Rocket Raid and WD 8MB cache drives...

***Ozzie*** · 08-22-2002, 09:54 PM

I'm just trying this setup as RAID 0 on my P4T533...

Now it should bring a smile to my face, my reads are over 90,000 on ATTO, but my writes are really bad - only in the 40's.

I've been playing with stripe sizes, formatting switches, and doing images for a day now and can't seem to get this rolling...

I'm not exactly a newbie at RAID either - I've had IDE RAID on every one of my rigs for quite a while now...

Help! I'm stuck and can't break thru - anybody running this setup?

StarTraveller · 08-22-2002, 10:16 PM

What was the result of you test with the IBMs on the same system?

(Just trying to confuse everyone by carrying on with the conversation I had with Ozzie over ICQ, hehe

.)

***Ozzie*** · 08-22-2002, 10:19 PM

It actually was a little worse on the reads - back into the 70's...the writes were still about the same - awfull...

StarTraveller · 08-22-2002, 10:22 PM

Maybe it's the controller then. Man, would that suck

.

StarTraveller · 08-22-2002, 10:24 PM

Something just occurred to me. Your writes seem to be pretty much in line with what could be expected if you don't use the write cache on the drives.

In order to bring write performance to the same level as read performance write cache must be enabled.

I would try looking for an option where you can enable write cache.

***Ozzie*** · 08-22-2002, 10:40 PM

Funny you mentioned that ST - I was looking into that today and couldn't find anything in the manual or any options in the RAID screen for it. The software doesn't have any options either.

I do believe that is the problem...maybe I should go back to the Highpoint site and see if I can find anything about it.

StarTraveller · 08-22-2002, 10:45 PM

It could also be 1) a (mobo) BIOS setting or 2) a Windows setting.

It doesn't necessarily have anything to do with the controller BIOS/software/driver - although that is the most likely (and logical) place for it.

***Ozzie*** · 08-22-2002, 10:55 PM

In the Promise BIOS screen it has the option...I couldn't find it in the Highpoint BIOS screen...believe me - I was all over it.

I ended up emailing Highpoint - they don't even have a FAQ...

**pointreyes** · 08-22-2002, 11:33 PM

In Small Business Server 2000 SP3 with 74 processes in the Task Manager including the web browser and the ATI AIW8500DV TV with the 4.1 speakers blaring through the Santa Cruz.

Writes were average of 65 and reads were average of 78. Considering that I always get higher r/w scores with 2000 Advanced Server by 10 to 15 due to less processes...I have found my 1 8Meg Cache WD and the other 2Meg Cache WD are doing pretty good on the HPT372.

However, I did lose the 2Meg cache and had it replaced in one day. Hope this one will last longer. I have a fluid 40Gig Maxtor on order for my master backup of my RAID configurations.

I think I did enable or disable some setting in the Award bios regarding write delayed or something.

**Perry_abx** · 08-22-2002, 11:41 PM

You must have enabled PCI Delay Transaction PR... that made a difference for me too.

Ozzie what stripe and cluster sizes are you using? Also which file system? Have you increased the PCI latency in BIOS?

Running outta ideas here...

***Ozzie*** · 08-22-2002, 11:50 PM

Using both 2000 and XP... stripe and cluster have been all over the map - tried almost everything.

I haven't been into the board bios yet though. You think something there might help me?

Maybe that setting to give a pci slot more preference?

**Perry_abx** · 08-22-2002, 11:56 PM

I would only be making an educated guess Ozzie. I had one hell of a time getting my onboard Highpoint 372 RAID working as well as it is though. But one thing that helped was enabling PCI Delay Transactions. Increasing the PCI latency on boards with a typical ASUS BIOS... (Actually they use the old Phoenix BIOS that AWARD bought out.) can sometimes help. Is there a setting for PCI latency?

***Ozzie*** · 08-22-2002, 11:57 PM

I'll have to go look...

**pointreyes** · 08-23-2002, 12:02 AM

Since I use NTFS, I also disable the "Last Access" attribute in 2000 and XP. By default, the Last Access attribute is enabled. This Windows feature updates the Last Access time each time you access a file.

