Upgrading existing server to Gigabyte GA-P35-DS3R

[MortenSchmidt]

I want to ensure the new server is solid before moving my existing array over to the new server.

 

Here is a list of the steps I have taken already. I would love any tips on other things I should check before moving over my existing 6-drive array:

 

Assembled the new server with the Gigabyte P35-DS3R and two Seagate 300GB drives that I have avaliable. I have one drive hooked up to the ICH9R and the other one on the onboard Highpoint chip. Configured BIOS to use AHCI for both controllers.

 

Now, about the whole Gigabyte/HPA issue - First thing I did was to flash the gigabyte board to the latest bios F13, and note that it has the option to disable "save a copy of bios to harddisk", and that this option is disabled per default, both when clearing CMOS with a jumper, and also when loading "optimized deafaults".

 

To test it in practice, I removed the HPA from the one 300GB drive that did have an HPA from it's previous use when this board was in my desktop pc (with HDPARM). Then precleared both disks, powered off and restarted. UnRaid does not detect any HPA, both disks report same size and HDPARM also reports full capacity. I also powered off and rebooted after defining and formatting my array, still no HPA.

 

I have run memtest86 over night for a good 10 passes without any errors to check the RAM.

 

I also setup a small array with one parity and one datadisk, copied over almost 300GB of data, checked all the data against sfv files (twice) and ran 3 parity checks. No errors whatsoever. Parity check speed is arround 57MB/s in the beginning, same speed as preclearing the drives.

 

Drive temperatures seem to stay arround 29degrees during parity checks (I installed two dead disks above and below the two live ones to emulate populated airflow).

 

Hardware inventory:

Coolermaster 590 case

3 x 4-in-3 internal drivecages with 120mm fans

Corsair VX450 PSU

Gigabyte GA-P35-DS3R

Core2Duo E4x00 2.2GHz with stock cooler

2 x 1 GB Micron DDR2-667

Geforce 2MX PCI graphics

 

I am currently on v4.5.1 and will stick with that version for now.

 

Again, any ofher suggestions for things that can be tested before moving over the existing array is wellcome.

 

[Joe L.]

It sounds like everything is working perfectly.  You've done your homework.  The repeated parity checks with no errors is a good sign.

 

The only thing left might be to post a copy of your syslog in case it shows any errors.

 

Joe L.

[MortenSchmidt]

Thanks, Joe. Here is my syslog, I would appreciate you or someone looking it over.

 

I was looking at it a bit myself and am somewhat surprised the drives seem to get configured for UDMA/133

May 2 23:59:20 TestServer kernel: ata6: SATA link up 1.5 Gbps (SStatus 113 SControl 300)

May 2 23:59:20 TestServer kernel: ata6.00: ATA-7: ST3300831AS, 3.02, max UDMA/133

May 2 23:59:20 TestServer kernel: ata6.00: 586072368 sectors, multi 0: LBA48 NCQ (depth 31/32)

May 2 23:59:20 TestServer kernel: ata6.00: configured for UDMA/133

May 2 23:59:20 TestServer kernel: scsi 6:0:0:0: Direct-Access ATA ST3300831AS 3.02 PQ: 0 ANSI: 5

 

The drives (300GB Seagate SATA) are SATA1 so 1.5Gbps should be it - any idea what is up with the UDMA/133 ?

syslog-2010-05-06.txt

[prostuff1]

http://osdir.com/ml/linux.ide/2005-06/msg00176.html

 

Have a look there, it might explain a little.

 

http://serverfault.com/questions/120098/linux-kernel-option-to-set-sata-disk-to-udma-133-1-5gbps

 

This may also be of some use.

[meerkat154]

Newbie question here....does one loose all the data when moving the drives from one Unraid server to another? I need to build a new Unraid server and had hoped to move the drives from my old Unraid server over to the new Unraid server without data loss.

-Kat

[Joe L.]

Newbie question here....does one loose all the data when moving the drives from one Unraid server to another? I need to build a new Unraid server and had hoped to move the drives from my old Unraid server over to the new Unraid server without data loss.

-Kat

No, you do not lose your data.

 

See here: http://lime-technology.com/wiki/index.php?title=FAQ#How_do_I_move_my_existing_unRAID_array_to_a_new_system.3F

[MortenSchmidt]

By the way, the upgrade went well and I have completed the first full parity check without any sync errors (did not loose any data  ).

 

The parity check ran at 63MB/s with 2 x 2TB Hitachi, 2 x 2TB WD Green, 1 x 2TB WD Green and 1 x 750GB Seagate 7200rpm.

 

Hope to post level 2 results and syslog if I ever stop fiddling with settings and addons long enough to not reboot if for for a full month.

 

Read performance over the network pegs the win xp task manager networking meter at 35%. Had hoped for a little more. I can read from two xp machines at the same time (each from a different 2TB disk) with 30% on one and 25% on the other. But I would rather have 55% (or more) one the one transfer alone. Any tips or insight is wellcome. I already have the 2MB/s readahead mod in the go script and my network uses Cat 6 cables and has  <1ms ping. Switch is a linksys WRT610N (which has a 4-port gigabit switch) and no other trafic on the net.