RAID 1 Install on XPS

Never received a repsonse on my question.  

I ordered another ST3120026AS drive to match the Seagate SATA allready in my system, and SATA cable for a total cost of 115.00.

Installed the drive and pluged it into SATA port 1.  

After boot up, went into Intel RAID setup in the control panel.   Created RAID 1 (Mirroing) (The Migration takes about 1 hour on my a 120GB system).   The Migration feature allows you to create a RAID from an exsisting disk and another SATA drive.

After Migration I rebooted.   When the system game up I got a message saying new device installed (RAID 1 volume) and required to re-start.

Rebooted.  

Check RAID status in control panel RAID 1.  RAID 1 volume said it was operational.

In summary no problem installing.   Used build in Intel RAID controller on XPS Gen 2 motherboard .   Saved about $165.00.  Dell wanted $280.00 more for the RAID 1 when I ordered the system.

 

 

 

 

tomxps

looks like the dell xps gen2 computers have the intel motherboard that incorporates the ichr chip, which supports raid setup without a controller card. thats cool, i believe the dell first generation xps has the ich chip which requries a controller card. one plus for dell here, going with the better motherboard. you should get the better motherboard on the xps due to how much they cost. sounds like you did a good job on setup, looks like your procedure was correct. i have 2 of my computers set up using serial raid 0, i wanted performance. last night on one of the computers, i also added a single drive to edie controller 1, so i now have serial raid 0 and a single drive for backups. later

Message Edited by ronss on 01-14-2004 03:31 PM

here are a couple of benchmarks that i use-

http://www.simplisoftware.com/Public/index.php?request=HdT ach#

http://forums.amdmb.com/showthread.php?=9f3692a6873a976f0e15e88c10472c1&threadid=281829

i use hd270 and atto 1.68

the storge forum and http://www.amdmb.com is very good regarding raid setups, etc.use it all the time

sorry , quess the url functions not working. you can find the benchmarks at http://www.amdmb.com , in the storage forum under one of the sticky posts at top of page, the one that states benchmarks.

ronss:

Yea mine is Gen 2 XPS.

I was debating on the XPS and 8300 but when I got ready to order it XPS had a better deal because of memory deal. 

I was able to get 2 GB memory on the XPS for less than the same system on the 8300 because of the memory promotion.   I like the fact the XPS came with a 460 W power supply and extra fans vs the 250W supply of the 8300, also one extra external drive. 

Been happy with my system so far.    I also added a 120 GB drive EIDE drive to my system for non critical data.  I am sure the RAID 0 should get good perfomance.

Before setting up the RAID,  I did some perfomance test with Perfomance Test 4.0 between the Seagate 120GB drive vs the WD 120GB (WD1200JB) drive.   Formated one as drive D and the other as E.  Run disk test several times and averaged the results.   The test showed Seagate drive to be about 10% faster for sequentail writes and reads.  Showed to be 17% faster for Random reads and writes.  Both drives were completely empty when running the test.

The WD and Seagate both have 8MB buffers.  

I need a little help, if anyone is willing.

I was just delivered an XPS Gen2 system with a SATA RAID 0, so the system was on the RAID disk(s).  I added a WD 250GB IDE drive to the Primary IDE.  I set the BIOS to AUTO for this drive and tried to boot up.  The system apparently looked for the boot volume on the new IDE drive.  This is actually what I want it to do, but it doesn't recognize the RAID disks now.  I went ahead with the formating and installation of Windows on the IDE drive.  I'm not completely through yet (as of 9:44PM EST).  Once I am, I'll reboot.  I'm expecting the system to boot up using the IDE drive.  Although, I might be in for a surprise.

What I need to know, is if it does boot up with the IDE drive, what do I have to do to get the system to recognize the SATA RAID configuration?

Any ideas?

sherwoodclark

i believe you will hae to change your boot order in your bios. on your 1st boot device, select the raid (may be listed seril raid, or maybe serial drives. then on your second boot device select the new idie drive-hd0 -hd1. hope this helps.

Thanks ronss.  I'll check out the boot order when Windows is finally installed.   However, I'm still wondering how do I get the system to recognize the RAID drive(s).  During the Windows XP installation it simply stated that there was a large storage device that the system did not know about.  It asked me I wanted to install mfg supplied drivers.  When I answered yes, it said insert floppy in drive A and continue.  I did not receive a floppy with the system.  I'm assuming the RAID drivers are on the install CD.  In fact, I thought I saw two RAID files fly by on the info line during the first part of the install.

Do I assume once Windows is installed that it will be able to see the RAID drives, since the drivers were loaded with Windows?

I think so, maybe.  Try installing the second part of the Intel Raid driver.  There the diskette version you need to create for the install and another part that you install after the install OS install is complete.   This create the application in the control panel to manage the RAID.   I have a feeling the drivers are on that install also.   Good luck.

 

You need to install the Intel Raid software.   I assume your XPS is using the build in Intel controller on the mother board.   Anyway when you install the OS your suppose to press F6 on the CD boot up to get prompted for the storage drivers.

I think since you allready have the OS installed you can install the Intel application Accelerator and it will install the device drivers, but normally you would do this on the first part of the first part of the XP install before the Graphical part of the install.   Here a link to the Pre and Post driver software for the RAID controller.

http://support.dell.com/FileLib/Type.aspx?c=us&l=en&s=gen&Category=0&OS=WW1&OSL=EN&SvcTag=&SysID=DIM_PNT_P4_XPS_G2&DeviceID=1556

If the link does not work got to Downloads and pick XPS and Windows XP and All to get a complete list.

 

 

 

 

 

Is the process similar for setting up RAID 0? I was thinking of doing the same but needed the storage space instead of the mirroring. Any differences when setting up? Thanks.

Thanks Tom.

I did press F6 during the install, but perhaps the keyboard did not react to my keypress, because I did not get a different screen for the RAID install.

Is there a way to install them after windows is completely loaded?

When I started the RAID install where I was migrating my data from the single SATA drive to the create the RAID I was given a choice of RAID 0 or 1.   With RAID 0 you have more choices to make on the cluster size etc.   You may want to download the Manual on the Intel Web Site.  I think they make some recommendation on cluster size in the manual. 

http://www.intel.com/support/chipsets/iaa_raid/manual.htm

I have tried to do the exact same thing as you (on the same computer) but get the blue screen every time I try to partition the RAID volume.  Any ideas?

Where are you trying to create the Partition from Disk Manager or on Windows Install ?  If your trying to create it in Windows install you have to make sure you F6 on startup and then install the INTEL Chipset drivers.   You can download and create the diskette from either Intel or Dell has them in the XPS sections.

I assume you have a XPS Gen 2.

On my system I created a RAID from an existing SATA Disk.   The steps were as follows:

1. install the second SATA drive.  
2. Boot up your system
3. Open Control Panel
4. Open Intel Application Accelerator
5. Right Click The Raid Volumes
6. Select Create from Existing or something like this
7. Existing Drive will be the one one port 0
8. Select Raid Level 0 or 1   (If you Select RAID Level 0 you have more options to choose)
9. Select Drive to Add to Array this would be SATA port 1 assuming if it was like mine XPS Gen 2
10. Start Migration process Takes about 1.25 hours on 120 GB System
11. Boot after migration
12. New Device installed message on Boot  says to reboot again
13. After this boot you should be operational in RAID Level 0 or 1

The Intel Manual assuming you have the XPS covers it fairly well.

http://www.intel.com/support/chipsets/iaa_raid/manual.htm