SATA controller - more fun

[Flasherly]

Picked one up:
SYBA SD-SATA150R PCI 2.2 SATA Controller Card
PCI Specification Revision 2.2 compliant
Silicon Image SIL 3512 host controller chip
Supports 3TB HDDs
Supports SSD.
Support Boot to CD/DVD

to replace an older
SYBA VIA chipset

Running a 1T HDD on a Gigabyte's whatever MB/SATA controllers hasn't
lately been stellar

Getting lock-ups to that 1T drive. Switched to the VIA controller
chipset solved them, although there's latency issues (2 port SATA it's
useless between them, totally slow);- switched back to the MB port, as
it's a transfer problem lockup (copying data invariably from a USB).

Could be lots of things, although maybe get lucky when seeing what
this 3T HDD controller will do (too much crap with PCI controllers
before to count on eggs early).

Already shipped/setup for RAID, there's a non-RAID EPROM flash for the
3512 chipset. Maybe won't need it -- don't play offhand booting from
it, tho that's cool for sure -- the MB seems OK with my older 250G
Seagate and, hopefully, with a new ASUS SATA DVD I just put in, hung
on a converter from the PATA MB block. Haven't worked extensively with
the ASUS yet.

Might be a good idea as well to backup the 1T in case of explosions or
such as inexplicably catching one's ass on fire. ...Damnit, better
not be a failing drive. Computers are just like that, I guess...after
a few years they never seem to run as-new. Can't imagine why they
then do the things they do. Plumb crazy of it to think to lock up on
me.

 

[Flasherly]

Running a 1T HDD on a Gigabyte's whatever MB/SATA controllers hasn't
lately been stellar

Pulled the drive and put it into a docking station on another computer
and transfer speeds returned to normal.

So - that's two controllers, a)MB's Nvidia SATA controller, & b) SYBIA
VIA chipset. Neither helps, whether the HDD is swapped between them,
ONLY if copying OFF the HDD to another media (HD/USB stick). Copying
ONTO the HDD is normally, well, normal speeds (unless it hangs
intermittantly, which was the intial post and problem).

Next might be to reformat it. It was formatted in a docking station
for two partitions, whereupon I reformatted it using the same
software, although later in the computer it just came out of and not
the docking station. The proceedure was to delete one partition and
then combine the free space onto one partition (with pre-existing data
already written to the partition not deleted).

Can't recall exactly what was happening when I built the machine, but
this more or less is an ongoing issue. I noticed some screwy stuff
along this line when first building it.

I also have another drive on the way now. A new 2T Seagate. More
options if want to take this 1T drive, giving me transfer problems,
and put it into a stack of drives I'm only powering up in docking
stations for now. They are also variously black and green Samsungs
(from back prior to that hurricane, driving up HDD prices, when I got
these drives for around $50-60ea.)

The two Seagates remaining in the computer I pulled that Samsung from
appear in all ways to be working fine, which may indicate Samsung
isn't "mixing it up" well with those controllers. Weird to stick it
into a docking station without so much as a hiccup -- while on the
MB/PCI controllers it's taken a turn for the worse of late (latency
delays and hangs).

 

[Flasherly]

Pulled the drive and put it into a docking station on another computer
and transfer speeds returned to normal.

The 2 docking stations locked up once at around 50G. Started up
again, (no data corruption, thankfully, due to the lock up), and it's
up to 300G transferred without further mishap, moving along steadily
midway to a direct cloned copy. Had only the monitor under the OS
software power management, but turned that also off, nor can't see any
discrepancies reported engaged and turned on, through an advanced
Russian HDDScan-3.3 HDD scan utility, under Green capabilities of the
HDD's native power management features.

It's big, for sure, but there's no much else to be said when
considering the alternative -- if ever I lost it without a backup
built and stored for such a contingency. Its worth, to me, is more
than taking any chances without that backup. Time for Peter to pay up
for the Piper, as old sayings go.

 

[Paul]

The 2 docking stations locked up once at around 50G. Started up
again, (no data corruption, thankfully, due to the lock up), and it's
up to 300G transferred without further mishap, moving along steadily
midway to a direct cloned copy. Had only the monitor under the OS
software power management, but turned that also off, nor can't see any
discrepancies reported engaged and turned on, through an advanced
Russian HDDScan-3.3 HDD scan utility, under Green capabilities of the
HDD's native power management features.

It's big, for sure, but there's no much else to be said when
considering the alternative -- if ever I lost it without a backup
built and stored for such a contingency. Its worth, to me, is more
than taking any chances without that backup. Time for Peter to pay up
for the Piper, as old sayings go.

It's hard to find good add-on SATA cards.
I.e. Ones that are really worth having.

