RAID Instructions and Info:

Download a printable instruction page: CLICK HERE


Note: For RAID instructions for setting up RAID on an NVidia Chipset Motherboard, please refer to these pages: NForce Raid


Introduction to RAID Set up:


Due to the increase in the speed of both Intel and AMD processors, many of today's hardware have found the need to increase their performance to keep up with the demand of consumers. Hard Drives are no different. In 2002, Manufacturers began releasing drives with Serial-ATA with the ability to transfer Data at a rate of 150Mbps and a RPM of 10,000 to 15,000rpm. Before this increase we had drives capable of 100Mbps and 133Mbps with a RPM of 7,200rpm in mainstream Home and Gaming PCs. A rather new addition to the need for speed has been the addition of RAID.



RAID or "Redundant Array of Inexpensive Disks, can be explained like this; " If one hard drive is good, then two hard drives working together must be better, right? That’s the idea behind RAID, which lumps together multiple drives to increase performance, provide additional protection to your data, or both. “Striping” boosts performance by reading and writing to multiple drives simultaneously (like writing with both your left and right hands simultaneously). “Mirroring” is an insurance policy that writes every bit of data to a redundant drive. These methods can be combined in a number of ways, called “levels.” The following is a table comparing the most popular RAID levels.



Most middle to high-end Motherboards are now available with a RAID Controllers built in, supporting both IDE and SATA Drives. Integrated is usually the best configuration, capable of the advertised speed of 150Mbps (*SATA only). While PCI RAID controllers are limited to the allocated transfer rate of 133Mbps that PCIs are capable of. Intel has even made their 865 and 875 Southbridge capable of handling both RAID 0 and 1 for Windows XP and 2000. Only problem we have found with the Intel Southbridge set up has been, when the Southbridge is under load it can lower disc performance. In addition, when over clocking, The array can become unstable.




*Click here to view larger view


One Note! When deciding to move to a RAID configuration, make sure you have adequate power supply. Some RAID Arrays have been known to take more than the normal amount of power to function adequately.

How it works:

RAID 0: For an example, we will use RAID 0 to explain the inner workings of RAID. Below, you will find a diagram showing a rather simplified version of a RAID 0 Array. RAID allows the Controller to use two, four or more Hard Drives as if they were one drive, to do this, it spreads the partition across both drives. We have used three partitions as an example.

C Drive below has been striped across both Maxtor SATA drives and the same for the D and E drive. This configuration will allow your system to Read and Write simultaneously to both Hard Drives. There-by increasing the speed in which it completes its task. So when you are first loading Windows, it will only see one drive. Lets say these Hard Drives are both 80GB each. In windows, it will see one 160GB drive. You then Partition it to your liking.

RAID 1: Is actually quite different. It Mirrors the first Drive exactly, there-by adding extra security in case of serious problems with the first drive. In this configuration, Windows would only see one drive of 80GB.



Setting up a RAID Array in XP/2000


Click here to download a printable version of RAID set up

Here is a full description of how to install RAID. (You Should Cut and Paste this to word and print it)

When the drives arrive and you have installed them to their SATA connections:

1) Get your Motherboard Manual

2) Start PC and enter BIOS

3) Look in manual and find where you enable RAID on the motherboard

4) Enable it

5) Exit and save to CMOS

6) After BIOS Post, the RAID BIOS will show. Press the listed keys to enter the RAID Configuration BIOS (your motherboard will show you what keys to press)

7) Listed in the RAID BIOS will be several options:
-Automatically configure a RAID setup (some RAID controllers only)
-Manually set up RAID Array
-Delete RAID Array
-Exit

8) Select manually set up RAID Array

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