StarTraveller · 08-23-2002, 12:03 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by pointreyes
Since I use NTFS, I also disable the "Last Access" attribute in 2000 and XP. By default, the Last Access attribute is enabled. This Windows feature updates the Last Access time each time you access a file.

Where do you do that?

08-22-2002, 09:54 PM	#1
*Ozzie* missin' TQ Join Date: Feb 2001 Location: Apple Valley, MN Posts: 10,239	Rocket Raid and WD 8MB cache drives... I'm just trying this setup as RAID 0 on my P4T533... Now it should bring a smile to my face, my reads are over 90,000 on ATTO, but my writes are really bad - only in the 40's. I've been playing with stripe sizes, formatting switches, and doing images for a day now and can't seem to get this rolling... I'm not exactly a newbie at RAID either - I've had IDE RAID on every one of my rigs for quite a while now... Help! I'm stuck and can't break thru - anybody running this setup? __________________ Have you supported your forum today? Change is the only constant in life
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08-22-2002, 10:16 PM	#2
StarTraveller Retired Modder Join Date: Apr 2001 Location: Cloud Nine Posts: 6,468	What was the result of you test with the IBMs on the same system? (Just trying to confuse everyone by carrying on with the conversation I had with Ozzie over ICQ, hehe .) __________________ StarTraveller.net - see Computers for current setup! Well, it used to be current... Right now, my primary computer is a ThinkPad T43p 2668-H7U upgraded to 2 GB RAM Motto: If it is worth doing then it is worth doing right! Caution: The light at the end of a tunnel may be an oncoming train...
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08-22-2002, 10:19 PM	#3
*Ozzie* missin' TQ Join Date: Feb 2001 Location: Apple Valley, MN Posts: 10,239	It actually was a little worse on the reads - back into the 70's...the writes were still about the same - awfull... __________________ Have you supported your forum today? Change is the only constant in life
(Offline)

08-22-2002, 10:22 PM	#4
StarTraveller Retired Modder Join Date: Apr 2001 Location: Cloud Nine Posts: 6,468	Maybe it's the controller then. Man, would that suck . __________________ StarTraveller.net - see Computers for current setup! Well, it used to be current... Right now, my primary computer is a ThinkPad T43p 2668-H7U upgraded to 2 GB RAM Motto: If it is worth doing then it is worth doing right! Caution: The light at the end of a tunnel may be an oncoming train...
(Offline)

08-22-2002, 10:24 PM	#5
StarTraveller Retired Modder Join Date: Apr 2001 Location: Cloud Nine Posts: 6,468	Something just occurred to me. Your writes seem to be pretty much in line with what could be expected if you don't use the write cache on the drives. In order to bring write performance to the same level as read performance write cache must be enabled. I would try looking for an option where you can enable write cache. __________________ StarTraveller.net - see Computers for current setup! Well, it used to be current... Right now, my primary computer is a ThinkPad T43p 2668-H7U upgraded to 2 GB RAM Motto: If it is worth doing then it is worth doing right! Caution: The light at the end of a tunnel may be an oncoming train...
(Offline)

08-22-2002, 10:40 PM	#6
*Ozzie* missin' TQ Join Date: Feb 2001 Location: Apple Valley, MN Posts: 10,239	Funny you mentioned that ST - I was looking into that today and couldn't find anything in the manual or any options in the RAID screen for it. The software doesn't have any options either. I do believe that is the problem...maybe I should go back to the Highpoint site and see if I can find anything about it. __________________ Have you supported your forum today? Change is the only constant in life
(Offline)

08-22-2002, 10:45 PM	#7
StarTraveller Retired Modder Join Date: Apr 2001 Location: Cloud Nine Posts: 6,468	It could also be 1) a (mobo) BIOS setting or 2) a Windows setting. It doesn't necessarily have anything to do with the controller BIOS/software/driver - although that is the most likely (and logical) place for it. __________________ StarTraveller.net - see Computers for current setup! Well, it used to be current... Right now, my primary computer is a ThinkPad T43p 2668-H7U upgraded to 2 GB RAM Motto: If it is worth doing then it is worth doing right! Caution: The light at the end of a tunnel may be an oncoming train...
(Offline)

