Dell raid questions
in [Hardware]
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From: Just the Facts on 31 Jan 2008 08:29 I'm a software developer but when it comes to hardware I get lost in the jargon. I have a few dell Precision machines I got cheap at the auctions, I'm using as cheap web servers with Win2003 and one with WinSBS 2000, I also have one with Vista. They have SATA 80 gig hard drives in them, they are configured in the bios raid section to use combination mode. I have several Sata hard drives of the same make and model and I want to set up a simple raid 1 system for redundancy. If I try to change the raid configuration to the default auto detect raid, I get a warning that I may not be able to boot and that I may need to reinstall, so I have not done so. My questions are Will I lose my data if I switch to raid auto detect? What is raid Auto detect? Is this a built in raid system? If so what do I need to do, just plug in 2 disks? If anyone has any info on Dell precisions and raid I would appreciate any info you can give Thanks
From: Pen on 31 Jan 2008 09:06 Just the Facts wrote: > I'm a software developer but when it comes to hardware I get lost in the > jargon. > I have a few dell Precision machines I got cheap at the auctions, I'm using > as cheap web servers with Win2003 and one with WinSBS 2000, I also have one > with Vista. > They have SATA 80 gig hard drives in them, they are configured in the bios > raid section to use combination mode. > I have several Sata hard drives of the same make and model and I want to set > up a simple raid 1 system for redundancy. > If I try to change the raid configuration to the default auto detect raid, I > get a warning that I may not be able to boot and that I may need to > reinstall, so I have not done so. > > My questions are > Will I lose my data if I switch to raid auto detect? > What is raid Auto detect? > Is this a built in raid system? > If so what do I need to do, just plug in 2 disks? > > If anyone has any info on Dell precisions and raid I would appreciate any > info you can give > Thanks > There is an active Dell group at alt.sys.pc-clone.dell which is probably a better place to ask this question.
From: Paul on 31 Jan 2008 11:49 Just the Facts wrote: > I'm a software developer but when it comes to hardware I get lost in the > jargon. > I have a few dell Precision machines I got cheap at the auctions, I'm > using as cheap web servers with Win2003 and one with WinSBS 2000, I also > have one with Vista. > They have SATA 80 gig hard drives in them, they are configured in the > bios raid section to use combination mode. > I have several Sata hard drives of the same make and model and I want to > set up a simple raid 1 system for redundancy. > If I try to change the raid configuration to the default auto detect > raid, I get a warning that I may not be able to boot and that I may need > to reinstall, so I have not done so. > > My questions are > Will I lose my data if I switch to raid auto detect? > What is raid Auto detect? > Is this a built in raid system? > If so what do I need to do, just plug in 2 disks? > > If anyone has any info on Dell precisions and raid I would appreciate > any info you can give > Thanks The first thing you do with a new computer, is review the hardware resources inside. For example, an Ebay listing says the Precision 670 has an E7525 Northbridge and ICH5R Southbridge. There is also a SCSI controller of some sort (PERC U320). The "SATAOS Setup" (blue text) here, describes moving a non-RAID SATA install to an add-in SATA card, installing RAID driver, changing ICH5R BIOS settings, then moving back. Once the drive is moved back, once booted back into Windows, you can use the Intel RAID management software to do a RAID migration from one "RAID ready" drive to two drives. The necessary data movement then happens in Windows, while the system is running. http://www.techsupportforum.com/hardware-support/motherboards-bios-cpu/9888-asus-p4p800-p4c800-series-raid-ready-setup-intel-ich5r.html?forumid=87 There might be another procedure for doing this, but I can't find it right now. I seem to remember some site came up with a shortcut method (something that would not be supported by Intel). The problem is, when the ICH5R BIOS settings are changed, they change the enumeration of the Southbridge. When that happens, the old driver no longer loads. In order to be able to fix this in one step, both drivers would have to coexist on the disk. Normally, you cannot install the RAID driver, unless the enumeration shows RAID mode, which is a "Catch-22". So, to do a more straightforward procedure, would require both drivers to exist already, and the proper driver to engage after the BIOS setting has been changed. The trick would be finding a reference to how that was done. Otherwise, the procedure (as shown in the blue text above) is a bit messy. Paul
From: CBFalconer on 31 Jan 2008 12:13 Just the Facts wrote: > > I'm a software developer but when it comes to hardware I get lost > in the jargon. > > I have a few dell Precision machines I got cheap at the auctions, > I'm using as cheap web servers with Win2003 and one with WinSBS > 2000, I also have one with Vista. They have SATA 80 gig hard > drives in them, they are configured in the bios raid section to > use combination mode. I have several Sata hard drives of the same > make and model and I want to set up a simple raid 1 system for > redundancy. > > If I try to change the raid configuration to the default auto > detect raid, I get a warning that I may not be able to boot and > that I may need to reinstall, so I have not done so. Why don't you avoid expensive and unreliable opsys and install Ubuntu. You can get a free installation CD at <shipit.ubuntu.com> -- [mail]: Chuck F (cbfalconer at maineline dot net) [page]: <http://cbfalconer.home.att.net> Try the download section. -- Posted via a free Usenet account from http://www.teranews.com
From: Mike Walsh on 31 Jan 2008 13:52 It is best to create a RAID array using disks with same size empty partitions. Create the array and then install your operating system. The dire warning is for people who have a disk with an OS installed and then expect to function as part of a RAID array. Just the Facts wrote: > > I'm a software developer but when it comes to hardware I get lost in the > jargon. > I have a few dell Precision machines I got cheap at the auctions, I'm using > as cheap web servers with Win2003 and one with WinSBS 2000, I also have one > with Vista. > They have SATA 80 gig hard drives in them, they are configured in the bios > raid section to use combination mode. > I have several Sata hard drives of the same make and model and I want to set > up a simple raid 1 system for redundancy. > If I try to change the raid configuration to the default auto detect raid, I > get a warning that I may not be able to boot and that I may need to > reinstall, so I have not done so. > > My questions are > Will I lose my data if I switch to raid auto detect? > What is raid Auto detect? > Is this a built in raid system? > If so what do I need to do, just plug in 2 disks? > > If anyone has any info on Dell precisions and raid I would appreciate any > info you can give > Thanks -- Mike Walsh
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