Getting RAID to work on the ASUS Maximus SE

[magica]

First thought is because you got crap on your raid drives. This is where a 98 or other boot disk would come in handy or a WD harddrive utily to format the drives clean......then build an array. Not sure though. But its what I did and it worked.

[Talonman]

Bump in the road. Window can not determine if this is a valid system volume.

I think it is bacause the first install locked up on me, but wrote some files on the disk.

Now Windows think's somthing is on them? Not sure.

I deleted my raid setup, then re-created it the same way, but still a no go..

Considering booting from floopy and initializing the Raptors. My wipedrive dosen't want to boot from CD?

I messed around with the BIOS, setting the drives to other options, then back to RAID. Deleted the Raid array again, then re created it and Window is loading the files fine now.

I even used my floppy for the RAID driver, just to make sure I was going to be loading the latest version.

I think I have everything correct so far, and am copying files now.. Run baby run.

[Talonman]

It worked, I am on the new system! Road runner is working fine all by itself this time.

Windows installed on my RAID setup just fine. It is currently reporting 13.8GB used, and 279GB free on my C drive.

Now, do I need to install that other program still?

[Raver]

You need to instal the Intel chipset driver.
http://downloadcenter.intel.com/Prod...?ProductID=816

Then instal the 2nd link I gave you before, the Intel Storage manager softwear.
http://downloadcenter.intel.com/Prod...ProductID=2101
RAID/AHCI Software - Intel® Matrix Storage Manager (5615KB)

[Talonman]

Thanks... I will do that. I have another set back.

I was just looking at windows, the screen flashed, I saw a blue screen with what looked to be a core dump for 1 breef second, before returning my desktop unfuntional. I had to power the system down manually. I now cant get passed the DET DRAM on the LCD Poster. Odd.

I let it set powered off for 30 minutes, and had me some pizza.
Fired it up, made it all the way into Windows, for about 2 minutes then froze.

DET DRAM lit on the LCD Poster. Time to play some musical slots I guess, with the ram.
Update:
Same stick in the other white slot, DET DRAM on the LCD Poster during boot, won,t pass that spot in the boot sequence. I tried twice.
The other stick, in the first white slot, Windows booted, the very first attempt. There now...

[magica]

I think you should consider moving your setup problems out of this RAID thread. Your raid is set up now?

[Talonman]

Thanks for your input.

The new ram is holding out fine so far. I successfully was able to installed the Intel chipset driver. After you chose restart, you need to ride it out for quite some time before the system restarts itself. There was allot of HD activity still going on for quite a while.

The RAID/AHCI Software - Intel® Matrix Storage Manager was also successfully installed too.

Thanks for everybody's help. I was thinking of getting into some speed testing, but it seems I have used up my post limit in this thread.

[dude_500]

Go into your BIOS as soon as you can and manually set your RAM voltage to the lowest possible in the 'extreme tweaker' or whatever it's called. This board over volts RAM significantly (my 1.8v ram ran stock 2.2v until I set it back to 1.8). Many people have burned out ram with Maximus.

[Talonman]

RAM is good now. Just successfully tested with Memtest to 447% with 0 errors.
I just took a peek in 'extreme tweaker', and I found DRAM Frequency, command rate, timing control, static read control, everything but voltage...
I will keep hunting, thnks for the over volt advice too dude! .
System has not crashed again ever since I took that 1 stick out.
FYI - My Samsung 250GB drive showed up in the Storage Manager just fine. Formatting done.
Caviar750GB also showed up in Storage Manager, Formatting that big dog now....
All 4 HD will be up and functional.

I have 2 more questions..

1) Just to confirm, there is no "Write Back Cache" to select when using RAID 0 correct?

2) I downloaded and installed The HD Tach program v3.0.1.0 showen earlier in this thread, but when I go to start it, it tells me Windows200 or Windows XP is required. It look like others were running it on Vista 64 Ultimate.

Update: I just got the word that it needs to run in XP compatiable mode. Is there a better RAID performance program to test with, that would just run in native 64bit Vista mode?

[Raver]

I have 2 more questions..

1) Just to confirm, there is no "Write Back Cache" to select when using RAID 0 correct?

2) I downloaded and installed The HD Tach program v3.0.1.0 showen earlier in this thread, but when I go to start it, it tells me Windows200 or Windows XP is required. It look like others were running it on Vista 64 Ultimate.

Update: I just got the word that it needs to run in XP compatiable mode. Is there a better RAID performance program to test with, that would just run in native 64bit Vista mode?

Open the Intel Matrix Storage Console.
Click view select Advanced Mode.
Right click Array_0000, or just right click every icon and you will see that you can indeed enable write back cache.

I did on mine and it works.

[Talonman]

Thanks Raver, I will have to look into that again some time. My presious second Raptor died. I received the system message that one of my RAID drives had gone off line. I clicked on my computer to look at the C drive, and the system crashed.

I figured mabey a SATA cable came loose. No such luck. My Raptor-B drive would no longer register in the BIOS using different SATA cables, and power connections. Raptor-A would show up in the BIOS no matter wich SATA port you plugged it into. Raptor-B is just MIA!

I had to start from scratch again with no RAID. I did learn allot, and will be back using RAID again soon.

[Wolf2000me]

I have a POST stalling issue with one of my SATA hard disks. Since I put in my 300gb Maxtor drive the POST procedure pauses for about half a minute on "DET IDE". No settings seem to resolve the issue. I hear a HD-noise when it's happening. The drive works perfectly but is rather fullish.
The system post procedure has always gotten past it but it is rather annoying. Does anyone have some thoughts on this?

