Bloodrage: SAS and other Raid configurations

[Spoiler]

I just flashed my bios from the P07 to the P09 and I've noticed quite a few changes. I've haven't searched everyting 100%, but on my first few glances I didn't see the option to enable/disable the SAS controller. Could someone show me or name the option that does this? Where I would normally go, all I see is the option to enable/disable the esata and FDC controllers.

Also, has the option to enable both the SAS Raid controller + ICH10R Raid controller been changed so they both display during boot time? In the past, if I had my SAS drives connected in Raid...I couldn't get to the Intel raid configuration screen during boot time. I was always forced to set my drives to ACHI or IDE on those SATA ports.

Any help?

[Mescalamba]

Huh, thats wierd.. I have P09 and still have SAS enable/disable where it should be.. try complete wipe and re-flash?

[CobraXP]

Huh, thats wierd.. I have P09 and still have SAS enable/disable where it should be.. try complete wipe and re-flash?

I have used P07, G25 and P09. Was in same spot. I would try what Mescalamba suggested.

[Spoiler]

Thanks, I'll try again when I get home.

Any idea on the second question? Anyone ever tried running two seperate raid configurations using the two raid controllers?

[saaya]

yeah i did that once, and it worked, but only with a single gpu vga... if you use several vgas or a x2 vga it might not work (too many roms loaded during post)

[Spoiler]

OK, I found the option to enable SAS. I can't believe I overlooked it.

yeah i did that once, and it worked, but only with a single gpu vga... if you use several vgas or a x2 vga it might not work (too many roms loaded during post)

I'd love to try this again. Two SAS drives in Raid 0 on the marvell controller and Two SATA drives on the ICH10R controller in raid 0. The last time I tried though, the boot configurations didn't pop up for both controllers.

Saaya..what do you mean or should I say what is the difference between several vgas or a X2 VGA? You aren't talking about a 4870X2 are you?

[saaya]

yeah a 4870x2 works different than having 2 4870s, same for 5xxx cards afaik.
i dont know why, but it seems if you use an x2 vga the vga rom of each gpu is loaded, and has to be, otherwise it wont post.
and if you use 2 x2 cards then the vga rom is loaded 3 or 4 times, not sure which... either way, the more boot roms you invoke and try to load, the more likely you will run into some issues as there isnt enough mem early in the post process, or they try to write to the same address space etc... dont know the details...

i just remember that i tried sas raid and ich10 raid and IDE PATA raid.
2 of those 3 would work together but not 3 iirc...

and yes, if it doesnt work then you wont get the boot config pop up during post...

[rolodomo]

Thanks, I'll try again when I get home.

Any idea on the second question? Anyone ever tried running two seperate raid configurations using the two raid controllers?

Yes, I use that configuration. I have two SSD(s) on ICH10R and two sata hard drives on the Marvell, both in Raid 0. It works out great (very useful to have different types of arrays on different controllers). Make sure you have the JMicron esata/IDE off though.

[ProStock]

Heya well im trying to get a raid 0 array on SAS using SSD drives so far i can do all the inits creat raid 0 but when i press Yes to create raid array it stuck there i leave it 10 minutes still stuck on the yes notin happend
anyones who knows what cause the hanging ?

[saaya]

identical drives?

[ProStock]

YES boths SSD ares indentical & have been detected from the SAS Marvell adapter
I have try to create a Raid Array using the intel & it works i have been able to install win 7 on the raid array
im kinda stuck right now i was hoping to use the SAS ports cause i run out of SATA port on intel

do i need to do something special under the bios ?

when i press reset after waiting 15 minutes looks like the Sas adapter is having a problem to detect one of the SSD it say unknow device dected

but if i shut down the system & boot back boot SSD ares detected

im lost thx for the help

Using Bios G25

[saaya]

ohhh ssds...
mhhhh no idea... ask foxconn... :/

sounds like a firmware compatibility issue...

