first then go into it?

I have read through the manual about setup for RAID and yes this is my first attempt to set up a RAID array. I just want to make sure i am doing thisngs in the correct order so i get it right the FIRST time. Thanx for all you help. Also this is my first post, been a browser for a while.

 

[grooge]

use 3 and 4.
you format the array, not the drive. make sure the array is created.
I don't really understand question3, but when the array will be created, and you reboot into windows, the new controller will be found, and you'll install the drivers from there. Then, you'll be able to partition and format the new drive. You'll have to use disk manager, in computer manager, in administratives tools.

 

[edgeice]

Ok a few new questions. Your last sentence answered my third question. Even in RAID1 i will still be formatting the array, not the drive? Also, where is disk mananger? I am using Windows XP pro. And do you know the reasoning for using SATA 3 and 4 instead of 2 and 3? Or does anyone else? Thanx for your help grooge!

 

[edgeice]

I got my drives today and i would like to start setting up my RAID. Can anyone give me some pointers on where disk manager is or why to use SATA 3 and 4?

 

[grooge]

RAID1 is an array. and you'll format the array. No individual drive are used with RAID.. they become part of an aray and treated as such.

Why connector 3-4? because. I won't explain something you'll have plenty of time to researcg once setted up.

right click "My computer' icon and click manage.

 

[edgeice]

i finished setting up my raid 1 array. Just one quick question. In disk manager my new drive under the fault tolerant column it says no. Is it supposed to say yes? I there a way to view what drives are in the array from windows?

 

[bob661]

Originally posted by: grooge
use 3 and 4.

I would like to know also.