Dual Booting With Linux in Raid

[kenyee]

Some motherboards do include SAS RAID, but they're bloody expensive (not in the $200ish price range):
http://www.supermicro.com/newsroom/pressreleases/2005/press091505.cfm

$50 SATA RAID controllers are mostly software...the problem with that is you'll need the software (really drivers) on Linux and Windows. Look for anything that works w/ Linux' dmraid driver and you should be all set. But be aware that you're not going to get much more speed out of it than software RAID built-into Linux and Windows (they can both do it inside the OS); you'll just get the ability to boot off the RAID drives. True hardware RAID controllers are faster than software RAID and don't need drivers in the OS. The OS just sees the RAID drives as one big drive...

[seeker]

At the moment, my main concern is recognition during installation of Linux. Performance would be great, but it takes a second seat until I can afford something better.

I took a look at your Super Micro link, but unfortunately, that appears to be strictly Intel processors and I'm going to stick with AMD. At the moment, I'm trying to find a GA-K8NSNXP 939 motherboard, but no luck so far. It may be like another Gigabyte mobo that I wanted and found out that it had been discontinued. It also has the Silicon Image 3512 Raid, which may not solve all the problems, but unlike the Nvidia Raid, Gigabyte doesn't list it as a software raid controller. However, According to this:

http://64.233.167.104/search?q=cache:wIHTQVTbGxAJ:linuxmafia.com/faq/Hardware/sata.html+silicon+image+3512+raid+linux&hl=en

It may still have some issues to deal with. I won't really know what it's all about until my head stops spinning.

[kenyee]

Google for "dmraid Linux Windows" for how painful it is to install it. I looked and am going w/ Linux' built-in mdraid instead :-P
More links for your reading (conclusion is the same...real hardware RAID or don't bother):
http://www.centos.org/modules/newbb/viewtopic.php?topic_id=1879&forum=29
which RAID hardware works on Linux and whether it's real or fake:
http://linuxmafia.com/faq/Hardware/sata.html

[seeker]

Google for "dmraid Linux Windows" for how painful it is to install it. I looked and am going w/ Linux' built-in mdraid instead :-P
More links for your reading (conclusion is the same...real hardware RAID or don't bother):
http://www.centos.org/modules/newbb/viewtopic.php?topic_id=1879&forum=29
which RAID hardware works on Linux and whether it's real or fake:
http://linuxmafia.com/faq/Hardware/sata.html
I didn't see your post until just now, and I got tired of running in circles and went ahead and ordered an Asus A8V motherboard. It has raid on a Via chipset, much like the MSI board that I had. I will admit that it lacked in performance, but that may have been partly due to the striping block that I had selected...only 4kb. I didn't realize that it would slow the system down as much as it did. At least with the Via controller, Linux could install properly and it ran moderately well. In fact, it ran better than XP did. I should get the board tomorrow and have it installed tomorrow night, so I'll let you know how it goes.

I got tired of trying to find better mobos, listed on the Gigabyte website, and finally got an answer to a question regarding their state of production and availability. As it turned out, they only have two mobos for AGP, one that I had tried, but had a series of problems with, and the other with a Uli chipset, which I had never heard of. The specs on it seemed okay, except that it had no raid function at all. It appears that the manufacturers are ceasing to produce AGP boards, so if there is anyone out there besides me that wants one, they had better get one now, or they may never be able to get one.