Whats Needed For My New RAID 0 Setup??

lettuce · 16 Dec 2008 at 18:38

i take it i can stick the files in the 64-bit Floppy Configuration Utility.zip fiolder on a cd?? And then install the, Intel(R) Matrix Storage Manager once windows has been installed?

helmutcheese · 16 Dec 2008 at 18:44

I think it auto asks and makes the Floppy only (cannot remember 100%) but you can make a CD/DVD/USB Stick with the top file, its easy to know what folder/files you need to grab from it

Cocky-Roach · 16 Dec 2008 at 19:03

Mike1983 said:
Luttuce

I have the same mobo as you and have set up 2x 150Gb VRaptors. Some general steps to follow as below but as helmutcheese suggests it would be beteer to read a guide then ask questions on anything you're stuck on. This is what I did and now have a RAID 0 setup..........

snip

............Hope it helps,

Mike

great guide, will be using this over xmas

thanks

lettuce · 17 Dec 2008 at 13:02

Mike1983 said:
Cool, didn't realise you had stuff outstanding. Remember to let us know how you got on.

Thanks

Mike

Mike, I noticed in the abit bios there are 2 pages that have options relating to Raid, I think they are, IDE mode, and Onboard sata chip??, do I need to set both of these options to Raid?

Mike1983 · 17 Dec 2008 at 14:16

I've not got access to my desktop computer at the moment but I'm pretty certain its the IDE mode option where you can select from IDE, AHCI or RAID. From memory it is higher up in the BIOS tree (closer to the top of the screen) than the other one you mention. And again from memory I believe the other one you mention is relating to the JMicron controller (the ESATA ports) rather than the ICH9R. You do not need to set the JMicron controller to RAID as you are connecting to the ICH9R controller.

Someone else with acces to their IP35 should be able to confirm things for you if required but if you manage to set it to RAID and you get the "press ctrl and I....." prompt when running through the startup routine then you've sorted it.

Mike1983 · 17 Dec 2008 at 14:17

Addictuk said:
great guide, will be using this over xmas

thanks

No problem, just took some time to tidy it up a little and put some additional detail in there.

lettuce · 17 Dec 2008 at 15:37

cheers mike, I enabled both options in the bios and the raid setup went fine and installed vista without a hitch. I'll look when I'm a home and see which one I need to disable. On a side note when you fitted the raptors in your case did the sata plugs plug in snuggly to the rear of the raptors??, as my sata cables don't seem to clip and lock in place on my raptors like they do on my other hard disks and can be pulled out with very little effort!?

Mike1983 · 17 Dec 2008 at 17:27

Good to hear it went ok!

If you could do a benchmark on HD Tach (free to download trial version) at somepoint when it's all updated and settled then that would be appreciated.

With regards to your question, yes my cables clipped in and locked fine. They are the standard red SATA cables that came with the board. I know what you are talking about though as I have a single 500Gb drive in my system that doesn't clip / lock. I tried swapping the cable over to a known good one but the problem still existed so I knew it was something to do with the HDD itself.

The problem is still there but I've tidied around the cables to minimise possible dislocation but someone else on these forums may know a way of getting around this, bending the clips on the SATA cable perhaps?

lettuce · 17 Dec 2008 at 18:59

HD Tach doesnt appear to work with Vista 64 does it?? Regarding the sata plugs, just seem strange that both of the raptor drives have the same problem.

The new PSU i got, Enermax Infiniti isnt 100% compatable with the Ip35-Pro however, the system will shut down, then a second later power back up again, to stay on for 5-8 seconds then finally shut down properly, very strange. So ill have to take the PC apart again to swap out the PSU (probably go for the, Be Quiet! Dark Power Pro 750W) so will have a better look at the sata plugs then

helmutcheese · 17 Dec 2008 at 19:01

HD Tach works if you set it to XP-SP2 in Compat Mode.

Mike1983 · 17 Dec 2008 at 19:41

With regards to your SATA plugs, I note you are now bringing in your PSU into the discussion. What are the cables you are having loose fitting troubles with, are they the power connectors from the PSU or the data cables from the motherboard?

I was referring to the SATA data cables in my earlier post.

lettuce · 17 Dec 2008 at 20:57

Mike1983 said:
With regards to your SATA plugs, I note you are now bringing in your PSU into the discussion. What are the cables you are having loose fitting troubles with, are they the power connectors from the PSU or the data cables from the motherboard?

I was referring to the SATA data cables in my earlier post.

yeah i was talking about the sata cable, the red ones that come with the IP35 Pro

lettuce · 18 Dec 2008 at 01:34

Ok heres my first bench for the 2 300GB Velocaraptors in raid 0.....

Not sure if theres anything i can do to increase performace??

Mike1983 · 18 Dec 2008 at 02:37

Looking good, same speed as mine (2x 150Gb VRaptors) +/- a couple of MB/s

With respect to increasing performance, you should try going into the Matrix Storage Manager program (assuming you did install it) from the start menu, have a click around and find your RAID 0 volume, right click on it then enable whatever option comes up that mentions write back cache (cant remember the exact wording of the option from memory).

That should send your burst speed through the roof

My benchmarks are in the post below

http://forums.overclockers.co.uk/showthread.php?t=17936240&highlight=username_Mike1983

lettuce · 18 Dec 2008 at 09:56

cool, I'll try that when I get home. What does burst speed help with in real life performance btw?

helmutcheese · 18 Dec 2008 at 10:33

Not really only Cache to Disk, still helps though.

In Vista you turn it on in Device Manager.

helmutcheese said:
On a Nvidia Controler " Write Caching " is on by Default and it does no harm, infact the actual idea of having Read or Write Cache off dont make sence.

I know some Controlers dont like it in Vista though.

I had a HDD not that long ago that the Cache chip died, and it was as slow as a week in the jail, I mean less than PIO mode and 8+ hours to defrag etc etc.

That's my older Raptor X's on Nvidia Mobo but same settings in bottom Box.

lettuce · 18 Dec 2008 at 14:28

Should i enable 'advanced Performance' then?? As i dont have a backup PSU ???

helmutcheese · 18 Dec 2008 at 15:05

Yes its not a Laptop so I would not worry about Power.

lettuce · 24 Dec 2008 at 14:42

Ok been getting a 'A Drive In A RAID 0 Volume Is Failing' from Matrix Storage Controller, as posted in this thread...

http://forums.overclockers.co.uk/showthread.php?t=17956059

This is the Boot up screen i get, does everything look as it should (apart from the error message)

Now i had thought i had gotten the latest drivers from the intel site, but at the top it has a date of 03-05-2007!? Also its listing a 'AHCI BIOS' is this correct, i though it would be under RAID?

lettuce · 27 Dec 2008 at 12:42

Mike1983, have you had any problems with your RAID setup??, as you have similar setup to me. 2 times now ive had Matrix Storage Controller report to me that one of the drives in my RAID array is failing. I have now reinstalled Vista on my old drive and removed the RAID 0 array and scanned both my raptor drives for errors and are both fine. So it must be the Array on the IP35-Pro, just wondered if you had any problems??