Can I RAID later on

In article <g8mdneaSr_iGRT7cRVn-sg.DeleteThis@comcast.com>, "John McCoy"
<johnm160.DeleteThis@hotmail.com> wrote:

 > I am upgrading my system and plan on replacing my SCSI drives with SATA but
 > will only do 1 drive in the beginning, later on I will add a second and do a
 > RAID 1, will I have any trouble doing this?
 >
 > Thanks

Download IAAR_Quick_Start.pdf from this directory:

<a style='text-decoration: underline;' href="ftp://download.intel.com/support/chipsets/iaa_raid/" target="_blank">ftp://download.intel.com/support/chipsets/iaa_raid/</a>

The section "Setting Up a RAID 0 System" is for when you
have two disks and want to install the OS on the RAID.

The section "Setting Up a ³RAID Ready² System" is for when you
have one disk and want to migrate to RAID some day. Following
this instruction avoids the "catch22" situation of not being
able to install the RAID driver at a later date (because, to boot
the non-RAID system, the RAID has to be disabled in the BIOS, and
then when the OS is booted, the installer won't install unless the
RAID was enabled in the BIOS, so you are screwed). In other words,
if you are thinking of trying RAID in the future, it pays to be
"RAID Ready".

In both these procedures, the Intel ICH5 setup in the BIOS
must have the RAID enabled for the two SATA interfaces.
That will allow the RAID driver to be installed via F6
when installing the OS.

Not all RAID chips work this way, but my guess is, you
are referring to the SATA RAID on the Southbridge of a
P4P800/P4C800 family board.

Paul<!-- ~MESSAGE_AFTER~ -->