A8N-E RAID 1

[name]

Several weeks ago I sought info here about RAID 1 and I mentioned that I
would post my experience with it once it was setup.

I'm running a 64 3200, 1 GB Mushkin RAM (no overclocking, BIOS 1008 & Nvidia
drvrs V665) and 2 WD 360GD Raptors. The install went fine, the RAID utility
was easy to configure, but then some strange things started to happen. BTW,
when I disconnected one of the drives the system still booted without any
problem after a warning message from the RAID utility that the RAID
configuration had been degraded.

The first problem is that I got BIOS warnings that that either the CPU or
the Chassis fan RPM was too low. I checked ASUS proble and all monitors
were well within limits. Then I kept trying to install an unknown device
which turned out to be the ATK00110 ACPI utility. I found out that this is
related to the AI Booster software, but installing AI did not solve the
problem, I kept getting the error that AI was disabled in the BIOS when in
fact I had enabled it. I should mentioned that once I disabled RAID I
stopped getting the found new hardware window for the ACPI utility, although
it's listed under system devices as "unknown device" with no warning icons.
Hmmm, strange. Also, the AVG free got funky with always having to activate
the email scanner upon boot, but in all fairness that may be an independent
issue.

Without RAID I've been running this system without a problem both in a
default and overclocked state. Maybe someone could shed some light on all
of this.


john

 

[Mark A]

The first problem is that I got BIOS warnings that that either the CPU or
the Chassis fan RPM was too low. I checked ASUS proble and all monitors
were well within limits. john

The fan may not have been a proper speed during initial boot up, but came up
proper to speed by the time your OS was loaded. That happens frequently on a
cold boot of my A8N-E, particularly because I have slow speed fans to keep
things quiet.

I suspect that if you do a reboot, you will not get the warning and the fan
will be up to speed when the bios checks it.

 

[name]

That makes sense, but why all of a sudden, it never happened before? I
haven't changed the BIOS in months.

john

 

[Mark A]

That makes sense, but why all of a sudden, it never happened before? I
haven't changed the BIOS in months.

john

Maybe your fan had a bit more dust in that usual and took a little longer to
reach full speed.

 

[name]

Yeah, and maybe my bald spot is growing hair The BIOS threshold for the
chassis fan was 1200 which I lowered to 800 and the Asus Probe threshold is
600. I'm going to reseat all the connections, clean up the case and see
what happens.

thanks for your replies,
john

 

[Mercury]

Don't associate events unless you get evidence they are related, but always
keep the association as a possibility.

 

[name]

I am aware of that and thank you. The problems may be just a coincidence,
I'm trying to figure it out. I'll post when I get something definitive.

john

 

[Paul]

I am aware of that and thank you. The problems may be just a coincidence,
I'm trying to figure it out. I'll post when I get something definitive.

Maybe this is something you can report to Asus tech support.
Problems get fixed faster when they are reported, at least
in theory.

(t s d at asus.com is one email address.).

There is a web page here, but one user reports the server
software sucks, and as always with these web interfaces,
you cannot really be sure the message got there:

http://vip.asus.com/eservice/techserv.aspx?ptype=A8N-E&pmodel=A8N-E&SLanguage=en-us

There is a user forum, but does anyone at Asus read it?
So far, scrolling through the posts, I don't see mention of your
RAID problem.

http://vip.asus.com/forum/bbs.aspx?SLanguage=en-us&model=A8N-E

The best contact is by phone, as in that case, at least you
know someone at Asus hears your report. If the other methods
fail, you'll have plenty of ammo to chew them out with

A BIOS update is probably your only hope.

Paul

 

[name]

OK, I'll do that, and while I'm at a new chipset fan would be nice mine
sounds like chipmunks.
Thank you.

john

 

[name]

Just to update, I disconnected one drive and did a clean install and not one
problem.
After XP install I reconnected the other drive and all's well. Whatever
problems I encountered with the RAID setup did not occur. I will call ASUS
and report my experience and post what I find out.
I'm sure as I can be that I used the correct drivers, followed the proper
procedure, etc..., for installing RAID and I can only conclude that it was
the RAID setup that is funkier than a vegetarian hunting dog.

More will be revealed.

john