NEW: Intel Matrix Storage Manager 6.2.1.1002, released Jan. 4,2007

[johnrr6]

Originally Posted by DutchBBQ

johnrr6, could you use HDTach in both settings, and report your benchmarks (preferebly screenpictures)?

You'll notice substantial improvements when write-cache enabled (if RAID0).

Edit: just noticed that you've a RAID5 configuration.

But from what I've read elsewhere-----it's supposed to help RAID 5 as well!

One item I've noticed.....

I'm starting to rethink RAID 5-----it is ALWAYS pounding the disks....

Way too much disk activity at boot----seems like it only stops after about 10 minutes

Yes----you do have nice redundancy----and seems fairly fast----but I think I'm disciplined enought to just use Acronis from time to time to get a full disk image backup----and go back to a fast RAID 0

Anybody know if RAID 1 + 0 (or RAID 10) has all that disk pounding that RAID 5 seems to have..

Also---can I use my Acronis image of this current array-----and just put it back on a newly formatted RAID 0 array???

In other words----just destroy this four disk RAID 5 array----create a new four disk RAID 0 array----and then reload the disk image from Acronis on this new Array

I just hate all the disk activity with my RAID 5----although the redundancy is very nice.....

[Dandruff]

Originally Posted by DutchBBQ

Not yet officially released by Intel, but already available at intel drivers pour Raid/Sata/Ata/Ahci

I wonder if this release includes fixes for abovementioned bugs.
Haven't tried it yet.

V7.0.0.1020 officially released today


update went fine (but i had to disable DEP on my windows xp, otherwise the installer crashed). can't say if it fixes the cache-checkbox-problem. will see this when doing a fresh windows install ...

[shaihulud]

Ah, finally. I have been checking almost every single day. I knew there was going to be release due to Bearlake. I did not see any reference to the cache problem we noticed, but there is a write buffer issue mentioned for Vista in the known issues.


Intel® Application Accelerator B

Dandruff, you should only have to update the driver. I suppose you are using the Matrix Storage Manager? If that is the case it is a different process.

[Dandruff]

of course i've only updated the driver (with the -nogui switch). just wanted to say that the installer doesn't run if you have "/noexecute=alwayson" in your boot.ini ...

[chuckbam]

Originally Posted by Dandruff

of course i've only updated the driver (with the -nogui switch). just wanted to say that the installer doesn't run if you have "/noexecute=alwayson" in your boot.ini ...

Download Intel Matrix Storage Manager 7.0.0.1020 WHQL Driver for Windows Vista - Softpedia

[shaihulud]

Now I understand why there is a difference. I use the Floppy Configuration Utility and perform an update driver through Device Manager via this method.

Is there any difference in speed? More, less, or equal to the latter?

[chuckbam]

Originally Posted by shaihulud

Now I understand why there is a difference. I use the Floppy Configuration Utility and perform an update driver through Device Manager via this method.

Is there any difference in speed? More, less, or equal to the latter?

For me, a small increase.

But, I tested with a 32 bit benchmark and I have a 64 bit system. Do you think that makes a difference?

[DutchBBQ]

Production Version Intel® Matrix Storage Manager v. 7.5.0.1017 already avalaible at:
intel drivers pour Raid/Sata/Ata/Ahci

Makes sense to install latest Intel® Chipset Software Installation Utility v. 8.2.0.1014 as well, released on May 7, 2007, during fresh install!
Download Search Results

However, even newer versions of Intel® Chipset Software Installation Utility than officially provided by Intel are currently available at intel drivers pour chipsets

[shaihulud]

I was busy last night. A new BIOS, and the new AHCI driver was released. OK, this is what I have found: No difference. No increase and no decrease, but I have noticed that the cache options for the drive is still the same and not removed, hidden, or whatever as before.

To answer your question Chuckbam: You should have no difference (if any will only be minor) between a 32bit or a 64bit benchmark. However, since the device has to be thunked and there are Dual Address Cycles being performed and yet you report an increase, I would say that this is a good thing considering. That is a lot of work, and having a 64bit benchmarking utility will only differ in minor things, but nothing really pertaining to your 32bit hardware.

Remember this, I am simply describing and not trying to go into too much detail. What that means is the device is within the 32bit range of addressing and data. However, you are using a 64bit operating system which is a higher range and addressing. When going up to the processor you have to be 64bits. When going down you have to be 32bits. There is translation work that is performed not only for the hardware but also the application. 32bit code is hardware emulated when in 64bit mode. So as you can see, to be reporting an increase is good, even if minor.

[johnrr6]

Originally Posted by DutchBBQ

Production Version 7.5.0.1017 already availble at:
intel drivers pour Raid/Sata/Ata/Ahci

Am I reading the release notes right??

In this version of the Storage Manager, the 1TB limit has been replaced by 2TB!!----and it would apply to the ICH8R as well as the new ICH9R???

I wonder if it is still limited to a max of 4 drives in any array?

but even if that limit were in effect----with the lower cost of 500Gig hard drives now....

You could do a 2TB RAID 0 --------or approx 1.5 TB RAID 5

That ain't bad for just a common user setup!!!

[DutchBBQ]

Originally Posted by johnrr6

Am I reading the release notes right??

Almost:

"1) RAID 0/1/5/10 + 256 TB: This sku supports the standard RAID features RAID 0/1/5/10, and adds support for greater than 2TB volumes for data volumes only (no boot support due to an OS & BIOS limitation)."

[johnrr6]

Originally Posted by DutchBBQ

Almost:

"1) RAID 0/1/5/10 + 256 TB: This sku supports the standard RAID features RAID 0/1/5/10, and adds support for greater than 2TB volumes for data volumes only (no boot support due to an OS & BIOS limitation)."

Wait a second----My understanding was that there was a 1TB limit on any array which could not exceed a combination of 4 drives on the ICH8R....

This implies that it is was a 2TB limit (is that new with version 7??)----which has now been changed to 256 TB Limit????

And what does "No boot support due to an OS and BIOS Limitation mean??" Is your boot array is still limited----in this case to 2TB???

Holy smoly----BIG changes!

[shaihulud]

Just to extend the notation here, greater than 2TB is only capable with Windows XP 64-bit Edition, Vista 32/64, and Windows 2003 Server. Just no implemented support as for now (Page 3 § New Features). Apparently XP's greater than 2TB support is a known issue (Page 4 § Known Issues)

I was looking at daily deals with Newegg not too long ago, and I noticed that one day was 500GB Seagate 7200.10 PMR drive for $129, I believe. Man, it is getting to the point I just may go RAID myself.

[johnrr6]

Yes----a 2TB RAID 0 boot array ----on a Home system---for less than $500 is totally reachable......

My video editing part of my life loves that!!

Originally Posted by shaihulud

Just to extend the notation here, greater than 2TB is only capable with Windows XP 64-bit Edition, Vista 32/64, and Windows 2003 Server. Just no implemented support as for now (Page 3 § New Features). Apparently XP's greater than 2TB support is a known issue (Page 4 § Known Issues)

I was looking at daily deals with Newegg not too long ago, and I noticed that one day was 500GB Seagate 7200.10 PMR drive for $129, I believe. Man, it is getting to the point I just may go RAID myself.

[DutchBBQ]

I assume best performance might be achieved by installing both latest Intel® Matrix Storage Manager AND latest Intel® Chipset Software Installation Utility.

See my post NEW: Intel Matrix Storage Manager 6.2.1.1002, released Jan. 4,2007