NEED SOFTWARE for setting up RAID 5

[minus47]

Specs -
Win 7 64-bit Ultimate
Q9400 @ 2.7Ghz
GA-G41M-ES2L

Hi guys,

I've never set up a RAID 5 array before and after doing some research, I learnt that one can't set it up using the default Device Manager in Windows 7. And No, my BIOS doesn't have any RAID related features. Is there any particular software or softwares(free or paid as long as it is the best) that you would recommend for helping me set it up? The drives I think I will be using are -

Three 2TB Western Digital WD2000FYYZ

I won't be installing any operating systems on the array. I don't want to buy a RAID card.
Also, any advice regarding setting the array up are welcome.

Thank you.

 

[airdeano]

if the motherboard does not have RAID support, then you need a controller to
give you that support. the motherboard IDE/SATA controller would not have the
FAST switching needed to support multi-array. a software that makes a faux
connection for multi-drive support is asking for trouble. one hiccup and the
array error checking would make a flag and you'd be in a big-heaped mess.

secondly, your WD-FYYZ drives would only operate at SATA (1.5gb/sec) or
SATA2 (3gb/sec) which ever your motherboard can support, as they are backwards
compatible, but hi-perf enterprise drives need a proper RAID card/controller. not
a software band-aid.

 

[dugdiamond]

the GA-G41M-ES2L does not support RAID
no RAID-ing software will work on mobo without that support, as software ONLY calls operations that are available through the mobo's BIOS. and as they do NOT exist on that board it will NEVER be capable without a RAID card.

 

[leathart123]

I was looking at 4 port raid cards for you and can't find any cheap ones that support raid 5 mostly raid 0, 1 and 10

 

[minus47]

Oh okay, thanks.

 

[minus47]

I was looking at 4 port raid cards for you and can't find any cheap ones that support raid 5 mostly raid 0, 1 and 10

Really? Thank you. Which was the cheapest RAID 5 card that you could find?

 

[hmmblah]

the GA-G41M-ES2L does not support RAID
no RAID-ing software will work on mobo without that support, as software ONLY calls operations that are available through the mobo's BIOS. and as they do NOT exist on that board it will NEVER be capable without a RAID card.

That's simply not true. You can do a software RAID 5 on Win2k8 server (I'm assuming 2012 as well). It is not available in 7, but there are workarounds. Linux also supports software RAID 5.

Performance is horrible though. It's pretty much the same as running a cheap RAID controller, ie most of the controllers found onboard or those sub $50 ones you see about. They are all software solutions and perform horribly and are unreliable.

If you want performance and reliability you need to buy a true hardware RAID controller, usually $300+ depending on the ports you need.

That said, I use software mirroring through Windows on my home server. Performance isn't a concern and the whole box was around $500 when I built it. Would I use this at work? Hell no.

 

[Chris230291]

Hello. I use FreeNas with a HP RR 2720SGL to run my RAID Z array (basically RAID 5 but a better filesystem) and i am very happy with it.

The system is a GA H55M UD2H with an i7 860 S and 16 GB of 1600 Vengeance. I'm using 8 X WD Caviar greens.

 

[Deceit]

You could pick up this and use it
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Dell-PERC...Components_InterfaceCards&hash=item2a2b5c3544

 

[dugdiamond]

That's simply not true. You can do a software RAID 5 on Win2k8 server (I'm assuming 2012 as well). It is not available in 7, but there are workarounds. Linux also supports software RAID 5.

Performance is horrible though. It's pretty much the same as running a cheap RAID controller, ie most of the controllers found onboard or those sub $50 ones you see about. They are all software solutions and perform horribly and are unreliable.

If you want performance and reliability you need to buy a true hardware RAID controller, usually $300+ depending on the ports you need.

That said, I use software mirroring through Windows on my home server. Performance isn't a concern and the whole box was around $500 when I built it. Would I use this at work? Hell no.

this i knew... but he does not have win2k8. and a raid card would be cheaper than the win2k8 license

 

[hmmblah]

this i knew... but he does not have win2k8. and a raid card would be cheaper than the win2k8 license

That's not at all what you said though, you said it had to do with his mobo. You can get the 2k8 software RAID 5 working in Win7 or switch to Linux. It was actually a Win7 feature, but MS removed it prior to release. Software RAID is independent of the motherboard.