Is possible used some SATA ports as RAID1 and other as IDE?

[MiciVici]

I had regular MB wit 4 SATA ports. Two HDD are setup in RAID configuration, one port is used for DVD, and i would like to use the last empty port for my external HDD (eSATA connection).

Do you think that it would work as independent HDD not as RAID HDD? I'm concern that if I spent the money on eSATA card it will setup my external HDD as another RAID HDD?

 

[John_VanKirk]

I had regular MB wit 4 SATA ports. Two HDD are setup in RAID configuration, one port is used for DVD, and i would like to use the last empty port for my external HDD (eSATA connection).

Do you think that it would work as independent HDD not as RAID HDD? I'm concern that if I spent the money on eSATA card it will setup my external HDD as another RAID HDD?

Hi there,

Dynamic Disks set up as Stripped (RAID0) essentially set up as 1 Volume across 2 or more physical HDD's. You have to initially set it up to include which HDD's are in the RAID0 volume. You OS sees just volume (named).

So when you add a "storage device" like the DVD, or a SATA HDD, or cabling for an external e-SATA drive, you connect the HDD with the SATA cable, initialize the HDD as a Basic Disk, partition it normally ("simple volume") either as one large partitioin or 2 or more primary partitions. It won't and can't just be extended on your RAID0 volume.

Not sure why you mentioned an eSATA card, since you don't need another controller, just use the 1 existing SATA connector for a single SATA HDD, either internal or external. Also remember that most external HDD's are in an enclosure connected by a USB cable, although some have Firewire (IEE 1394) connectors and fewer do have e-SATA connectors.

 

[Paperdoc]

I presume your RAID array is created and managed by some RAID system built into your mobo. To get that working and check it, you use some special key at boot time (message on screen) to enter a RAID setup utility. Within that utility you must specify which of your connected drives are actually assigned to a RAID array. By default, any HDD that is NOT assigned to a particular RAID array is NOT used as a RAID device - it is just a common stand-alone HDD.

So, you can connect your new HDD directly to the fourth SATA port as an internal HDD and just use it as a separate HDD. As with any other brand new empty HDD, it will need preparation or initialization - the steps of Creating one or more Partitions on it and Formatting it (them).

If you actually want to buy and install a separate eSATA controller and use an eSATA-connected external drive system you can. It will be a separate controller which has no link at all to your RAID system.

 

[MiciVici]

I had change setting in RAID boot setup screen. I had disabled one of RAD1 configuration HDD and use stand alone HDD, so there is definitely way how you can use multiple SATA ports on your mother board. I had been able to use two of four available as RADI1 and other two for regular stand alone HDD.

Thanks a lot boot responders, your comment point me right direction and save me some time.

 

[MiciVici]

Best answer selected by MiciVici.