computer hangs when building RAID1 (mirror) set in SiI3112 setup

[Alex Hunsley]

I'm having a problem building a RAID1 array on the A7N8X-deluxe
motherboard (which features the SiI 3112 RAID controller.)
I'm doing everything right as far as I can see:
1) SATA is enabled on the motherboard (jumper)
2) both disks are identical, bought at the same time, (250GB seagate
barracudas) [the first disk is being used for Windows, second is
currently empty]

At boot time I hit F4 to enter the RAID setup program in the SiI 3112
controller. Both disks can be seen, primary is "0 - PM" and secondary is
"1 - SM". I choose the option to create RAID set, select "1 - mirror",
select manual config, elect to copy from disk 0 to disk 1 (disk 0
already has data on it), then it asks if I am sure, I hit 'Y', then
everything freezes - the screen is just frozen at that point, the HDs
are quiet and not doing any detectible activity, and there is no change
in the display (I assume some progress should be shown). No keypresses
have any effect apart from CTRL-ALT-DELETE.
I've waited quite a long time for anything to change, and it really has
just hung. When I do CTRL-ALT-DELETE to reboot, and enter the RAID setup
program again, it reports a RAID set as being there, but with disk 0
being "current", and disk 1 as "rebuild" and at this point I just break
the RAID set... and I'm back where I started.

The second disk does work btw - I have booted into windows from disk 0
and disk 1 can be seen in windows (although it is empty as it is new).
I would be very grateful for any pointers! Even just if someone can
confirm for me that I should get feedback during disk copying...

thanks,
alex

 

[Alex Hunsley]

Hmmm never used the SIL controller, but if the rebuild is working - which it
may be, it could take 1 to 2 or more hours depending on the size of the
discs. The mirror process is quite slow. On Intel ICH5R it is about 1GB per
minute. On adaptec it seems to be about the same.

If the drives are say 250GB leave it for say 6 hours and see what happens.
Unfortunately they copy sector by sector and don't know free space from
used, no partitions from partitions etc.

Hi Tim
thanks for that reply. So maybe it is a case of no feedback? Doesn't
seem like a very good design if that's the case... also I couldn't hear
or feel any activity from either disk, although a disk to disk copy
would not involve large head movements so maybe that's why!

OTOH, there could be a problem - I would expect some feedback. Checked the
manual?

Yup, unhelpfully the manual doesn't tell you what feedback to expect!
The manual goes as far as confirming you want to copy, which is where I
am at! :/

cheers
alex

 

[Tim]

Hmmm never used the SIL controller, but if the rebuild is working - which it
may be, it could take 1 to 2 or more hours depending on the size of the
discs. The mirror process is quite slow. On Intel ICH5R it is about 1GB per
minute. On adaptec it seems to be about the same.

If the drives are say 250GB leave it for say 6 hours and see what happens.
Unfortunately they copy sector by sector and don't know free space from
used, no partitions from partitions etc.

OTOH, there could be a problem - I would expect some feedback. Checked the
manual?

- Tim

 

[MrGrumpy]

In the raid screen, whilst the mirror is beng built, assuming you chose the
build now option, you should get an indicator - its like a '/' ' \'
switching back and forth, it will take several hours

 

[Alex Hunsley]

In the raid screen, whilst the mirror is beng built, assuming you chose the
build now option, you should get an indicator - its like a '/' ' \'
switching back and forth, it will take several hours

Ah, thanks for that confirmation MrGrumpy. I'm certainly not seeing any
indicator of any sort, so it appears something is gone wrong! :/

cheers
lex

 

[MrGrumpy]

Presumably you've checked 'Hardware, Devices' for any probs with Sil device?

 

[Alex Hunsley]

Presumably you've checked 'Hardware, Devices' for any probs with Sil device?

