Can anyone help with class assignment RAID1 Silicon Image ..

On 5 Jan 2006 12:21:08 -0800, "257roberts"
<scrwar.DeleteThis@yahoo.com> wrote:

>
>I am trying to finish a class project for my A+ class at college. I
>bought two identical 7 gig drives off Ebay, they tested good, and a new
>
>Silicon Image 0680 RAID IDE card. I formatted both drives

Formatted them one at a time? You dont' do that with an
array, at most you would format one of them, if not creating
the array first and then formatting them (as one volume like
a drive, but simultaneously). It's no tragedy that you did
it though, just that formatting the 2nd one served no
purpose.

>and
>installed the drivers for the RAID card when prompted my XP Pro. The
>OS loaded fine, but when I checked the contents of the drive, they
>didn't mirror for RAID1. The OS loaded on drive "C:" and there is some
>
>windows data on drive "D:". It looks like "D" is configured as drive 0
>
>and "C" is configured as drive 1.

0 and 1 matter within the context of being SURE you use the
drive with the important data as the source and mirror the
other (empty) drive to it. After that, it doesn't matter so
long as your bios is set to boot from the correct drive, and
when they're mirrored, it's either-or, they're both the same
volume so there's only one to pick. In other words, once
you have defined an array you no longer "see" two drives,
except in the RAID bios and Manager software.


If I disconnect either of the drives
>off the card, the computer won't boot. I can access the RAID utility
>at bootup but cannot change anything, break or create sets, ect.

This is a basic requirement, I would probably check to see
if there's a jumper on the card configuring it to non-raid
mode.


> I
>have nothing connected to the MB IDE bus except for a CD ROM which is
>working fine. I'm sure that I have not provided enough information for
>
>anyone to help me, but if you will tell me what I need to post back I
>will.

Key is to read the manual. This is a basic raid
configuration in which you cannot just connect both drives
and "go", you have to enter the RAID bios configuration
screen (actually on that particular card, it might not be a
graphical menu screen, just text prompts) where you define
an array. In this case you are defining a RAID1 and
assigning both drives to it, but not an "auto"
configuration, just adding the members to the array.

At that point it may prompt whether you want to rebuild the
array (right that moment) or not... and if not, you'd boot
into windows and use the Medley Manager (might be named a
little different) to rebuild it. You will have to copy off
the misc files from the 2nd drive first, as they will be
lost when you configure the RAID bios to add this drive in
the array.
 >> Stay informed about: Can anyone help with class assignment RAID1 Silicon Image .. 

You need to define the RAID array before the OS load. Durign boot up, the
RAID card would have displayed a key combination to enter into the setup
utility where the array is defined. It's a good possibility that you will
have to reload the OS again, although some RAID controlelrs allow to build a
RAID using existing data.


"257roberts" <scrwar RemoveThis @yahoo.com> wrote in message
news:1136492468.309668.216440@g47g2000cwa.googlegroups.com...

I am trying to finish a class project for my A+ class at college. I
bought two identical 7 gig drives off Ebay, they tested good, and a new

Silicon Image 0680 RAID IDE card. I formatted both drives and
installed the drivers for the RAID card when prompted my XP Pro. The
OS loaded fine, but when I checked the contents of the drive, they
didn't mirror for RAID1. The OS loaded on drive "C:" and there is some

windows data on drive "D:". It looks like "D" is configured as drive 0

and "C" is configured as drive 1. If I disconnect either of the drives
off the card, the computer won't boot. I can access the RAID utility
at bootup but cannot change anything, break or create sets, ect. I
have nothing connected to the MB IDE bus except for a CD ROM which is
working fine. I'm sure that I have not provided enough information for

anyone to help me, but if you will tell me what I need to post back I
will.
 >> Stay informed about: Can anyone help with class assignment RAID1 Silicon Image .. 

I think I was not able to define the RAID array before the OS load. I
had the same problem that I am having now, the text based RAID
interface would not let me make any changes. I will check the card to
see if there is a jumper to enable or disable the RAID functions. I do
remember loading the 0680 RAID driver and not the non-RAID driver.
I will post back as soon as I do some more checking. The project is
due the 13th. Thanks to all who have replied. I'm not so sure I am
going to make a good computer tech, I am being re-trained from just
plain wrench-turning.


