We are getting way off topic here, but Paul I hate to correct you, but Windows XP Home or Pro CANNOT set up any redundant RAID array. That is you CANNOT set up a RAID1 or RAID5 using Windows XP Pro. You can do it with server OS. It is important to point out that when one says that Windows XP Pro can manage a RAID1 or RAID5, then one is saying that you can use XP Pro using a SOFTWARE RAID. XP Pro cannot do mirror or RAID5 stripe as a software RAID controller.
You can set up most any RAID, if you use a SATA hardware controller card either fixed to the motherboard or as a PCI card. But, then you are booting directly into RAID and are not using any of your OS to control RAID. Hardware RAID is ALWAYS better than software RAID only part of which is if your OS crashes you no longer have a RAID.
If you read the 3rd paragraph under Dynamic Disk Storage, this will all be made clear.
In the same paragraph it does state you can use XP Pro to create RAID1 and RAID5 but this is only if you set it up on remote computers running server operating systems. This is, I believe, way beyond the scope of most users.
http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb%3Ben-us%3B314343
