In the 1990's, breaking the 640 KB memory limit of DOS was a big deal. Now, with single hard drives reaching capacities of 1 TB (1,000 GB), it is very easy to create a RAID array larger than 2 TB, but your operating system may not be able to handle it. But if you don't plan ahead, your operating system will only be able to address the first 2 TB and all that extra storage beyond 2 TB will be unusable. Here is an overview of some of the methods you can use to get around the 2 TB limit.

Equipment Requirements:

• Hardware RAID controller capable of 64-bit LBA addressing (for volume sizes greater than 2 TB). For this example, I'll use an Areca ARC-1230 RAID card.
• Several hard drives to connect to the RAID controller to create a RAID array. For this example, I'll assume (five) 1000GB SATA drives.
• Drives must be configured in a RAID level 5 Volume Set. For the first two examples, I'll assume all five drives are members the same RAID level 5 volume set. RAID level 5 requires the space of 1 drive to be allocated for parity data, so total available storage space for 5 drives will be 4 drives x 1000GB = 4TB.

Required Background Information: I'm assuming you already have an understanding of RAID 5, its benefits, and requirements. If not, read this Wikipedia article. Now, let's discuss the difference between RAID sets, Volume Sets, and Operating System Partitions.

• RAID Sets are groups of drives that a RAID controller groups together to act as one single array. The individual disks are not visible to the operating system but rather are controlled by a hardware RAID controller.
• Volume Sets are create by the RAID controller and reside on top of RAID Sets. A Volume Set set is presented to the operating system as a single, virtual disk drive. This is a little confusing, but the RAID level (RAID level 5 in this example) is determined when the Volume Set is created (not when the RAID Set is created.) It is possible to have multiple Volume Sets residing on the same RAID set, and the Volume Sets may even use different RAID levels.
• Partitions are created by the Operating System and reside on top of Volume Sets. (Volume Sets appear as virtual disk drives to the operating system.) You can use have the Operating System create one or more formatted partitions on top of a volume set.

Breaking 2TB Option 1 - Use Windows with NTFS and GUID Partition Tables (GPT) partitions. It is possible for Windows to use NTFS partitions larger than 2TB as long as they are configured properly. Windows requires that the GUID Partition Tables be used in place of the standard Master Boot Record (MBR) partition tables. You will need Windows XP x64 Edition or Windows Server 2003 Service Pack 1, Windows Vista, or later for GPT support. (It is possible to mount and read existing GPT partitions under Windows XP and 2000 using GPT Mounter from Mediafour.)  There are a couple of stipulations for GPT disks. First, the system drive on which Windows is installed can't be a GPT disk because it is not possible to boot to a GPT partition. Secondly, an existing MBR partition can't be converted to GPT unless it is completely empty; you must either delete everything and convert or create the partition as GPT. Read this Microsoft TechNet article for more details on GPT.

• To summarize: 1 RAID array of five 1TB Drives -> 1 RAID level 5 Volume Set that is 4TB -> 1 NTFS GUID Partition Table Windows partition that is 4TB.

Breaking 2TB Option 2 - Use Linux with CONFIG_LBD enabled. Most Linux file systems are capable of partitions larger than 2 TB, as long as the Linux kernel itself is. (See this comparison of Linux file systems.) Most Linux distributions now have kernels compiled with CONFIG_LBD enabled (Ubuntu 6.10 does, for example.) As long as the kernel is configured/compiled properly, it is straight-forward to create a single 4TB EXT3 (or similar) partition.

• To summarize: 1 RAID array of five 1TB Drives -> 1 RAID level 5 Volume Set that is 4TB -> 1 EXT3 (or similar) Linux partition that is 4TB.

Breaking 2TB Option 3 - Use Standard Partitions and Create Multiple Volume Sets within a RAID array. A RAID array itself can be larger than 2 TB without presenting a volume set larger than 2 TB to the operating system. This way, you can use older file systems (that support only 2TB) and still have RAID 5 protection and more than 2 TB of total storage. To do this, put all 5 drives into a RAID set and create a 2 TB RAID Level 5 volume set — this will leave 2TB of the RAID set unused. Then create a second 2 TB RAID level 5 volume set. Boot into your operating system, create a partition on each of the 2TB virtual drives, and format each of the two 2TB virtual drives. The disadvantage is that there is not one single, large 4TB partition. The advantage is that 1) backwards compatibility for the file system and partitions and 2) they are both part of a RAID 5 array and are protected from single drive failures and only 1 drives worth of storage is sacrificed for RAID parity data.

