If I change the IDE configuration...

[EnderXC]

If I change the IDE configuration, like physically change which drives are on which channels then boot back up, will windows crap out on me? Last time I played with the IDE config I got BSODs, did I not do it right?

Also, does IDE raid need both channels or can I use both disks on one?

 

[Lazn_Work]

1: sometimes, but you are best booting of of the primary master ide. (or SATA1 as it may be)
2: yes, separate channels. (some can run on the same channel, but at a significant performance penalty) What is your need for RAID?

==>Lazn

 

[EnderXC]

my current config is:

IDE 0 - DVDRW

IDE 1 - 80GB WD

Planned:

IDE 0 -------DVDRW------80GB WD

IDE 1 --------160 Deskstar (then maybe another , this is where raid would come in, Although I don't know if it would help much, it's for a HTPC)

So can I switch it with out messing any thing up?

 

[Lazn_Work]

ugg, booting off the secondary channel... Not that it really matters, but you gave your DVDRW a higher priority (lower IRQ) than your hard drive...

Here is what I would do:

IDE0: 80GB drive
IDE1: 160GB drive (master) and Optical media. (slave)

You normally put the boot drive as master of the primary IDE channel, and you want to keep devices that you will be moving data between on separate channels (as transfering data between channels is faster than back and forth on the same channel)

Make sure the boot sequence is right in the BIOS, and if you have all your drivers installed windows should not care. (if it did last time, you may have other issues)

==>Lazn