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RAID 5 on XPS 420 using eSATA interface
XPS 420 uses the Intel X38 chipset. According to Intel the chip set supports RAID 0,1,5,10. Can I use the external eSATA connection to set up a RAID 5 system with more drives than that can be stored internally? I also plan to use system in a dual boot environment. I presume the RAID is motherboard based and will work with the Linux too. From Intel: http://www.intel.com/products/chipsets/X38/index.htm Intel® Matrix Storage Technology³ With a second hard drive added, provides quicker access to digital photo, video and data files with RAID 0, 5, and 10, and greater data protection against a hard disk drive failure with RAID 1, 5, and 10. Support for external SATA* (eSATA*) enables the full SATA interface speed outside the chassis, up to 3 Gb/s. Intel® Matrix Storage Technology requires the computer have an MST-enabled Intel chipset, RAID controller in the BIOS enabled and the Intel Matrix Storage Technology software driver installed. Please consult your system vendor for more information.
packerFan07
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Posted December 30th, 2007 03:00
1) Page 30 of the 420 owners manual...Your computer supports RAID level 0 and RAID level 1. No mention of 5 or 10.....2) I thought about migrating to RAID 0, but the Intel Matrix Storage Technology software I tried to load, wouldn't install. I found this interesting since page 38 of the same manual discusses using this software to migrate to RAID 0 or RAID 1.- Well, I hope the good old boys in tech didn't introduce a bug by doing so. It would appear from the reports on the eSATA port not working, that something is causing a problem. It would be interesting to see a fix come out that resolves the eSATA port issues, and RAID 5 an 10 show up. :smileywink:
- Thanks for the posts. I am new to the XPS world.
Now I presume that RAID0/Raid1 is user configurable or is it disabled at the factory if not ordered like that?Just confirmed that the RAID0 and RAID1 are user configurable.I noticed that you can add 2 more hard drives (3 total) to the system. I presume drives #2 and #3 can be part of the RAID 0/1 system; I want to add two new drives but do not want to mess with the OS drive (non RAID)Can folks here tell me what brand/model Dell uses for 320GB drive?Hard Drive 320GB - 7200RPM, SATA 3.0Gb/s, 16MB Cache
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Message Edited by vsaxena on 12-30-2007 09:44 PM
Message Edited by vsaxena on 12-30-2007 09:44 PM Timdrouilard
628 Posts
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Posted December 31st, 2007 01:00
vsaxeniaYes you can create/define RAID 1 or 0 arrays yourself. All you should need to do is set the drives to the RAID setting in the BIOS, then when the system boots, you should see a prompt to hit ctl-I to enter the RAID configuration screens.Warning tho.....If you change your drives fron RAID to non-RAID or visa versa, then you will have to reload Windows from scratch I believe.- Since the XPS can take three drives, I am thinking of putting the RAID in drives #2 and #3 and keep the OS drive the way it was, maybe be a separate partition to mount Linux on #1.I hope the RAID will work with drives #2 and #3.If they enable eSATA you could in principle have an external RAID solution which you can then move from one computer to another.
Timdrouilard
628 Posts
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Posted December 30th, 2007 03:00