a guy w/ P4C800E- Deluxe, 2 36 Raptors and no clue on RAID0

[bent]

ASUS P4C800E- Deluxe
2.6C cpu
OCZ EL4200 (2x256) RAM
2x WD Raptor 36.7GB HDDs (boot OS and apps only)
IBM 30GB Ultra ATA-100 HDD (long term storage/usage only)
Pioneer DVD-116 (player only)
floppy
ATI Radeon 64MB DDR AGP4X VIVO
SoundBlaster Live 5.1 pci
3com 2976 FD voice modem pci
Enermax EG465P_VE FC psu
Zalman CNPS7000A-Cu cpu cooler
4 80mm Vantec Stealth case fans (F,S,R,T)
Northbridge cooling 40x40fan on stockNBHSonpad will be coming (no high OC’d temps yet)
Side blowhole window, gold and Cr laser cut fan grills, 8 cans of spray paint
Vantec Nexus NXP-305-BK Fan(3) & Light(2) Controller
WinXP Pro
MBM5

The sum of all parts is only now complete. I've been trying to get used to WinXP, and my last move, before overclocking, is to install the 2 Raptors in RAID0 for performance. There is only one in now, and it has got 3 partitions which I want to get rid of!! One is mangled (working-no !s, Xs,?s etc.. though, and not complete, or to my liking), the 2nd won’t start, and the 3rd is for setup(as if). I want to get rid of it all. I do have a 4th 1.2 GB HDD I could install and then get the Raptor1 in the system and do a format on the Raptor1 to get rid of all 3 bogus partitions. Do I have to? Will the installation of a RAID0 wipe out everything (except low-level factory formatting) anyways? I need to know this because it will save me a lot of time. I hate bogus set-ups! Eventually I’ll know how in this system to do it right (I’ll leave that subject for later).

For the above components I know this much for sure:
I have the non-Ultra DVD on the secondary IDE channel (as recommended by ASUS). I am using a short single round 80-conductor cable.
I will have the Ultra ATA-100 HDD on the primary IDE channel (because it is Ultra) as recommended by ASUS mobo manual. I am using a single short round 80-conductor cable.


These are the all software options regarding RAID/SATA/BOTH from downloads, mobomodel#, ALL@asus.com, and what I can deduce about them. I do not know what is needed for a correct dual Raptor RAID0 boot setup. I don’t know what to concentrate on: Intel or Promise: which is better; even whether I have the option; what supporting software should go with what; at the F6 or after(ie when in windows). I believe these are all of the appropriate RAID/SATA/BOTH files I may need because they come from the ALL@asus.com , but do not include WinXP, Win Update, other drivers… First things first.

Does it matter where I plug the Raptors into the mobo, and does this depend on which type of control I have choosen: eg SATA1, SATA2, SATA_RAID1, SATA_RAID2?

What about the BIOS settings: there are only a few that really apply here, but I’m sure I could easily set it wrong without direction!

378ATA100130.zip I do not know whether this is needed for a dual SATA RAID0 boot drive, or my system, or how to install it (while running windows, or not?).

378raid_100137.zip Is have used this unzipped file to make a floppy for F6 (if needed).

iaa35r.zip Is have used this unzipped file to make a floppy for F6 (if needed).

PAM_2.zip Is this only for systems on a network or something?

If I end up using the 378raid_100137.zip unzipped file for a floppy for F6 (if needed), does the FastBuild Utility software within the detecting process start automatically, or do I need to install it too (and is there an updated version either way)?

I probably need to have opinion here as to what is the best, and also a complete discussion as to how to do each. Remember I am mostly nuB, and will need step by step info. Small points may finish my play it by ear understanding. I have and will continue to research.

Thanks in advance.

[bent]

Also, I found out what the meaning of UDMA....4,5,6 is.
4 is 66MB/s transfer rate
5 is 100MB/s transfer rate
6 is 150MB/s transfer rate

I seems my Raptor1 is setted at 5 ,and therefore is only setup to be capable of 2/3 of the claimed 150MB/s of the SATA. The WD www. claims 120MB/s for the 36.7 I believe.

Since I have something to look at now, I tested with HD Tach and SiSoft Sandra2004, and got 99.5@8.1, and 91.2 @? respectively.

Is this all the performance I could expect anyways ie (2/3 of a better setup potential) ?

Would I get bettter performance if I found a better or different setup method (eg to get UDMA6) ?

Is the current hardware I have capable of a better setup. ie UDMA6/150MB/S, and not limited to 2/3 of that ? Would other hardware give better performance eg card?

What effect will the above have on the eventual performance when I soon have elected RAID0 of 2 36.7 Raptors, and what about how I plug them in to the board/what controller I choose/what software I use?

Any links to compare any benchmarks of 36.7 Raptors in single mode and Dual RAID0 mode ?