Erick wrote:
> You need to define the RAID array before the OS load. Durign boot up, the
> RAID card would have displayed a key combination to enter into the setup
> utility where the array is defined. It's a good possibility that you will
> have to reload the OS again, although some RAID controlelrs allow to build a
> RAID using existing data.
>
>
> "257roberts" <scrwar.TakeThisOut@yahoo.com> wrote in message
> news:1136492468.309668.216440@g47g2000cwa.googlegroups.com...
>
> I am trying to finish a class project for my A+ class at college. I
> bought two identical 7 gig drives off Ebay, they tested good, and a new
>
> Silicon Image 0680 RAID IDE card. I formatted both drives and
> installed the drivers for the RAID card when prompted my XP Pro. The
> OS loaded fine, but when I checked the contents of the drive, they
> didn't mirror for RAID1. The OS loaded on drive "C:" and there is some
>
> windows data on drive "D:". It looks like "D" is configured as drive 0
>
> and "C" is configured as drive 1. If I disconnect either of the drives
> off the card, the computer won't boot. I can access the RAID utility
> at bootup but cannot change anything, break or create sets, ect. I
> have nothing connected to the MB IDE bus except for a CD ROM which is
> working fine. I'm sure that I have not provided enough information for
>
> anyone to help me, but if you will tell me what I need to post back I
> will.
 >> Stay informed about: Can anyone help with class assignment RAID1 Silicon Image .. 

Yes I have the Medley manual, and have loaded the sortware, but it only
funtions as a GUI for what you can do at bootup. It also checks and
displays drive info size, serial #'s ect. I checked and there are no
jumpers on the card. At the RAID menu prompts, there is nothing that
can be changed. If I try to change something, I only get error beeps.
Strange though that the card is funtioning with both drives working, if
not for that fact, I would think the card is bad. Any more ideas?
Thanks.


kony wrote:
> On 5 Jan 2006 12:21:08 -0800, "257roberts"
> <scrwar.DeleteThis@yahoo.com> wrote:
>
> >
> >I am trying to finish a class project for my A+ class at college. I
> >bought two identical 7 gig drives off Ebay, they tested good, and a new
> >
> >Silicon Image 0680 RAID IDE card. I formatted both drives
>
> Formatted them one at a time? You dont' do that with an
> array, at most you would format one of them, if not creating
> the array first and then formatting them (as one volume like
> a drive, but simultaneously). It's no tragedy that you did
> it though, just that formatting the 2nd one served no
> purpose.
>
> >and
> >installed the drivers for the RAID card when prompted my XP Pro. The
> >OS loaded fine, but when I checked the contents of the drive, they
> >didn't mirror for RAID1. The OS loaded on drive "C:" and there is some
> >
> >windows data on drive "D:". It looks like "D" is configured as drive 0
> >
> >and "C" is configured as drive 1.
>
> 0 and 1 matter within the context of being SURE you use the
> drive with the important data as the source and mirror the
> other (empty) drive to it. After that, it doesn't matter so
> long as your bios is set to boot from the correct drive, and
> when they're mirrored, it's either-or, they're both the same
> volume so there's only one to pick. In other words, once
> you have defined an array you no longer "see" two drives,
> except in the RAID bios and Manager software.
>
>
> If I disconnect either of the drives
> >off the card, the computer won't boot. I can access the RAID utility
> >at bootup but cannot change anything, break or create sets, ect.
>
> This is a basic requirement, I would probably check to see
> if there's a jumper on the card configuring it to non-raid
> mode.
>
>
> > I
> >have nothing connected to the MB IDE bus except for a CD ROM which is
> >working fine. I'm sure that I have not provided enough information for
> >
> >anyone to help me, but if you will tell me what I need to post back I
> >will.
>
> Key is to read the manual. This is a basic raid
> configuration in which you cannot just connect both drives
> and "go", you have to enter the RAID bios configuration
> screen (actually on that particular card, it might not be a
> graphical menu screen, just text prompts) where you define
> an array. In this case you are defining a RAID1 and
> assigning both drives to it, but not an "auto"
> configuration, just adding the members to the array.
>
> At that point it may prompt whether you want to rebuild the
> array (right that moment) or not... and if not, you'd boot
> into windows and use the Medley Manager (might be named a
> little different) to rebuild it. You will have to copy off
> the misc files from the 2nd drive first, as they will be
> lost when you configure the RAID bios to add this drive in
> the array.
 >> Stay informed about: Can anyone help with class assignment RAID1 Silicon Image .. 

On 10 Jan 2006 05:57:47 -0800, "257roberts"
<scrwar.TakeThisOut@yahoo.com> wrote:

>Yes I have the Medley manual, and have loaded the sortware, but it only
>funtions as a GUI for what you can do at bootup. It also checks and
>displays drive info size, serial #'s ect. I checked and there are no
>jumpers on the card. At the RAID menu prompts, there is nothing that
>can be changed. If I try to change something, I only get error beeps.
>Strange though that the card is funtioning with both drives working, if
>not for that fact, I would think the card is bad. Any more ideas?
>Thanks.

i don't have ideas because you top posted a summary instead
of addressing each point in turn... that was necessary to
systematically find the problem.

