Setting up raid

[kinograph]

Sorry, I'm finding my way.
Just got a Z97-5 motherboard. Boot disc is an SSD. I also have 2 HDs for storage and backup.
Two questions:
1) How do I set up RAID on the motherboard?
And if anyone's feeling generous
2) How do I set up Win 8.1 on the SSD so that Win's repair/reinstall directory is on the HDs?
(To explain where I'm coming from, I first tried installing Win with all drives connected - no RAID.
Win created two partitions on one HD, so I couldn't change to RAID.
Now I reformatted, installed Win with only the SSD connected, then connected the two drives mirrored.
But I don't have the Win backup partition.)
Hope that makes sense.
I'm grateful for any and all help.
Happy holidays.

 

[Nichrome]

Hi,

I can help you with 1st question, though I've no idea about 2nd.

1) Backup your data of HDDs as you will lose it! Go into BIOS, enable RAID in: Settings/Advanced/Integrated Peripherals. Save&Reboot. On booting up keep spamming Ctrl+I (if I remember properly). Create RAID array by selecting 2 disks, pick RAID mode (1,0 etc) and save.
As you want SSD which is not RAID for booting up, make sure that in BIOS you set your SSD in boot priority but not Intel RAID.