[Slammy1]

I wouldn't worry too much on benchmarks. First, most benches rather suck. Actually, that's all there is to it. I find 2 Raptors on RAID0 on my P4P800 run around 100 MB/s. It's comparable or superior to other computers running a similar set up, but benches that test Windows data transfer are inferior (I actually fixed that problem by disabling the IDE RAID; it was misidentifying the UDMA state with it enabled).

[bent]

I mucked up again

UDMA6 is 133MB/s

don't know what SATA150 is called, or should or would be called, or how to install it like that, or if I can, or need to.

I forgot to mention the millions of little color knurled head screws.

[bent]

just by pluggin them into SATA_1 & SATA_2 you are prompted if you want to enter the raid config for intel before os install. A hidden treasure. now I've got an HD tach (free) of 8.7 and 113.9.

Don't know what I could expect with Promise.

Went to 512 el ram from 1 128 DDR266:wow.
went to raid0 w/ 2 raptors:wow.

I'm just now in win2000pro, with Everything (OS/sw/drvrs/apps) installed.

Since somewhere it said to make sure you don't have any probs in device mgr.

Then to install the main .exe from the iaar35 file. I haven't done this yet. I only did the F6 after the the raid0 config, and everything seems to be working fine.

the only driver currently in device mgr under SCSI and RAID controllers, Intel(R) 82801ER SATA RAID Controller is iastor.sys (which I know was on the F6 disk).

Do I still need to run the main exe?

I read somewhere else in the manual how to check if this was installed , and mine looks the same, as I just mentioned.


Next, if I move up to WinXP, will I need to re-install using F6, th e main .exe, or the CTRL+i utility?

[Sierra_abx]

Originally posted by kgs
Next, if I move up to WinXP, will I need to re-install using F6, th e main .exe, or the CTRL+i utility?

Yes, you will need to do a complete reinstall using F6 and the RAID drivers. One thing you should know. Win2000 Pro is not optimized for hyperthreading processors, so you're probably better off with XP.

[bent]

ya, I've read about something like that.

Even if I choose to upgrade, and keep all programs installed?

I did just run the setup.exe of the unzipped iaa35r. I do not know what the raidcfg.exe is for. The only other.exe from the unzipped iaa35r is makedisk.exe. The resulting driver is of the same name. I didn't check a size or anything before or after.

My HD Tach is 10,113.8 from 8.7, 113.9.

[Sierra_abx]

If you haven't done so already, you should read Mr Steveo's OS and software installation guide. Installing everything in the correct order can make a difference.

Operating System / Software Installation Guide

Here's the information about what operating systems work best with hyper-threading:

http://www.intel.com/support/platform/ht/os.htm

[cowboy_abx]

i need am quick reply to this thread please i have just got my 2 raptors and i am having trouble setting them up i have plug them in at the raid ports with just 1 set of powers cables and i have no other hard drive plugged in yet when i turn it on it comes up with the fasttrak (or something like it ) searching for ide i can set up a raid in that 1 then i set up the windows disk put in the floppy (f6 thing ) load them up and when it says loading windows it says there are no drives help please help

[bent]

If you are going to use the Intel raid setup (with setup utility as well-above and beyond the F6 driver file) on the Intel ICH5R chip I think it is called, you use the iaa35r.zip file, and you use the SATA_1 & SATA_2 connections to the mobo. Not the SATA_RAID! & SATA_RAID2, which are for the Promise RAID controller. There are alternatives.


The RAID setup utility will come before the F6 moment, is automatic, and the setup screen is included.

After you have used the makedisk floppy with F6, you do not then need to use the setup.exe file that is unzipped as well from iaa35r.zip. At least I wouldn't , and others have said the same thing. 'YOU may need it'!? Go into SCSI & RAID controllers in CP, and If you've got an Intel 82801ER STA RAID controller using the iastor.sys driver you're OK.

I used the setup.exe and my speed went down I think. Even though it's the same driver name. I didn't compare sizes or dates before or after.

Try HD Tach from SimpliSoftware.com, use it often to familiarize when changes come, and keep records. Its fast and easy.

I would like to try using the Promise controller at some point too. But I assume need to re-instal everything all over, and who wants to do that for a comparison. But just before you do, do last minute tests: like say, what would it have been like if I did install that setup.exe file when I was using Intel RAID.

[cowboy_abx]

cheers for getting back m8 what setting do u have the jumpers on at the back of the raptor ???????

[bent]

I haven't made any changes. Did around at wdc.com.

[drpino]

just in case you didn't know, raptors aren't true sata unlike the seagate sata drives...they are modified uata drives. this might explain the udma 4,5,6 question and why we aren't getting 150mb/s like a true sata drive would.

[VSEKH]

Originally posted by cowboy
cheers for getting back m8 what setting do u have the jumpers on at the back of the raptor ???????

The jumpers are only utilized for power management as you can only connect one SATA drive per SATA connection on the motherboard.

Looks like you connected you're SATA drives to the Promise SATA raid connectors and not the Intel SATA raid connectors.

[cowboy_abx]

thats what i did m8 lol stupid git me had them in bottom SATA plugs i needed them in the top got it sorted though thanks for getting back