Trying this build...She's Runnin!

[Jim_S]

I know this is a Stupid Question but I have never set up a mirroring RAID system with SATA2 HD's.
Do I have to make both disks bootable before setting up Win XP?
I finally got the HD's And am about ready to rebuild my X2.
And if I build the Puter with mirroring do I make the drives master drives?

Jim Scott

[Jason G]

Hi Jim,
    Been a while since I messed with that stuff under windows, and when I did it was under server 2003.

From that memory it will depend on if you're using Hardware or Windows' Software RAID.

For Windows Software RAID you'd need a simple (ordinary non-RAID) disk to boot the OS from, and the mirrored volume would be constructed afterward as a separate drive (which should still be able to be mapped elsewhere IIRC.)

The Hardware RAID option would make the drive appear as a normal simple volume in Windows, and the management tools specifically for the controller would be needed.  I do recall there were some issues with Intel chipset hardware RAID under XP that required elaborate workarounds to get going , since the drivers/tools would be needed prior to install & I don't think we found a way to get at those prior to OS loading either, so you'd still need a separate ordinary boot volume to load OS and prepare the array (If that's still the case).   Hardware Controllers with the management available at BIOS/Boot shouldn;t have this issue, and always show up as a simple volume in the OS, whatever the underlying geometry.

Not very definite on all that, as some things may have improved, But I Hope that helps a bit.

Jason

[Jim_S]

Hi Jason,
The MB is a Foxconn M61PMV and I went to their website and Downloaded the RAID info from their site. It instructed me to make Two bootable disks and enter Setup  at startup...Then select the disks for the array and and then insert the disks when prompted then continue Windows XP setup.
It never said whether to make both Drives Bootable or not so I am still somewhat Confuzzed.

Jim Scott   

[Jason G]

It never said whether to make both Drives Bootable or not so I am still somewhat Confuzzed.

Sounds like it expects both to be 'normal' as in C & D style drives, each with a primary partition made (only) ... which I assume it will then build its (Hardware) array in the setup described.  It's hardware raid then, so if both drives are prepared the same they should both show up in the RAID setup.

I would start by trying: prepare one drive, second drive unplugged ( Partition & make bootable, i.e. active, with no OS), and do the same to the other separately (first drive unplugged), then: plug both in and commence setup.  If it sees both drives and lets you make a mirror array you should be good to go ... if not back to square one & trying something else.

If at any time you need to go back to a clean slate to try something else, I would suggest 'Dariik's Boot & Nuke' ( http://www.dban.org ) which will do a deep sector erase obliterating any partition / boot sectors.  Do be aware that it will do so on any attached drives, so don't have a working data storage drive attached, only ones you intend to deep erase if starting over 

Jason

[Jason G]

[A bit Later:]  Hmmm, am looking at the motherboard manual, and the process looks straightforward ... let me know at which point in the following you're stuck:

Creating a bootable Array; .....
   follow:
    1.   5-1 to create the driver disks
    2.   5-2 Set RAD enabled in BIOS
    3.   5-3 Select RAID array for Use
    4.   5-4 Install New Windows OS

[Jim_S]

Thanks Jason.
I'm going to start on the thing later today.
Wish me LUCK.

Jim Scott

[Jason G]

Good luck.

Looking through, I think the only confusing thing will be why in the heck you need such arcane things as floppy disks     It's only that XP Setup has always been a bit stingy on options where you can load drivers from during setup & have to be quick with th F6 Key ( IIRC ) .  A pain, but I guess it works ... if you locate a working floppy drive & a couple of blank disks  ( , not as easy as it used to be for sure )

[Edit:] BTW I don't think you'll need to partition or format the drives beforehand, looking at this info, but anything's possible.

Jason

[Jim_S]

Well I got Everything hooked up And NOTHING!
The only two parts that weren't new or tested were the CPU and Case.
So It'll be a couple more months until I can even get a new OEM processor.
Back to the waiting game.
And yes I even tested all of the outlets on the new PSU they all tested good.
CRAP!!!
PS  It was the PSU that brought it down.