[~aoe~]

It's possible that the drive may not be working as perfectly as you imagine. It could be starting to fail. I'd suggest running some diagnostics on the drive.

Also, have you tried POSTing with that drive connected to different SATA ports? Same behaviour?

Edit: Another possibility to check is the cable.

[Wolf2000me]

It's possible that the drive may not be working as perfectly as you imagine. It could be starting to fail. I'd suggest running some diagnostics on the drive.

Also, have you tried POSTing with that drive connected to different SATA ports? Same behaviour?

Edit: Another possibility to check is the cable.

I replaced the cable with another fresh one and used a different sata port, still the same thing.
The drive does not make odd grinding noises and performs as it always has. I will take vital data off of it and see what happens. Thanks for your suggestions anyway

[icecpu]

hello , I have 2 raptors that I want to set up raid.
my question is do I have to load diver during installing windows vista. Before I set up raid on the P5W DH Deluxe I did not have to install driver.

If yes , I don't have a floopy disk to make the disk
I did tried to load the driver from the Maximus cd to the thumbdrive with no success, it says "unable to get disk information" any suggestion guys ? thanks

[Talonman]

I think I have it down now...
Correct me if I am wrong.

On initial power up and loading Vista for the first time do this:

1) Turn the computer on and hit the delete key to let the BIOS go through it's setup and sniff the drives you have connected to the PC.

option: I also have to recommend that you just plug the 2 raptors in initially, until after the OS is installed. The computer then automaticially decides that both drives are being included in your array by default.

2) In the BIOS you must set the drives as RAID. Disable Jimmie Crumb controller too! F10 to save and exit.

** Get ready to act fast **
You need to catch the Control-I screen here **

If you miss it you will need to re-boot and try again.

3) At the secret Conrtol-I screen, you define what RAID drives your are adding into your array. If you just have your 2 raptors plugged in, it will default to both being included. Confirm you like the setup and exit the program.

4) System boots and windows asks a few questions and begins to install.

5) During the install you will arrive at the 'Where do you want to install windows screen'. It shows your drives and will default to your RAID array if that is all that is currently plugged in. It has a load Driver option at the bottom of the screen. This is where the Matrix floppy comes if you created it. If not just let Vista continue it's install, as a version of Matrix is located on the CD. I don't know if it is the same as what you get off the web or not.

6) Finish Vista install, and then install 2 additional programs:

A) The Intel chipset driver. Note: After you chose restart, you need to ride it out for quite some time before the system restarts itself. There was allot of HD activity still going on for quite a while. Don't be fooled into think your system hung, and power it off.

B) The RAID/AHCI Software - Intel® Matrix Storage Manager.

I think you also need to change a setting to 'enable write back cash' too? grey area for me. I am out if the RAID club for now.
The setting would be within the Storage Manager program, but never found how to start the program after I had installed it successfully.

[Jodiuh]

I actually went through a few 7b's trying to install the driver first!!

And if the drive has been wiped, it may need to be formatted first, then reboot, then Vista will let you install. Also, everything installs fine without the driver. My HDD performance is damn near the same as XP.

[megahurtz-oc]

whats the best strip size to use when setting up raid on this board?

[Talonman]

Highly debatable subject with no clear cutt best answer. I just took the default settings.

[Jodiuh]

128KB for Intel.

[loften]

i have issues with drives also. i tried raid0 with 2 raptors everything brand new and 1 drive failed. i re installed everything and it did it again. i then aborted that drive with a new one and re installed everything and it failed again. i got 2 more new ones and re installed everything again and it did the same thing. then i used all in raid5. every once in a while a random drive will drop out and i mark it as normal in the storage manager and it rebuilds itself. if i try to do anything like update hd3870 drivers it fails and i lose a file and have to re install windows over. it did it with 8.1 and also with 8.2. if i update windows it does it too. i think maybe the old 401 bios or voltages messing things up or somthing. i don't know..

[giorgos th.]

i always get an iastor.sys bsod when instaling XP 32.raid0 is ok,f6 drivers are ok....
any ideas?

[loften]

i don't have any clue how to make this work, everything installs and works my system is on auto everything except memory voltage is locked 2.0. on maximus se with bios 907, e6850, 4x1 crucial pc8500, 1000 watt psu. 2x hd3870. i can do all the installation of everything, i just lose a random disk it doesn't matter it just loses one every few days, sometimes it takes a week. i have tried to up the voltage a little on the chipset also. it acts like maybe it is a controller issue or somthing? i have 5 raptor 74adfd's now and i started with 2 to begin with a couple months ago. i have tried cables, every disk, in pairs and even all of them at once. with different arrays..all the disks work on a different computer..i have been thinking of sending this board back but for some reason i don't think it is the board. it's up to date with all the latest drivers for everything and is on server 2003 xp64.. anyone have this same problem or a clue what is causing it?.

[Fitseries3]

i've got vista 64 raided on 2 WD raptors on my maximus. i didn't have any problems installing windows or anything. im also using a sata dvd burner and i am having problems. the drive will read cd/dvd's just fine but will not burn to a disk with any program other than nero. windows' cd/dvd burning doesn't work, dvdfab, dvdxcopy, clonedvd, etc, wont work at all. when i launch the program, they all say "scanning disk" and then the system stops responding. i can move the mouse but when i try to click on anything, nothing happens. i have to do a hard reset to get the computer working again.
any suggestions?

[Jodiuh]

SP1 fixed my burning issues, but you might try changing cable/drive.