I recently got a couple of old PCs. In order to put them too good use, I would like to make a RAID array of all the disks and place them in one computer.
I know linux has support for software RAID, so that isn't a problem. What concerns me are the IDE controllers. All the PC have no on-board IDE controller and have a seperate ISA card for this. In order to fit all drives in one PC, I would also have to have to put all the IDE controllers in one computer.
I know there is no such option in the BIOS, so how would I go and get this working? Will linux detect them, or do I have to make some special setting?

Any help is appreciated!

bad things can happen when a master/slave relationship drive dies.

If you run MASTERS only, then maybe i'd consider your software raid solution, but that kinda limits you.

If you are truly using those old ISA cards, they do make them in configurable form. I've actually gone to the extent of cutting, rewiring the traces to set one to the alternate i/o & IRQ channel, i am pretty old school ;) back in 486 days lol

I was actually only planning on using the master only, but I hardly doubt if it will matter speed wise because the ISA bus is slow.
There are some 80386, 80486 SX, 80486 DX and 80486 DX2 in the set. Mostly 80486 DX.

Also, anybody knows how to do a RAID 50 configuration (RAID 0'ing several RAID 5 arrays) with software RAID in linux.