>>> You are definitely making your life more difficult then is needed >>> for a desktop machine. >>> >>> You said you have 4 hard disks. Make a software RAID1 out of the >>> first two. Make a software RAID1 out of the second two and your >>> good to go. >>> >>> You can use dump/restore to backup the logical volumes on the second >>> RAID set to an LV on the first. >>> >>> No need for bare metal restore. Just need to get some working Linux >>> distro to be able to read your files. >>> >>> Going HW RAID for your desktop is going to get in the way of you >>> getting things going and if your HW RAID card fails then what? Your >>> drives will only work with another identical HW RAID card. >>> >>> -Ross >> >> That makes total sense Ross, I think I may end up going with software >> raid and investing in a good hot swap redundant power supply that >> would fit into an ATX case, combined with a good UPS. >> >> That brings up a last question on possiblity of either a 3ware or >> acrea RAID 1 cards. I'm wondering how long I would be able to order >> a replacement RAID card from either of 3ware or areea. Anyone know >> if 3ware or acrea stock identical replacement cards for their SATA >> 4 port raid cards for several years out? Do they stock past the >> three year warranty period? > > The problem with this is if you buy the previous generation card > because it's cheap and vendors stop selling it then you may be > SOL. OK I guess I have a solution now, I just called 3ware and spoke with sales. On the 9650 se 4 port SATA cards, even if the card fails, they say that I could use a different model card from them if the old card is dis continued; because if the original fails, they designed it such that I could replace it with a different card. I could even migrate a drive to a different motherboard- and still read one of the mirrored drives. For the 8006 series card, this is not the case, I would have to buy the same model card, however I would be covered for at least four years, because this card is still in production and probabally will be for another year, and with the three year warranty I would be covered for at least four years from purchase time if the card dies and I need a new one. I need one of each card, a PCIe and an older design PCI. _________________________________________________________________ Connect and share in new ways with Windows Live. http://www.windowslive.com/share.html?ocid=TXT_TAGHM_Wave2_sharelife_012008