• To summarize: 1 RAID array of five 1TB Drives -> 2 RAID level 5 Volume Sets that are 2TB each -> 2 standard NTFS (or any other) partitions that are 2TB.

Note 1: RAID Capacity Expansion. If your RAID card supports online capacity expansion, it is possible to expand any of the configurations above. For options 1 and 2, expand the RAID Set, then Expand the Volume Set, then Expand the Operating System partition. For option 3, expand the Raid Set, Create a 3rd Raid level 5 Volume set, and then create a third operating system partition. To learn more about expanding a RAID array on an Areca controller running Windows, read this article.

Note 2: Software RAID. Software RAID adds an additional level of complexity to RAID. For that reason, I recommend using a Hardware RAID controller. Having said that, I think everything mentioned above is technically possible if you are using software RAID, but I've never messed with it some I'm not positive.

It's hard to say which new Fall 2007 shows will be worth watching based on the brief descriptions that are given. That's why I set my TiVo to record new episodes of shows containing the keyword "Pilot" and give many of them a chance. However, I probably will manually record a few shows to make sure I give them a chance.

NBC: Check out videos and descriptions of the new NBC Fall 2007 shows

• Journeyman - It's airing after Heroes and looks like Quantum Leap with an edge. There are a bunch of clips, but I don't feel compelled by any of them.
• Bionic Woman - Very interesting. Not at all how I imagined it being recreated, and that is a positive. I'm definitely watching the first few episodes of this one.
• Chuck: Hot women going crazy over a BestBuy GeekSquad member. Silly but not terrible.
• Life: A cop that served time. Is it a comedy or a drama? All the zen commentary is gonna get old. But it is different than any other cop show. If House were a cop show, this would be it. But it doesn't appear to be as interesting.
• Heroes: Origins is an obvious addition for anyone currently watching Heroes; it's the same show.

CBS:

• Moonlight (a Vampire Detective, CBS) look interesting enough to watch one episode. But really, what vampire show doesn't star a "good" vampire. Really, come up with something new. Like a Vampire drug dealer who is also a doctor.

ABC: Check out videos and descriptions of the new ABC Fall 2007 shows

• Big Shots: Entourage meets Sex and the City — the cast is reason enough to take a chance on it.
• Cavemen: Are you kidding me? The Gieko commercial is a TV show? OK, I get it, the Cavemen are a symbol of racial prejudices. Is that supposed to make me laugh? For an entire season? I don't think so.
• Carpoolers: I think I've already seen this show. It's called The Office. Or a movie: Office Space Jerry O'Connell is likable and all, but not enough to watch the show.
• Pushing Daisies: He touches dead people and they come back to life so he can solve murders, but it seems to be quirky and upbeat. It looks mildly interesting in the 30 second clip but it's the great reviews that have me interested.
• Dirty Sexy Money: I couldn't even watch 30 seconds of it. Instant cancellation.
• Eli Stone: The show description is boring, but the 30 second spot is hilarious. If the rest of the show is that funny, it would be worth watching, but I don't think the spot is representative.
• Cashmere Mafia: First there was Sex and the City, then Desperate House Wives, now the re-hashes begin. No interest.
• Womens Murder Club: It's like Law & Order, but with a bunch of hot women. What could be wrong with that?
• Miss Guided: Judy Greer is the perfect lead for this show but it looks too quirky and not all that funny.

Checkout all the latest Fall 2007 news on TV Guide.com.

I'll have to wait until Fall 2007 to pass judgment. Unless the new member of our household demands too much time, and then I won't be watching any of them!

There are always some great "bubble" shows that may or may not get renewed because they just don't have quite enough viewers. Here are my favorites that did make the cut:

How I Met Your Mother: I find this show more enjoyable than any other comedy on television. Watch The Office just plain makes me uncomfortable. If you know what "Swarley" and "Slap Bet" are, you know what I mean. Luckily CBS is keeping HIMYM around for another season.

Friday Night Lights: The best drama on TV. NBC needs some major hits since their ratings stink. This show is not a major ratings hit, but the critics love it. The writing and acting superb. Thank you NBC for having the courage.

Law & Order: This show has been on my entire adult life.  18 years and counting.  The formula is sometimes a bit too rigid, but it obviously works.  I'm glad the show will continue.

