RAID is a computer acronym meaning “Redundant Array of Independent Disks.” Wikipedia. In this case we’re talking about “mirrored” disks, one of the simplest RAID configurations, where two identical disks contain identical data so that one can continue operating if the other fails. Since they contain the same data the second disk doesn’t add any disk capacity, but it does add reliability. Pros:

• The hard disk is MUCH less apt to crash. Only people who have experienced a crash can fully appreciate this.
• Perhaps I can get away with less backup, e.g. only back up the most sensitive data.
• Or, I can buy a THIRD drive and hot-swap it, so the swapped-out drive is the backup.
• I’d enjoy the experience of setting it up and using it.

Cons:

• It’s more expensive: I need two drives, not one, and the motherboard (which manages the drives) costs a little more.
• The drives will make twice as much noise. Hmmm.
• It doesn’t solve ALL backup problems: If I accidentally permanently delete a file, it will be gone on BOTH drives; if lightning hits the computer it could easily take out both drives.

I’m leaning toward…

One thing which has always annoyed me about Windows is its inability to pick up and recognise nvidia raid sets (created by the nvidia raid bios utility). Windows XP and much earlier versions of Windows Vista I beta tested (CTP’s 50 and below) required that you have a 3rd party driver provided by the motherboard manufacturer. Having this nvidia raid driver (usually called nvraid) hanging around on a floppy drive was always inconvenient. I had long removed floppy drives from my computers years ago because I just didn’t need them. With Windows XP I would slip stream the nvidia raid drivers into a Windows XP installation using nlite so that I wouldn’t have to muck around with the normal F6 business during windows startup.

Skip forward to the present day of Windows Vista release January 30th. Windows finally just recognises my nvraid array. Such a little thing yet such a big win in convenience.