[Lord Trident]

try using the latest bios as am sure some firmware were updated after G25

[ProStock]

I have just updated to latest Bios G32 same problem still hang on the raid creation i have install the Marvell Drivers on win7
the adapter see boths SSD's under Windows 7computer management Boths SSD's Unpartitioned space so when i right click it let me create a Stripe Raid-0 array but it wont boot up

So my main issue i can't create a SSD's Raid-0 array using Marvell bios ultility
after i select boths SSD's i press Y to create array & it hang there no activity on the HD LED

If i press RESET there's one SSD Detected as Unknow Drive If i shutdown & reboot boths SSD's ares detected fine i try different SATA cables same issue

i try the Menu advance Raid Util & Verify boths SSD's they's both comes
no error for somes odd reason the LowLevel format cant be access time taken
to verify eachs SDD's 2 minutes


Q: do you think i should give more then 15 minute after i press YES when i create the raid array maybe im giving up too soon and creating the raid array might take more time ??

PS: looks like the bios version 3.1.0.16 of marvell SAS still the same as Bios G25

thx for helping me out !

[saaya]

mhhhh how about creating a raid array in windows and then ghosting a win7 install on that?
im pretty sure its a compatibility issue between the marvell and ssd firmware... which one screwed up or which one screwed up worse doesnt matter in the end...
you might be able to get a quick beta bios with the latest firmware for the sas controller in it, but i wouldnt count on it...
just try the ghosting and see if that works

[Lord Trident]

well just found out am silly

bios does not have the Mavell firmware
the firmware is in it own section
and my copy is older then what the board have now lol so have asked for the latest so we see.

[ProStock]

Update : i used 2 identical 500GB SATA HD's Seagate non SAS drives & try to create a Raid-0 array using Marvell Bios util same thing happend it hangs on the creation part of the raid array so i guess it's not SSD related
This time i leave the the Marvell Bios raid creation for the hole night when i woke up this mornin same thing still hang at the Yes prompt
do you think the SAS ports needs SAS devices to work ?


Thx Saaya for the hint but im afraid that wont work since it's the marvell bios that merge the drives as Raid-0 array so im wondering how it can boot merged
Well i guess i have to try out if it werks & see if in marvell bios the drives ares showing up as raid-0

Thx for the help guyes it's apreciated

[Mescalamba]

SAS ports are reverse compatibile with SATA.. tough, not sure if that apply for RAID too.. I guess you have AHCI selected on normal SATA, right?

[ProStock]

Im using Intel ICH10R RAID 5 Disks 1 TB + one SATA Blu-Ray Burner
So all six intel sata ports ares used
That's why i was planning to use the Marvell SAS ports as a RAID-0 for the SSD's
Maybe your right Mescalamba SAS ports ares back compatible but maybe not RAID

anyway maybe Lord Trident can tell us if it's the case

Thx for the Help folks Apreciated

[chawks2]

I have never successfully created RAID sets on both chipsets, regardless of BIOS settings(P09).

I feel like I posted this information in these forums.

[saaya]

i created a raid0 array on the marvell controller, but that was with 2 sas hdds...
both samsung and seagate worked fine...
could be that sata raid doesnt work for some reason... but that should be a bug?

[Mescalamba]

Anyone tried looking up some drivers/utilities on Marvell web? Or asking their tech support? Maybe they know something..

[ProStock]

Found somes new drivers for Marvell 63xx/64xx Driver v.3.1.0.2404
but no luck on firmware

http://www.x-drivers.com/catalog/dri...3xx/13948.html

[rolodomo]

I was able to make a Marvell Raid0 array with two Seagate ES2.1 250GB sata drives using the G32 bios in Windows 7.

I don't think you can have the JMicron ESATA drivers and Marvell SAS enabled in BIOS at the same time though, there is some sort of conflict. It caused me all sorts of problems, including hanging, when I tried it.

[saaya]

ahhh that would make sense...