I need help choosing a (fake) RAID card

[clonazepam]

Basic info:

Windows 7 Ultimate x64
Thermaltake 850w mod psu
Asus P5N-D (nforce 750i)
Intel Q6600 (3.0-3.6ghz)
g.skill 8gb ddr2 ram
gtx 570 (adding gtx 260 for physics after i find a proper raid card)


I'm currently using the onboard raid controller. I have 2 pairs of identical drives. 2x 74gb raptors in raid 0, and 2x 1tb in raid 1.

I need to find a raid controller card to replace the onboard controller so i can fit my 2nd gpu into its slot. (4 sata cables block it atm)

I'm only looking to match the current performance I get from the onboard.

I have only 2 slots available. a standard pci and a pci-x1 slot.

I read up somewhat on the cards but it gets confusing as some like win7 x64 and some are a pita, so i'm looking for guys and gals with experience in this area. I've only ever used the onboard fake raid and want to upgrade to inexpensive fake raid controller cards. Please help me choose brand and model that'll give me "as good or better" performance and very little head ache (if possible). Thanks.

~Cliff

 

[FireWire2]

Basic info:

Windows 7 Ultimate x64
Thermaltake 850w mod psu
Asus P5N-D (nforce 750i)
Intel Q6600 (3.0-3.6ghz)
g.skill 8gb ddr2 ram
gtx 570 (adding gtx 260 for physics after i find a proper raid card)


I'm currently using the onboard raid controller. I have 2 pairs of identical drives. 2x 74gb raptors in raid 0, and 2x 1tb in raid 1.

I need to find a raid controller card to replace the onboard controller so i can fit my 2nd gpu into its slot. (4 sata cables block it atm)

I'm only looking to match the current performance I get from the onboard.

I have only 2 slots available. a standard pci and a pci-x1 slot.

I read up somewhat on the cards but it gets confusing as some like win7 x64 and some are a pita, so i'm looking for guys and gals with experience in this area. I've only ever used the onboard fake raid and want to upgrade to inexpensive fake raid controller cards. Please help me choose brand and model that'll give me "as good or better" performance and very little head ache (if possible). Thanks.

~Cliff

There are TWO solution to your issue:

1) Get a right angle SATA cable

2) Use this raid card:
http://www.amazon.com/Syba-SY-PEX40013-Express-Controller-Chipset/dp/B002OEBO78/ref=sr_1_22?ie=UTF8&qid=1301513975&sr=8-22

This will impose a performance problem, due to TWO set of raids share the same 2.5Gb/s bus...

I may have other solution, i need to check and post it later on

 

[clonazepam]

Right angle won't work in this instance since its 4 drives the cables would dominoe one on top of the next and stacked 4 high i don't believe it'd fit or be a solid connection. I purchased the other type that raise up and then to the left but they are still half an inch or so too tall. I thought of perhaps looking into alternative cooling for the 260 since its a BFG and no longer has any warranty. The ones I have now look like this: I tried ascii art lol but its too difficult. Basically the 90 degree angle is done on the flat side of the cable. Does that even make sense? I couldn't find it on newegg to post a link but if u need 4 cables at an angle you go with these rather than standard right angle sata cables. These are the closest i've come to making it fit but its still a little too tall for the card yet.


I'll look into that card you suggested. I suppose one other minor criteria would be that I have had to replace my xbox 360's dvd-rom drive once already in the last 6 years so added compatibility with the new card would be a bonus though I can always use a spare IDE drive and a mobo sata if I needed to key a replacement again.

Thanks so far for the suggestions. Keep em' coming please. I love reading about tech I hadn't encountered yet

 

[stingstang]

Basic info:

Windows 7 Ultimate x64
Thermaltake 850w mod psu
Asus P5N-D (nforce 750i)
Intel Q6600 (3.0-3.6ghz)
g.skill 8gb ddr2 ram
gtx 570 (adding gtx 260 for physics after i find a proper raid card)


I'm currently using the onboard raid controller. I have 2 pairs of identical drives. 2x 74gb raptors in raid 0, and 2x 1tb in raid 1.

I need to find a raid controller card to replace the onboard controller so i can fit my 2nd gpu into its slot. (4 sata cables block it atm)

I'm only looking to match the current performance I get from the onboard.

I have only 2 slots available. a standard pci and a pci-x1 slot.

I read up somewhat on the cards but it gets confusing as some like win7 x64 and some are a pita, so i'm looking for guys and gals with experience in this area. I've only ever used the onboard fake raid and want to upgrade to inexpensive fake raid controller cards. Please help me choose brand and model that'll give me "as good or better" performance and very little head ache (if possible). Thanks.

~Cliff

How does adding a card to replace an onboard raid controller open a slot? Is there some sort of modding trick I don't know of?

 

[FireWire2]

I think you only need 2x SATA ports - you may use one right/left angle to accomplice this...

you can use a SATA hardware raid controller connect to two drives for raid0 or 1 then connect back to SATA port with the right/left angle connectors

This, i think will solve your problem and and improve the computer performance, because the raid does not take resource from your system

 

[clonazepam]

How does adding a card to replace an onboard raid controller open a slot? Is there some sort of modding trick I don't know of?

I can add a pci or pci-x1 card and have room for a 570 and 260. That setup will enable 4-drive raid configs and have 2 gpus. Currently, the onboard satas would be smashed by the 260 if I were to put it in. Since add-on cards are dirt-cheap and im not trying to break any speed records it should work out.

 

[clonazepam]

Best answer selected by clonazepam.