Do you mean in the bios? In the raid setup util? or elsewhere?
lex

 

[MrGrumpy]

Control Panel/System/Hardware/Device Manager

device?
Do you mean in the bios? In the raid setup util? or elsewhere?
lex

 

[Alex Hunsley]

Control Panel/System/Hardware/Device Manager

oh yes, it shows up fine there, no problems indicated. (SiI 3112 SATARaid)
lex

 

[MrGrumpy]

OK, lets start again.
You initially installed win on one drive,on this mobo, using the F6 option
to install raid drivers from floppy?
If not how did you install win, and the raid drivers?

 

[Alex Hunsley]

OK, lets start again.
You initially installed win on one drive,on this mobo, using the F6 option
to install raid drivers from floppy?
If not how did you install win, and the raid drivers?

Yup, I pressed F6 during XP install and provided the SiI 3112 drivers
from manufacturer on a floppy.
Out of curiosity, why are you interested in the windows aspect of it
though? As far as I can see, my problem isn't related to windows at
all... it's the boot-time SiI 3112 controller that is having a problem
duplicating disk 1, it doesn't even get near windows and surely doesn't
care what OS is on the disk it's duplicating. Also, I'm not electing to
copy the disk continuously in the background, I'm trying to make it do
it immediately in the SATAraid bootup controller so I can see what it's
doing...

thanks
alex

 

[Alex Hunsley]

OK, lets start again.
You initially installed win on one drive,on this mobo, using the F6 option
to install raid drivers from floppy?
If not how did you install win, and the raid drivers?

Followon just to make absolutely clear... I am not trying to get windows
to build a software RAID! I am trying to do it via the onboard RAID
controller, in hardware, that you access at boot time by pressing F4 or
CTRL-S.

 

[MrGrumpy]

I was aware of what you were doing with the controler, just making sure the
initial steps were done right.
For the controler (F4 window) to freeze is a bit bizare, I would only have
expected this if the drivers had'nt being installed correctly, or you were
trying to rebuild an array that had initially been built by another
controler.

In your initial post you stated
'When I do CTRL-ALT-DELETE to reboot, and enter the RAID setup
program again, it reports a RAID set as being there, but with disk 0
being "current", and disk 1 as "rebuild" and at this point I just break
the RAID set'
If it is 'actually' in rebuild mode there should be the '/' '\' alternating
indicator, and also a % indicator.
In which case just leave it to complete.

However I doubt you will actually see this.
I assume when you checked hardware devices, there were no conflicts shown,
in the driver tab.
Tried, within win, removing the Sil controler, from devices, creating a new
raid driver floppy, then reinstalling with the F6 option.?
Perhaps also if you have amended the bios in any way, you might want to set
it back to the default settings.

 

[Alex Hunsley]

I was aware of what you were doing with the controler, just making sure the
initial steps were done right.

ah ok, I see.

For the controler (F4 window) to freeze is a bit bizare, I would only have
expected this if the drivers had'nt being installed correctly, or you were
trying to rebuild an array that had initially been built by another
controler.

Yeah, it's very odd isn't it. Both disks very new, identical 250G
barracudas, disk2 enver used, disk1 had XP installed on it and used as a
single disk until now when I'm trying to set up RAID1.

In your initial post you stated
'When I do CTRL-ALT-DELETE to reboot, and enter the RAID setup
program again, it reports a RAID set as being there, but with disk 0
being "current", and disk 1 as "rebuild" and at this point I just break
the RAID set'
If it is 'actually' in rebuild mode there should be the '/' '\' alternating
indicator, and also a % indicator.
In which case just leave it to complete.

However I doubt you will actually see this.

Yup, you're right, I don't see any indicator.

I assume when you checked hardware devices, there were no conflicts shown,
in the driver tab.

Nope, none.

Tried, within win, removing the Sil controler, from devices, creating a new
raid driver floppy, then reinstalling with the F6 option.?

Not tried that yet. Maybe it would be a good idea to make sure my
motherboard is up to date with all the 4in1 drivers etc. Although I did
that very recently when I set up windows XP again!

Perhaps also if you have amended the bios in any way, you might want to set
it back to the default settings.

I've not actually changed much in the BIOS - I'm certainly not one for
overclocking and doing fancy tweaks, so it's a pretty default setup.

thanks for your time!
alex