The Class: This show was not very funny; I stopped watching after the pilot. But somehow my wife and I watched a few episodes later in the season. They had re-tooled the cast and the story, and it worked beautifully. The show became an evolved version of Friends. But the first half of the season must have turned-away too many views and it was too late to be saved. Too bad this show won't be picked up by another network.

Veronica Mars: A great show, an almost perfect show, that did everything right but found it impossible to find a substantial audience. The show has continually been lauded by critics, but few people watched. They built an extremely avid and vocal fan base, but few people watched. The first season was repeated on CBS primetime during the summer, but few people watched. There were guest stars that should have pulled in lots of new viewers (Kevin Smith, Paris Hilton, Joss Whedon, actors from Buffy, Arrested Development, The Simpsons, etc.), but few people watched. There were cross-promotions from shows such as Americas Next Top Model and Gilmore Girls, but few people watched. They tired making the show more accessible by not having a season-long mystery, but few people watched.

UPN/CW kept Veronica Mars around for 3 seasons and earned a huge amount of good will in my book. It was the longest-running unsuccessful show in prime time history. Networks need viewers to be profitable. Despite doing everything right, Veronica Mars couldn't overcome that fact that adults need a gimmick (super powers, for example) to watch a show revolving around teen characters; no amount ingenious writing or spectacular acting will reverse that. Plus, male viewers aren't as likely to watch shows with female leads. It's official, Veronica Mars in gone, but the CW was too afraid to officially announce it because the fan/critic backlash would have overwhelmed the new show announcements. There was talk of revamped/renamed show (where Veronica Mars is in the FBI a few years in the future) but that is dead as well. The show is over and I'm disappointed, but I understand.

Gilmore Girls: My wife and I first started watching this show when we were dating and she received only one channel at her house: The WB. I can't believe we've been watching it for the 7 years. It interesting looking back over the years and how the characters have grown-up. It's always sad to see a show end, but the spark wasn't quite there this last season with a different executive producer. So long old friends.

The Sopranos: Has this season been boring or what? Something exciting had better happen besides Christopher shooting the dude from Wings. Otherwise, HBO may have been riding a dead horse and not known it, just like Ralphie and Pie-O-Mie.

My thoughts on the Season Finales, where the season actually has a satisfying story arc:

CSI: In response to ABC moving Grey's Anatomy to the same timeslot, CSI upped the ante by introducing a season-long mystery: the Miniature Serial Killer. It worked. It improved on an already great show. It fascinating how the inability to catch the serial killer has impacted each character; I can't wait to see how the season ends.

Friday Night Lights: The finale was several weeks ago, but it was an end-cap to a flawless season. This show is the best drama on TV, even when compared against the detective/forensic/medical competition. I originally thought "This show is going to suck; I've already seen the move and they can't make an entire season out of that." I was wrong. The show isn't about football, it's about life.

Heroes: The season finale was obviously planned as the first show was written. There has been a gradual build-up to the finale during each episode of the season and I'm anticipating a dramatic conclusion next week.

House: I just started watching the show and am fascinated by the compassionate, cruel, and self-destructive main character. The medical investigation aspect is somewhat interesting and I'm still puzzled why someone ends up rooting through the underwear drawer at the patients house, but need to try to psychoanalyze Dr. House is reason enough to watch. I'm wondering how much self-destruction there's gonna be.

How I Met Your Mother: I've only seen about half of the episodes this season, but this show is consistently and inventively funny. The finale, involving a major break-up, could not have been pulled-off on any other show. And apparently sent-away a major cast member. Wow.

Smallville: The 2005-2006 season ("The College Year") was pretty much unwatchable. I skipped many episodes and fast forwarded through the others. What a difference this year has been: no College setting at all, Lex becomes more evil, the Justice League gets together for the first time, and there are a bunch Phantom Zone super villains to confront. It looks like this show may actually have couple of more seasons in it.

My favorite portion of the TV season is mid-May. The sweeps period is ending. There are multiple new episodes of (pretty much) every show. There are Season Finales that wrap-up the season and make you look forward to next September. There are Series Finales that let you say "good bye" to your favorite shows. There are "advertiser up-fronts" by each of the major networks, detailing their renewals and new shows for the next season. Unfortunately, there are also the unexpected/unwanted cancellations, but at least you find out for sure that a show will not be back.

Thus begins my once-a-year flurry of television-related posts. Over the next couple of days, I will share my thoughts for May 2007 in the areas of Season Finales, Series Finales, Cancellations, Renewals for Fall 2007, and New Shows for Fall 2007.