[Eug-lug] grrrr.... damn computers!

[Bob Crandell]

Linux Rocks! (linux at rocksolidnetworks.com) wrote:
>
> On Tuesday 04 January 2005 05:23 pm, larry price wrote:
> : On Tue, 4 Jan 2005 14:42:23 -0500, Linux Rocks!
> :
> : <linux at rocksolidnetworks.com> wrote:
> : > This is my hardware:
> : >
> : > ASUS P4R800-V Deluxe motherboard.
> : > onboard SATA/IDE Raid controller (SIS 180)
> : >
> : >
> : > I have slack installed on a 160 GB disk, on the other IDE controller, and
> : > have built many kernels, and tried many stock kernels (including
> : > ataraid.i). Ive compiled sata_sis (the driver for sis 180) modules, and
> : > in the kernel. Ive compiled libata into the kernel, and modules.
> : > Ive tried dmraid (and device mapper). I get "No Sofware RAID disks"
> : > message. I dont even know how these drives will appear exactly, but none
> : > of the kernels Ive used, or modules Ive loaded have shown the 2 raid
> : > disks in dmesg (but it does show the controller loading, and 2 controller
> : > channels.)
> : >
> : > So, Im also confused about what is software raid, soft-hardware raid...
> : > It sholdnt be that hard to setup!! but yet it is.
> :
> : usually to setup a hardware raid you'll need to run the manufacturers
> : provided tool to register the disks and format the RAID partitions,
> : once you've done that the disks should show up if you have working
> : drivers.
>
> yeah, I did that in xp, and it was working.
>
> Part of the issue is that its not a true hardware controller. Nearest I can
> tell, its what they call fakeraid. from what Ive read, it should be able to
> be used as a hardware raid with the sata_sis driver, but I havnt seen that
> yet. Another part of the problem is that the controller runs SATA, and IDE,
> and most ifnot all the docs ive read dont talk about setting up ide drives.
>
>
> I can also set it up as just software raid (bypassing the raid bios i guess).
> but i havnt see that working under linux yet either.
>
> also, I should mention, Ive tried removing the raid (in the raid bios), to use
> them as regular disks (which btw is mentioned in that sis SATA RAID manual),
> and I still cant see the disks...
>
> Im not sure where they will appear, some docs I read mention /dev/ataraid,
> some /dev/md, or even /dev/hde, /dev/hdg. but ive seen none of that(although
> I have seen md, and ataraid in my dev dir...)
>
> :
> : Software RAID uses the host computer to manage all the parity checking etc.
> : But since you have the hardware ...
>
> yeah, from what Ive read, the linux software raid works better than these
> types of raid controllers... Right now, id settle for working! but i would
> like to compare and see for myself.
>
> If I can figure out how to access the disks at all, it will be easier!
>
> :
> : you might want to check this manual
> : http://www.sis.com/support/faq/SATA_RAID_manual.pdf
> yep, read that. I have it on the computer for quick reference.... I aslo have
> all the other pdf's from sis, and asus related to this board.
>
>
> : _______________________________________________
If that's the same board I fought with for a client, the raid controller is a
newer Promise that isn't in the kernel yet.  All I could ever see were the
SATA drives as /dev/sd*.  The IDE drives never showed up in the list.

The board was highly unstable until the latest BIOS update.

Sorry.

--
Bob Crandell, CLS, CNS
Assured Computing, Inc.
When you need to be sure.
http://www.assuredcomp.com/
P.O. Box 40814
Eugene, OR 97404
Voice - 541-868-0331
FAX - 541-463-1627