Promise Technology 150TX2 user manual Drive Issues

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Appendix A: FAQs

Drive Issues

Q:Can I add a drive to a FastTrak S150 TX2plus RAID array via hot-swap and dynamically adjust the array size/configuration?

A:No. The FastTrak S150 TX2plus system does not support dynamically adjustable RAID size/configurations.

Q: Do the HDDs on the FastTrak S150 TX2plus have to be the same size?

A:The HDDs that you use with the FastTrak S150 TX2plus do not have to be the same size. If the sizes differ, the FastTrak S150 TX2plus will truncate the bigger HDD so the drives match. The resulting difference in HDD space is unusable, so avoid using HDDs of significantly different capacities.

Q:I already have an array on an older FastTrak controller. Can I move that array to my new FastTrak S150 TX2plus controller?

A:Yes. All FastTrak controllers read the arrays the same way and can be moved from one controller to another.

Q:Can I take a drive used in a FastTrak S150 TX2plus array and access it directly with a different controller, such as the one integrated on the motherboard?

A:Only Single-drive striped (RAID 0) and Mirrored (RAID 1) array configurations allow the drive(s) to be accessed individually on another controller. Multiple-drive striped (RAID 0) will not work.

Q:If I have a problem with one of the drives on the FastTrak S150 TX2plus, how can I low-level format it to correct the problem?

A:Do NOT do this. Low-level formatting IDE drives is unnecessary and generally does not correct problems commonly experienced during use.

Errors such as bad sectors or ECC/CRC failure are best remedied by completely replacing the drive. For this reason, do NOT low-level format the drives attached to the FastTrak S150 TX2plus controller.

Q:Do I have to install disk management software on my array in order to access the full storage capacity of drives?

A:No! Disk management software will only complicate things. The array should be fully addressable by your OS as it is. Remember that some operating systems have varying limits on the sizes of partitions and logical drives that can be defined. Consult your OS documentation about partitioning larger drives.

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Contents Fasttrak S150 TX2PLUS Trademarks CopyrightImportant Data Protection Information Contents Page FastTrak S150 TX2plus IntroductionPromise Array Management Utility PAM Features Benefits Key Features and BenefitsCompatibility Unpacking Your FastTrak Card InstallationInsert the FastTrak card into an open PCI slot Installing the FastTrak CardInstalling the Hard Drives FastTrak S150 TX2plus card Creating Your Disk Array Creating a Performance Array Creating a Security Array with New Drives Page Creating a Security Array with an Existing Data Drive Seagate S380023AS Installation Creating a Security Array with Quick Initialization Installation Page Viewing FastTrak S150 TX2plus Bios Screen Using FastBuild Configuration UtilityUsing the Main Menu Navigating the FastBuild Setup MenuOptimize Array for Creating Arrays AutomaticallyPerformance Security and Performance SecurityUsing a Hot Spare Drive Creating Multiple Arrays Viewing Drive AssignmentsManually Creating an Array Selecting Stripe Block Selecting Array TypeGigabyte Boundary Creating a Striped Array Assigning Drives to ArrayCreating a Mirrored Array Using New Drives Adding Fault Tolerance to an Existing Drive Drive Model Capacity MB Page How FastTrak S150 TX2plus Orders Arrays Creating a Hot Spare Drive for Mirrored ArraysHow FastTrak S150 TX2plus Saves Array Information Deleting an Array Array Stripe 160048 Rebuilding a Mirrored Array 80024 Page Procedure Number Installing Software DriversWindows XP Installation Confirming Windows XP Driver Installation Existing Windows XP InstallationNew Windows 2000 Installation Confirming Windows 2000 Driver Installation Existing Windows 2000 InstallationNew Windows ME Installation Confirming Windows ME Driver Installation Existing Windows ME InstallationNew Windows NT4.0 Installation Removing Driver from Windows NT4.0 Existing Windows NT4.0 InstallationNew Windows 98 Installation Confirming Windows 98 Driver Installation Existing Windows 98 InstallationPage FastBuild Auto Menu Setup About Adapter BiosAbout FastTrak S150 TX2plus Reserve SectorDisk Array Terms RAID Level Performance Fault Capacity No. Tolerance DrivesDisk Array Description Disk Array MemberStriping RAID About RAID LevelsData Mirror Disk Drives Mirroring RAIDDisk Array Concepts Striping / Mirroring RAID 0+1 Configuring PCI IRQ resources Motherboard IssuesIntermittent data problems Freeing additional IRQ resourcesUsing an Onboard IDE Card with FastTrak S150 TX2plus System Cmos IssuesCritical Array Status Error Reported during Boot Drive-Related ErrorsDrive cannot be formed into an array System Cmos displays C or D drive failure during StartupUnable to Partition or Format Array Cannot Rebuild Mirrored RAID 1 Array Promise Windows driver does not appear in Device Manager Operating System-Related IssuesTroubleshooting & Tips Optimize Array for Performance Performance TipsChange Setting of PCI Bus Utilization Page Pre-Installation Appendix a Frequently Asked QuestionsRAID 1 Mirror RAID 0 StripeRAID 0+1 Stripe + Mirror Drive Issues Page Post-Installation Installation IssuesPage USA Tech Support Center Technical Support ServicesEuropean Tech Support China Office Pacific Rim Sales OfficeDisclaimer of other warranties Limited WarrantyYour Responsibilities Returning Product for Repair