Building a new computer (with old and new pieces)

[kadonga]

Hello all,
I already created a topic about one doubt that I had with my graphic card.
Now that is clarified, I have a computer built with this:

Motherboard:
GIGABYTE GA-890GPA-UD3H-Socket AM# - Chipset 890GX - ATX

Processor:
AMD Phenom II X6 1090T - 3,2GHz - Socket AM3

Graphic Card:
GIGABYTE Geforce 8600GT

Power Supplier:
CORSAIR PC CX430 - 430 W

RAM:
CORSAIR PC XMS3 2 x 2 GB DDR3

Hard Drive:
1 x SEAGATE Barracuda 7200.12 - 500 GB - 7200 rpm(Interface 3GB/s)
1 x SEAGATE Barracuda 7200.6 - 250 GB - 7200 rpm (Interface 1.5GB/s)

===============================================

Not sure if i am missing any important component, but this is the computer I built. And yesterday when I was preparing to install the OS, the doubts start appearing (I am not experienced in this, just tried do some builts in past but never with an AMD and with this new things).


1st
Can I use the two Hard Drives, that I made reference, together?
If yes, is possible use it in RAID, or is better other way?
(I tried put both in RAID yesterday following the motherboard manual)

2nd
After put the hard drives in RAID, I tried install one OS (Windows 7).
Turned ON the computer, and then expected that the installation starts running from the CD, but that don't happen.
So I thought that CD drive don't was working, but after try the motherboard CD, it seems that work, but still dont run OS CD.
What can be wrong?

Any sugestions of what I might do to put the computer working?

Thank you

[desiibond]

1. Yes you can use both HDDs together and but putting those two in RAID may not work and is not a good idea.

2. Which RAID did you configure your HDDs to? This might help: Installing Hardware RAID on Windows 7. What happens when you try to run the windows setup (win 7 DVD) after disconnecting both HDDs.

[kadonga]

Thanks for your fast reply, I took a look in the guide you linked about create the RAID and install the windows 7. It seems easy to follow it, and will deserve a try. Thanks a lot.


Still about this matter, I noticed in the motherboard manual and in the linked guide that they recommend hard drives with same size. And you say too, that might not be good idea put it in RAID.
So which is the other solution to install both hard drives?
SLAVE/MASTER?

I consulted a friend of mine, about the problem of RAID, and he said that if one hard drive get damaged, I will have nearly no chance to recover files.

But like my idea is mostly install programs and games on the computer and let all my saved files in external hard drives, i think is not a problem.

But of course, I can be wrong. My idea of RAID, was use the RAID 0, to make the computer a bit faster... or this is just a wrong idea?

Thanks for your help one more time