Intel Matrix RAID

[celliott]

At work we have tons of PC's out there running 2x disks in RAID-1 using the onboard Intel Matrix system on Intel ICH7 - ICH9 chipsets.

We have a major problem on our hands in that we get several RAID failures per month where disks drop out of the raid, marked as error or failed. When testing the drives with diagnostic software as standalone, they are absolutly fine.

Now in my spare time outside of work I do a lot of work with Linux servers, and we have machines running with Hardware RAID controllers and Linux Kernel software RAID (MDADM). Several of these run the same drives as the machines at work, and have no such problems.

Technically Intel Matrix Raid is called "FAKE RAID" and is frowned upon by those who deal with actual servers, but surley it shouldnt be this bad... After all I know enough OcUK members use it for RAID-0 etc.

Anyone have any ideas why we are having such high failure rates? I initially put this down to heat as the pc's run warm (We dont build them so have no say in it), but even with extra fans we are seeing these issues.

Thanks

 

[Cob]

I use to get this quite regulary with RAID-0 on ICH8R and ICH9R. The Intel Matrix and the Intel RAID boot screen would report that one of my drives was failing within 3-4 weeks of setting it up, yet both drives (37gb Raptors) were grand. It didn't point to the same drive on every install.

It didn't seem to happen with ICH10R, tho I only had a P45 board for a few weeks.

 

[jbloggs]

I've used RAID0 (2 HDDs setup) on Intel (onboard) controllers from Intel ICH5R to ICH10R (ones I've used ICH5R, ICH7R, ICH9R and ICH10R), since 2004, I've always had my boot partition (C:\) running from the RAID0 setup, and in all that time, I only ever had one flagging (down by the clock) by the Intel Matrix Storage Manager software that a HDD had (possibly) dropped, and all I did was reboot and that removed the flag, and it never appeared again; at the time I was quite sure it was a false indication.

Anyone have any ideas why we are having such high failure rates?

The only reason that comes to mind is that how the Intel drivers etc are installed is the deciding factor.....(with Intel Matrix Storage Manager and Intel Chipset Installation Software), I installed the drivers during installation of the OS, and then as soon as installation completed and desktop appeared, I first installed Intel Chipset Installation Software, and then Intel Matrix Storage Manager software, then everything else after that.