help with controller cards

  • Thread starter Thread starter Graphic Queen
  • Start date Start date
G

Graphic Queen

OK, first off I want to say that my computer is working just fine. I
have an older computer that has 2 hard drives on it that woreks great
even though the motherboard is caput on it. It also has a great CD-R/W
drive on it. On the one I am using I already have 2 hard drives and 2
CD-Rom drives on it, all in great working condition. I know that I
need a controller card so I can add the other 2 hard drives and the
other CD Rom drive onto the computer I am using. Does anyone have any
suggestions for a good controller card that doesn't cost an arm and
leg and that I could order over the net? I am interested in something
called RAID. Ever heard of it? If you have, would you explain it to me
so I will understand the difference between that and the older
controller cards? Thanks for any help in advance.

BTW, I have XP Home Edition if that is necessary to know.

Graphic Queen
 
from the said:
OK, first off I want to say that my computer is working just fine. I
have an older computer that has 2 hard drives on it that woreks great
even though the motherboard is caput on it. It also has a great CD-R/W
drive on it. On the one I am using I already have 2 hard drives and 2
CD-Rom drives on it, all in great working condition. I know that I
need a controller card so I can add the other 2 hard drives and the
other CD Rom drive onto the computer I am using. Does anyone have any
suggestions for a good controller card that doesn't cost an arm and
leg and that I could order over the net? I am interested in something
called RAID. Ever heard of it? If you have, would you explain it to me
so I will understand the difference between that and the older
controller cards? Thanks for any help in advance.
Click to expand...

Frank's reply is pretty comprehensive, but a couple of additions:

1) Add-in cards (Like Promise, which I can definitely recommend)
generally do not support anything except hard disks .. the CDRW/CD/DVD
etc. will have to go on one of the two existing channels.

2) You need to ensure your PC's power supply (PSU) has enough capacity
for the extra drives, if you plan to fit them. You also need to check
your case for space .. If I did my sums right, you'll have 4 HDDs and 3
optical devices .. well, I've got a few (expensive) cases that'll take
that many drives, but many cheapo cases won't.

3) I can't remember if Frank said it, but rAID0 sucks badly, IMO. You
have twice the chance of a disk failure (since there are two disks in
the strip set) and if one disk fails you lose all the data .. so it's an
opportunity to lose twice as much data, twice as often, in return for a
very small speedup (folks who edit videos may benefit .. most folks
won't notice any difference). Mirroring and Parity (RAID1, and RAID5)
are OK, but the cards which do RAID5 are pretty expensive.

Personally I'd stick to just using the Promise card as two extra EIDE
channels, and forget about the RAID part (same card can do either, with
a jumper change, last time I looked).
 
Back
Top