Upgrading to a SATA RAID 5 configuration

[Shll]

Hello,
I am currently using a single SATA drive in my file server, I am interested in buying 2 more identical drives and upgrading it to a RAID 5 configuration. I am using the 945g chipset but have no integrated RAID controller, I do have an unused PCIe x16 and an unused x1 slot. I am considering buying a PCIe x4/x8 SATA RAID 5 controller and using it in the x16 slot, which I shouldn't have any problems with, do I? Also, I am not willing to reformat my system, but rather convert the current single drive into a RAID 5 configuration without losing data. How possible is that?
Thank you.

 

[DrGreen2007]

so you want to change your boot device/chip, and change from single drive to raid5 drive, without reinstalling the OS....have fun !

 

[mruffin75]

I do not think you can convert a single drive to RAID 5.

To be honest you'd be better off buying *3* drives, and configuring the RAID 5 on those, and keeping the current drive as it is.

 

[RadiclDreamer]

You will not be able to do this. Not without a format anyway, you are changing the controller for the boot device and trying to go from no raid to raid 5. Now, dynamic disks and software raid may be an option, but not hardware.