OK figured out the RAID driver

Well the Silicon Image RAID controller GUI software didn’t have any help files, but ASUS helpfully put the PDF manual on the CD. So I actually had to RTFM. So I figure out that I don’t want to format the drives just yet I just want to create the RAID group. I can do this with the GUI or with the BIOS by pressing F4 quickly. I reboot and press F4 quickly. I am not offered in the BIOS configuratin RAID 5 as an option which the manual clearly says I should have. So I go back to the manual. There is a confusing section in the beginning about what your options are if you have an different combinations of old/new BIOS and old/new RAID5 driver. I guess I have an old something, so I use the handy dandy ASUS BIOS update program to check the version. Lo and Behold I have an old BIOS. Three clicks later, I have updated the BIOS from the Internet. I reinstall the SATA RAID5 software driver for good measure and reboot. Skipping the BIOS, I go to the GUI. Select Partiy RAID as the option in a new RAID group (couldn’t they just keep terms the same and call it RAID5?), select all four logical 300gig drives, choose “max” size and click create. Done in 2 seconds. ANOTHER reboot and I go int Windows Computer Management, Disk MAnagement. A new, unformatted disk 1 shows up with size 838.44GB (the difference from 1.2TB is the Parity striping). Wow, my 1.62TB RAID system is shrinking VERY fast. With RAID5 the real win is to GO BIG. Then the One Drive you dedicate to Parity will be a smaller percentage of the total. So I am down to about half my usable space. Same as Raid1 (although not an option with two different raid controllers). Somehow a 1GB and a 233 GB partition were created. I delete those two and it leaves one big 838.44 GB space that I create one primary partition on and call it Drive G. Quick format later and Bob’s your uncle, Windows recognizes a BIG DISK.

So now the fun begins, moving over stuff. I unplug the two USB 2.0 (oh, gotta install a new USB 2.0 driver on Windows or it will think the ports are 1.1) 250 ATA external drives I have been using on the other PC to store stuff and plug them into the new RAID box. Plug and play plays nice and everything is roses. I do one huge Drag and drop and am off to bed. Will tell you in the morning if it worked….