EPoX 8KTA3 RAID Question

[TIbrO]

Two months ago I bought the EPoX 8KTA3 motherboard. It is excellent and hasn't given me much problems, none that I couldn't fix quickly anyway... I later found out that they have another version of my motherboard with two more IDE ports that are for RAID or whatever, which allows for use of 4 more drives if you use the ports as normal IDE or something... I guess I goofed up when I bought the motherboard, because I would have loved to have 8 drive capability. Now I am considering buying a PCI card or something, that lets me get this ability for 4 more drives... can this be done? Or do I have to use RAID 0 if I buy a PCI RAID Controller? I have the free drive bays on my tower for 4 more drives, and I would love to have 3 more HDDs and a DVDROM Drive. Is this type of PCI card recommended or should I just build a second PC with an 8KTA3+ motherboard, which has the onboard RAID ports? I want all of this space because I plan to get real serious about Video Production and Editing.

[SCompRacer]

Two ways you can go, TIbrO.

You can get a RAID card like the Promise FastTrak100 for about $89 and not use the RAID, or for about $38 get the Promise Ultra100 controller card that has no RAID. Either of these would allow for 4 additional IDE devices.




[This message has been edited by SCompRacer (edited 04 April 2001).]

[Greebe]

and or modify the Promise Ultra100 controller (cheap and ultra easy) and turn it into their Fastrack raid controller!

[Marshmallowman]

in win2k software RAIDing on the ulta100 controller would probably have the same performance as a the fastrak anyway(no point voiding your warantee)
..or am I missing somthing?

[EchoWars]

Hell, you can buy a Ultra100 controller for $25 on eBay...screw the warranty! My hacked Ultra100 card running Raid-0 works flawlessy...

[rylan]

Yeah, that primise Ultra100 control is pretty good, especially with the quick hack to make it a RAID controler