Hi Jim, The key element to a RAID (Redundant Array Inexpensive Drives) configuration is the hard disk controller. This controller is either built into the motherboard or is a separate card. The process you describe is mirroring where one drive is "mirrored" onto other drives. Before you consider buying a computer with RAID, check to see if the operating system supports mirroring. RAID is generally used on file servers that require a high level of data integrity and the server operating system support it. A point to note is file servers running RAID usually have some other form of backup. You can generally install a second hard disk drive on a pc and use it to backup your data. I have a pc with a RAID controller and one hdd that started to play up recently. I purchased an external hdd, backed up all of my data onto it, replaced the faulty hdd, re-loaded the operating system and copied my data back. I now use the external hdd to regularly do backups. I would suggest everyone who has important data to backup regularly! Regards, Steve. ----- Original Message ----- From: "Jim Patterson" <[email protected]> To: "Wigtownshire Roots Web list" <[email protected]> Sent: Tuesday, December 07, 2010 3:08 AM Subject: [WIG LIST] Identify a Placename please? Plus Raid Backup? > To all the kind folk who have waded in and used all their vast resources > to > try and locate the answer to my posting, thank you so much one and allJ > > > > Sorry to be away for a wee while but I had a hard drive failure and > although > I had everything backed up nicely occurrences like this always change > something that needs considerable attention it seems.. > > > > During this downtime I heard that some computer motherboards have a > process > called "Raid" available on them and I am now considering the purchase of a > new PC so I can utilise this technology usually used by commercial > ventures > but fits well for Genealogists work I feel. With the raid process > available > one simply asked the computer repair folk to install a second internal > hard > drive of the same size as your main hard drive and set up the process so > and > from then on all activity on your main drive is completely duplicated onto > the second drive giving you a real time backup process. > > > > Food for thoughtJ > > > > I will be responding to all who emailed directly as I get to your > messages, > sorry for the delay. > > > > Cheers Jim Patterson > > > > > ------------------------------- > To unsubscribe from the list, please send an email to > [email protected] with the word 'unsubscribe' without > the quotes in the subject and the body of the message >