[haxxorpoop]

I've got a new computer that I'm building, and I want to implement either RAID 1 or RAID 5 using the 4 x 500 GB drives with the computer, but first I need clarification on certain things. I will be using Windows XP, and my motherboard has an onboard RAID controller. Also, I dont really need the extra space, and redundancy is my top priority.

RAID 1:

• If the motherboard dies, I am still able to recover all my information, correct? That is to say, upon a dead motherboard, the 4 drives can be plugged into a new computer, and 2 drives will be mirrored correctly with the other 2 drives (at which point I can re set up the RAID).
• Windows XP doesnt natively support software RAID 1, correct? But this shouldn't be a problem for me, since I'm doing a hardware RAID with the onboard controller.
• How setting up 2 mirrors work with only 1 hardware controller? Is this recommended?

RAID 5:

• Does RAID 5 require a minimum of 4 drives or a minimum of 3?
• If the motherboard dies in a RAID 5 setup, data recovery will be difficult, perhaps impossible, no?
• RAID 5 is a hardware-only implementation of RAID, correct?

Thanks for the help, guys (and gals ).