keeping data while moving over to Raid 5?

[GodSpeed]

I currently have 3 x WD Sata 200gb (186gb non-marketing, all same model), two of which are totally loaded up with about 3-5gb of space left on each... every time I buy a new HD, I get worried about data loss even more.

I want to move over to a nice raid5 setup, my new mobo has 8 sata ports and 2 on-board raid controllers from different brands... or I could go for a nice 8 port 3ware sata controller card..

My problem is that I have no room to move my current data to, is there a way to construct the array without loosing all my data?

 

[unhappy_mage]

3ware doesn't make a 6 port raid card that I'm aware. LSI or 8 port.

Nope, gonna have to bite the bullet and back it up and reformat or buy enough disks that you can copy it all over.

 

[GodSpeed]

3ware doesn't make a 6 port raid card that I'm aware. LSI or 8 port.

Nope, gonna have to bite the bullet and back it up and reformat or buy enough disks that you can copy it all over.

Damn, looks like I'm going to have to borrow someone's 1TB lacie drive

 

[unhappy_mage]

Those are actually 4x250gb disks, in raid0 (iirc). Hope you don't lose one while copying stuff over...

 

[GodSpeed]

I just realized that these may not be the RAID compatible versions of the drives, does this mean I have to sell them all and get raid ones from WD?

WD Caviar SE, WD2000JD-19HBBO

 

[doormat]

no. you drives will run in RAID just fine.

 

[unhappy_mage]

The "raid edition" drives actually have no extra stuff on them, I think it's just a longer warranty (and maybe more cache?).