08-22-2002, 10:55 PM	#8
*Ozzie* missin' TQ Join Date: Feb 2001 Location: Apple Valley, MN Posts: 10,239	In the Promise BIOS screen it has the option...I couldn't find it in the Highpoint BIOS screen...believe me - I was all over it. I ended up emailing Highpoint - they don't even have a FAQ... __________________ Have you supported your forum today? Change is the only constant in life
(Offline)

08-22-2002, 11:33 PM	#9
pointreyes The race for quality has no finish line- so technically, it's more like a death march. Join Date: Feb 2001 Posts: 18,159	In Small Business Server 2000 SP3 with 74 processes in the Task Manager including the web browser and the ATI AIW8500DV TV with the 4.1 speakers blaring through the Santa Cruz. Writes were average of 65 and reads were average of 78. Considering that I always get higher r/w scores with 2000 Advanced Server by 10 to 15 due to less processes...I have found my 1 8Meg Cache WD and the other 2Meg Cache WD are doing pretty good on the HPT372. However, I did lose the 2Meg cache and had it replaced in one day. Hope this one will last longer. I have a fluid 40Gig Maxtor on order for my master backup of my RAID configurations. I think I did enable or disable some setting in the Award bios regarding write delayed or something.
(Offline)

08-22-2002, 11:41 PM	#10
Perry_abx Modulator Join Date: Mar 2001 Location: Saint Paul, MN - USA Posts: 5,912	You must have enabled PCI Delay Transaction PR... that made a difference for me too. Ozzie what stripe and cluster sizes are you using? Also which file system? Have you increased the PCI latency in BIOS? Running outta ideas here... __________________ Gigabyte GA-P35-DS3L, Intel Core 2 Duo E8400, 2 x 1GB Kingston HyperX DDR2-1066, Palit 9600GT Sonic, Hauppauge WinTV-HVR 1600, 250GB Seagate, 250GB Maxtor, Lite-On XJ-HD166, NEC ND-2510A, Antec SLK3700BQE, Antec SP-500, LG L226WT Widescreen
(Offline)

08-22-2002, 11:50 PM	#11
*Ozzie* missin' TQ Join Date: Feb 2001 Location: Apple Valley, MN Posts: 10,239	Using both 2000 and XP... stripe and cluster have been all over the map - tried almost everything. I haven't been into the board bios yet though. You think something there might help me? Maybe that setting to give a pci slot more preference? __________________ Have you supported your forum today? Change is the only constant in life
(Offline)

08-22-2002, 11:56 PM	#12
Perry_abx Modulator Join Date: Mar 2001 Location: Saint Paul, MN - USA Posts: 5,912	I would only be making an educated guess Ozzie. I had one hell of a time getting my onboard Highpoint 372 RAID working as well as it is though. But one thing that helped was enabling PCI Delay Transactions. Increasing the PCI latency on boards with a typical ASUS BIOS... (Actually they use the old Phoenix BIOS that AWARD bought out.) can sometimes help. Is there a setting for PCI latency? __________________ Gigabyte GA-P35-DS3L, Intel Core 2 Duo E8400, 2 x 1GB Kingston HyperX DDR2-1066, Palit 9600GT Sonic, Hauppauge WinTV-HVR 1600, 250GB Seagate, 250GB Maxtor, Lite-On XJ-HD166, NEC ND-2510A, Antec SLK3700BQE, Antec SP-500, LG L226WT Widescreen
(Offline)

08-22-2002, 11:57 PM	#13
*Ozzie* missin' TQ Join Date: Feb 2001 Location: Apple Valley, MN Posts: 10,239	I'll have to go look... __________________ Have you supported your forum today? Change is the only constant in life
(Offline)

08-23-2002, 12:02 AM	#14
pointreyes The race for quality has no finish line- so technically, it's more like a death march. Join Date: Feb 2001 Posts: 18,159	Since I use NTFS, I also disable the "Last Access" attribute in 2000 and XP. By default, the Last Access attribute is enabled. This Windows feature updates the Last Access time each time you access a file.
(Offline)

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