Confirm that this is in fact a RAID capable card... I know
it seems to be but does it appear on the card itself, any
mention of arrays in the card's bios setup menu?

I suspect you are not using the card's setup menu correctly,
that this is the only problem. If you don't have the array
set in the first place, the windows software will not be
able to mirror one drive to another because of that.

I happen to have a couple systems with a SI 0680 card in
them. Here's what I get when I press <F3> right after the
bios menu (may not be exact wording, but close enough)

--------------------------------------

Drive number: 0 ATAPI 52X CDROM
Drive number: 1 WDC WD800JB-00CAA1 76319MB
Drive number: 2 Maxtor 6Y080P0 78167MB

Set 1 <1> WDC WD800JB-00CAA1 76319MB <PS>
Set 2 <2> Maxtor 6Y080P0 78167MB <SM>

Press F1 to Delete Raid Set
Press F2 to create Raid Set
Press F3 to create spare drive
Press F4 to resolve conflicts

press <ESC> to exit Raid Configuration Utility

-------------------------------------
In the above menu, the drives are set as two individual
single-drive spans, that's what happens by default if you
just hook the drives up, IIRC.

How does your config menu look, _exactly_?

SInce you want a RAID1, you'd first hit F2 (to create raid
set), then a new sub-menu appears and you'd pick <F2> (to
create mirrored set). It may then ask if you want automatic
setup. Answer NO, "N".

Next it will prompt, "Enter First Drive Number...(source
drive) in Mirrored Set", to which you'd look at what you
had. In the example above, I have drive #1 and 2 as hard
drives. If the data were on the Maxtor, I'd enter "2".
Next it prompts for the 2nd drive in the array, the
destination. I'd enter "1" for the Western Digital.

That's all, it's done... you might have more choices, maybe
some key to press to save that configuration (I dont' recall
and can't proceed to do that to see it now without having
the spare drives to put into that system to finish it).

At what point in the above procedure does yours not proceed?
Be as specific as possible.
 >> Stay informed about: Can anyone help with class assignment RAID1 Silicon Image .. 

I checked the RAID card and there are no jumpers. I don't know what to
do now. I have a few extra days to try to get the array to work, my
instructor had a death in the family so we wont have class till tues of
next week. If you have any more ideas, then I would appreciate your
help.

257roberts wrote:
> I think I was not able to define the RAID array before the OS load. I
> had the same problem that I am having now, the text based RAID
> interface would not let me make any changes. I will check the card to
> see if there is a jumper to enable or disable the RAID functions. I do
> remember loading the 0680 RAID driver and not the non-RAID driver.
> I will post back as soon as I do some more checking. The project is
> due the 13th. Thanks to all who have replied. I'm not so sure I am
> going to make a good computer tech, I am being re-trained from just
> plain wrench-turning.
>
>
> Erick wrote:
> > You need to define the RAID array before the OS load. Durign boot up, the
> > RAID card would have displayed a key combination to enter into the setup
> > utility where the array is defined. It's a good possibility that you will
> > have to reload the OS again, although some RAID controlelrs allow to build a
> > RAID using existing data.
> >
> >
> > "257roberts" <scrwar.RemoveThis@yahoo.com> wrote in message
> > news:1136492468.309668.216440@g47g2000cwa.googlegroups.com...
> >
> > I am trying to finish a class project for my A+ class at college. I
> > bought two identical 7 gig drives off Ebay, they tested good, and a new
> >
> > Silicon Image 0680 RAID IDE card. I formatted both drives and
> > installed the drivers for the RAID card when prompted my XP Pro. The
> > OS loaded fine, but when I checked the contents of the drive, they
> > didn't mirror for RAID1. The OS loaded on drive "C:" and there is some
> >
> > windows data on drive "D:". It looks like "D" is configured as drive 0
> >
> > and "C" is configured as drive 1. If I disconnect either of the drives
> > off the card, the computer won't boot. I can access the RAID utility
> > at bootup but cannot change anything, break or create sets, ect. I
> > have nothing connected to the MB IDE bus except for a CD ROM which is
> > working fine. I'm sure that I have not provided enough information for
> >
> > anyone to help me, but if you will tell me what I need to post back I
> > will.
 >> Stay informed about: Can anyone help with class assignment RAID1 Silicon Image ..