Newbie problems with a RAID array...

[Joel Cairo]

Hi, all...:

I've lurked on the board for quite a few months, and decided that I wanted to be part of the FastTrak 100 RAID array club, so I got the card, and two 40-GB (well, actually two of the new 45GB-for-the-price-of-40GB)Maxtors. Got the card and drivers installed, and the hard drives went straight out of their boxes into the machine, where I set up the Raid Array with them.

When the system restarts it show the usual sys info, then shows the FastTrak info, the RAID configuration, with the number of drives (2) and amount of space available (~87.9 GB) correctly displayed.

Now comes the sticky and really embarrassing part... I'd have assumed that I could format the array HDs through some of the Windows 98 utilities, but the array doesn't show in the My Computer **or** Explorer windows (meaning there's no new drive showing or assigned a letter), so I'm confused as to how to proceed. Even if the HDs are currently unformatted, I would've expected them to show up, but obviously I'm wrong.

For what it's worth, the separate boot drive is being run from my P2B mobo controller, and the FT100 has both array drives on it, on separate cables, both with their jumpers set to MASTER. The FT100 does show up in the Device Manger as a SCSI controller (which the FT100 book says is a possibility). Also, there doesn't appear to be an IRQ conflict associated with the FT100 card itself.

So, I must've screwed up somewhere, but if anyone can tell me what I've done wrong, I'd really be much appreciative!!

Thank you for your time and consideration, folks!

-Joel Cairo

[Sciascia]

You probably need to run the utility disk that came with the HD's. This may seem strange, but I've had the same problem with newer HD's with and without a Fasttrak. I believe it performs a software switch on the HD and it should come up in Windows.

[This message has been edited by Sciascia (edited 16 November 2000).]

[Pertti]

Joel,

The array needs to be partitionned first.

You will find the instructions here: http://forums.murc.ws/ubb/Forum2/HTML/005077.html

Edit: If whatever HD:s at this day and age come with a "utility" disk, take the disk, cut it in pieces, burn the pieces, and bury the ashes to a six foot hole at midnight under full moon...

...at least DO NOT INSERT THE DISK INTO YOUR FLOPPY DRIVE (A:\)...

[This message has been edited by Pertti (edited 16 November 2000).]

[Patrick]

Joel, I tend to agree with Pertti. If you read the thread that Pertti is referring to, you'll see that the utility disk I received with my WD drives only made a difficult situation worse. It took me a while to undo the damage the utility disk did.

Pertti's description of how to format the drives is quite thorough. Follow his advice and you'll probably be fine.

[Joel Cairo]

Wow... thanks, everyone!

The array seems to be up and running just fine now (and a big thanks to Pertti for the instructions... I'd seen them before, but I couldn't find the thread when I needed it. And BTW, Pertti, I think your advice regarding the HD floppy discs is good, too... so I did exactly what you suggested-- and made sure to bury the ashes deep, deep, deep!)

Anyway, it's time to try the trial captures (just got Markus' AVI_IO last night, and I've been itching to give it a workout!)...

Thanks again, everybody-- I **really** appreciate the assistance!

-Joel Cairo

[Sciascia]

Just a note, I had no problems installing my RAID array (FT66) using the WD utility disc. I may just be lucky though, and my throughput is fine.