promise raid controllers

[xamindar]

I have an issue with the promise sata150 tx4 I just got. It will sit at the "no array defined" screen indefinately unless I press ESC. How do these things work? Do I need to define 4 arrays(one for each of the four drives connected)? Will defining an array erase the disk? I don't get why it doesn't just continue as if they are all seperate disks if there is no array defined.

 

Also, I have unraid on a full slackware distro on one hdd, is there a way to boot off this promise card instead of the mainboard sata ports? I set it to boot add in cards first in the bios but apparently this card doesn't allow booting from it.

 

Thanks for any help!

[WeeboTech]

Is there a way to go into the promise bios and set it up for JBOD?

If not, is there a way to reflash the bios with a non-raid bios?

 

Sometimes defining a single drive as a RAID0 array will work, but I do not know how emhttp will interface with that.

 

>> Also, I have unraid on a full slackware distro on one hdd, is there a way to boot off this promise card instead of the mainboard sata ports? I set it to boot add in cards first in the bios but apparently this card doesn't allow booting from it.

 

Only when you can get past the bios without pressing ESC

[xamindar]

Is there a way to go into the promise bios and set it up for JBOD?

No, it only gives options for Stripe or Mirror. Mirror will not let me save with only one disk set.

If not, is there a way to reflash the bios with a non-raid bios?

I have been googling for a bios to flash but so far no luck

Sometimes defining a single drive as a RAID0 array will work, but I do not know how emhttp will interface with that.

 

>> Also, I have unraid on a full slackware distro on one hdd, is there a way to boot off this promise card instead of the mainboard sata ports? I set it to boot add in cards first in the bios but apparently this card doesn't allow booting from it.

 

Only when you can get past the bios without pressing ESC

Even after passing ESC it fails to find a boot device. Same thing was happening on my other pci sata card (that one was a 2 port tx2 but didn't need to press ESC to pass it).

 

EDIT: Found the bios for this here. http://www.promise.com/support/download/download2_eng.asp?productID=108&category=all&os=100

The card currently has the older one installed. I guess I'll try flashing the newer one to see if it helps.

[WeeboTech]

Can you set a single drive stripe?

[xamindar]

Can you set a single drive stripe?

Yes I can, but wont that erase everything on it?

 

I don't think this will work though, because I can not creat an array without a disk and all ports are not full yet.

[WeeboTech]

Can you set a single drive stripe?

Yes I can, but wont that erase everything on it?

 

Yes, sorry thought it was a new disk. Don't test this unless you are using a new disk.

 

I don't think this will work though, because I can not creat an array without a disk and all ports are not full yet.

 

Not sure I understand this.

[xamindar]

Well, updating the bios fixed the issue with the waiting forever when no array is defined. That was the biggest issue and I'm glad it works now. So now it will sit there for like 5 seconds with the no array defined message and then continue on to boot.

 

I also updated my motherboard bios while I was at it. Was hoping it would be the cause of not being able to boot from any drives on the tx4 card but I guess not. Still can not boot from a disk plugged into the promise card. I guess it is just not possible to do this with a promise card? Just seems odd.