Windows 7 64-bit and +8 TB RAID array

[geohei]

Hi.

I plan to use my old (2006) Areca ARC-1210 RAID controller in my brand new desktop running Windows 7 64-bit.

AFAIK, the Areca only supports volumes smaller than 2 TB:
http://www.google.com/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=web&cd=3&cad=rja&ved=0CDwQFjAC&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.aberdeeninc.com%2Fabcatg%2Fmanual%2FAberdeen%2FAreca-Mgmt.pdf&ei=k_xWUerOPND64QSTuYCYAw&usg=AFQjCNE1uC2D0CPJkaC0O_Jk6qPVpfPicQ&sig2=2vvDSagVsKbFPg9Ol1fXfw&bvm=bv.44442042,d.ZWU

...
3. The maximum addressable size of a single volume set is 2 TB(32-bit mode).
...

The ARC-1210 can host 4 HDDs. I'd like to use 2 TB HDDs, giving a total amount of 6 TB using RAID5.

Now ... since the max. volume size of the ARC-1210 is 2 TB, I need to split the entire capacity of the 4 HDDs into 3 parts, each 2 TB. However I'd prefer not to do so, but to use 1 single huge 6 TB partition.

Question:
1. Is Windows 7 64-bit able to do this through the ARC-1210 and how shall I do that?
2. Are dynamic disks a possible solution?
3. If a single 6 TB partition is feasable, is every software (32 and 64 bit) able to correctly address the entire (!) 6 GB partition?

Thanks,

 

[Bubbaleone]

I did just a quick glance through the user manual and read that 2TB is maximum volume set in 32-bit mode, and greater than 2TB in 64-bit mode."Greater than 2TB in 64-bit mode" is a bit ambiguous, but I'm sure if you dedicate some time to reading the manual you'll find it specified. Hook up your hardware and run some tests if you really want to know what works and what doesn't because the card was designed for 2000, XP, 2003, and not Windows 7.

 

[geohei]

Looks good at the moment.

Areca ARC-1210:
"64-bit mode" seems to work.
Single 8 TB raidset creation was possible.
Single 6 TB RAID5 volume also works.

Windows 7:
h2testw (heise.de) wrote the disk full with data and read it w/o any error. The software is 32 bit. So it looks like everything works as desired. However I'm not sure that other 32-bit software runs smooth. I'm pretty sure I read about potential issues with 32-bit software, leading eventually to data corruption!

 

[yinan]

32 vs 64 bit programs wont matter. As long as the OS can read/write to the drive/array you will be fine. All of those details are abstracted from every program.

 

[geohei]

In other words ... all software (32- & 64-bit) should r/w access the 6 TB partition as desired.
Testing still in progress, but I didn't hit any issues so far.
Thanks for the answers!