[Jason G]

...
PS  It was the PSU that brought it down.

Wow, sorry to hear that Jim.  What sortof PSU was that? (So I remember not to buy one  )

[Jim_S]

...
PS  It was the PSU that brought it down.

Wow, sorry to hear that Jim.  What sortof PSU was that? (So I remember not to buy one  )

Powmax.

[Jason G]

Powmax.

Cheers, Never head of that one here in Oz, so If I come across them I'll stay away 

[Jim_S]

Trashing my X2 and trying this build...The best I can do with my budget.
If I get to go with this build can I crunch with the onboard video? And if so will I need a dummy plug or a turned off monitor?
Also will be using my old HyperX DDR2-800 memory which is supposed to work on the mentioned board.
I also have my old MSI/ ATI  PCIe X16 Video Card that I hope to use.

Athlon II X4 630 (4 x 2.8GHz - 2MB Cache - 4000MHz FSB)
Gigabyte M68M-S2P   

(2) DDR2
Memory Slots
(Max 8GB)

Use Built In Nvidia Geforce 7025 Video
or A Separate PCIe X16 Video Card

[arkayn]

Trashing my X2 and trying this build...The best I can do with my budget.
If I get to go with this build can I crunch with the onboard video? And if so will I need a dummy plug or a turned off monitor?
Also will be using my old HyperX DDR2-800 memory which is supposed to work on the mentioned board.
I also have my old MSI/ ATI  PCIe X16 Video Card that I hope to use.

Athlon II X4 630 (4 x 2.8GHz - 2MB Cache - 4000MHz FSB)
Gigabyte M68M-S2P   

(2) DDR2
Memory Slots
(Max 8GB)

Use Built In Nvidia Geforce 7025 Video
or A Separate PCIe X16 Video Card

Are you copying my other system Jim as that is the exact board and processor that I have in my SETI/Collatz cruncher, along with a ATI 4830. Last I checked it had a RAC at SETI of 4100 and 44000 at Collatz.

It does not look like the 7000 series has CUDA capabilities.

[Jason G]

Trashing my X2 and trying this build...The best I can do with my budget.
If I get to go with this build can I crunch with the onboard video? And if so will I need a dummy plug or a turned off monitor?
Also will be using my old HyperX DDR2-800 memory which is supposed to work on the mentioned board.
I also have my old MSI/ ATI  PCIe X16 Video Card that I hope to use.

Athlon II X4 630 (4 x 2.8GHz - 2MB Cache - 4000MHz FSB)
Gigabyte M68M-S2P   

(2) DDR2
Memory Slots
(Max 8GB)

Use Built In Nvidia Geforce 7025 Video
or A Separate PCIe X16 Video Card

Looks good Jim.  I chose a small Gigabyte Mobo when I built my main machine (with Intel E8400) ~2.5 years ago, still chugging away OC'd.  Since you're putting a quad in there, I would suggest getting 4Gig of Low Latency high speed RAM, rather than 8Gig of the cheaper stuff.  The lower latency helps a lot with contention, and quads are harder to feed.   

Arkayn might be able to tell you if you can use the onboard Video for your monitor, while dedicating the x16 slot for a crunching card.  a 460 would probably go quite well in that, but I guess Raistmer might have some Opencl stuff on the way for the ATi card you have, but you'd need to check what the requirements are with him   

Any component that I can stretch the budget a fraction (within reason) & get the next model up, I've never felt regrets about afterwards.  To me it just extends the working life of the gear, which in the long run is cheaper. So I;d suggest looking at the models available that are similarly featured, but neighbouring in price ranges & go for quality/longevity ... for example that Mobo (Gigabyte M68M-S2P) appears to have solid capacitors where it counts, but not all of them are.  If there is a model for a small amount extra that is basically the same, but has all solid caps, I would try and stretch the budget to that ... as it will likely last longer.

Jason

[Jim_S]

CRAP...Now I'm going to have to build this thing with a cast on 'cause I broke my wing and the rest of the parts will be in next week.