RAID setup on existing system

[sparky853]

I'm sure this has been asked before (I didn't actually do a search though ) but how hard is it to setup a RAID 1 array on an existing system?

Can it be done without reinstalling my OS?

What I have is a A64 3200+ on an MSI K8T Neo2-F. I already have a 160Gb (4 partitions, 3 with OS, one with data storage) and a 250Gb for games, both IDE. What I want to do is but a pair of 300Gb SATA drives and run a RAID-1 array to copy sensitive data to.

Is it as simple as installing the drives, enabling the SATA RAID controller, and installing the drivers and setting it up?

 

[jj14]

Just to confirm that I understand this correctly - You want to keep your OS on the 160GB and keep the games on 250GB and you want to add 300GBx2 as RAID1 for keeping your important documents on... If so, yes, you can do it fairly easily - no need to reinstall the OS.
Are you using software RAID or Hardware RAID? If you are using s/w RAID, you will just have to plug in your new drives to your mobo (or controller card if mobo doesn't have provision). Start Windows up, go to disk management and configure the drives as RAID1 (after creating a partition on them and formatting them of course).
For h/w RAID, you would need to install the drivers separately and they will then show up as a single drive on disk management - process varies by the RAID controller manufacturer.
* Check to make sure that your mobo will support 300GB drives
* Check to make sure that your power supply can handle the additional drives.