Paul

 

[Flasherly]

It's hard to find good add-on SATA cards.
I.e. Ones that are really worth having.

Got a good run of reviews on NewEgg, same at Amazon. SD-SATA150R for a
new 3T chip, since a couple years since a new one (ha!... paid $5
shipped for the last Syba/VIA chipset). Let's see how $16.98 for this
new card gets in on with a 2T drive.

BTW - Pulled that 1T Samsung HDD off the docking station, (half way
backed up), stuck it back in and it's working again (on the MB's Nvida
SATA controller).

Also pulled the power off the DVD, last thing I added. Shouldn't be
bogging it down, but worth a check anyway. (3 mechanical HDDs and an
x2 4200 AMD processor, controller and soundboard slotted.)

Then I spilled my espresso right on top my Logi mini-keyboard. Yeah,
right. Washed it and tried to dry it out with a hair dryer, but lost
the down-arrow key, (kinda essential but no telling what else in keys
were on the way out), and threw it in the trash. Back to my
short-range RF, aim or forget it, full-size logi keyboard

That mini is chintzy for normal logitech products, tho some
days...feel like I just should'a stayed in bed.

Enjoy the holiday, anyway, tho.

 

[Flasherly]

Got it all backed up, blessed be 1T in tens of thousands of files.
Several sessions over 36 hours. Enough docking station lockups for no
delusions concerning concern. I have reaped the Smart Diagnostics
report indicative of UDMA issues (potentials for flagged yellow).

Variously filth to a computer MB or independent PCI controller, vilely
rejected into hard power resets, to weakly redeem what's left to cling
to.

Say, I'm going to format it again, on a new controller. Matched, as
it were. A factory format, LLF or equally drastic, if
available...measures of an excuse boldly, in white correction fluid, a
big question of clutter marking flagstones to spew vomit closer into a
trashcan in the cloudy sky.

Feel my money out of usage -- just barely. Not even near a mind to
stellar confidence ratings, unlike some drives I've owned and still
own, though most drives do now share that in common similarities. A
mediocre reception for a minimum, at best, of 1 in 4 reporting back
dissatisfied.

The normative nothing new, since computers aged at dawn to arise in
stark recognition that reality is saving one's bared, wormwhitened ass
-- anytime, anywhere.

Inbetween times, might I look forwardly so in replacing HDDs with
silicon storage (3&4Terabittle SSD HDDs) by a time the rest of backup
platters, I've accumulated, turn woebegone into artifacts of docking
stations.

Is the song Alas merrily to sing while slogging on and consume more
storage expected for order forthedays of planned obsolescence.

 

[Flasherly]

Is the song Alas merrily to sing while slogging on and consume more
storage expected for order forthedays of planned obsolescence.

Controller is in a PCI slot:
Part Number: SD-SATA150R

I give up: No such thing as the Perfect Computer.

Controller looks fine, although I'm not sure about the Samsung 1T
(coexists with a WD680G and a Seagate250G).

Wasn't an easy install, or I couldn't offhand pull the relevant driver
folder off an included CD - had to let, point Windows to search the
drive. Took OK.

Then, a little while later after a reboot to binary-image the OS with
the new 6G SYBA drivers, the system did a instantaneous flip-switch
type crashed and reboot. Hm. Pulled the binary, I'd just made, and
it's OK again.

Two other factors: I'd stuck a Hong Kong special SATA/PATA adaptor on
the old MB PATA ribbon interface. Had a new SATA ASUS DVD on the
adaptor, which kinetically appeared fine. That's when the 1T
problems, hell broke out with the 1T periodically locking up - if not
predicated for dropping down to ridiculously unworkably, abnormal slow
speeds. (Which can, apparently, be duplicated in a standalone docking
station, between two such stations, whereupon transfers randomly will
lock;- I haven't reason to suspect Green drives, as once the 1T (7200
Black) is powered down control is given back the OS and the 2T (5200
Green) is accessible at that point.)

That adaptor came out and the DVD got disconnected. The adaptor is
powered, btw, even has a red LED that started looking like an
illuminated area suitable for calling Hell's Swamp.

Anyway, the ASUS DVD *was* connected in the above badassed Lightning
Crash, although to one of the MB's two SATA headers;- I pulled it off
again and, so far, so good. . .(for horseshoes and hand grenades).

Also noted the PS unit, a RoseWill "Eco Green" unit (not exactly a
part of these newer schemes going on Bronze/Gold/Silver ratings), is
500Watt in an up front way of saying, with a big sticker on it, that
it's efficiency ratings are somewhat below (offhand, say 400watts
continuous). The x2 4200 AMD processor, I looked up, can draw at a
peak 160watts alone. Plus, the PS has some mileage on it.

I just don't know. Only thing I can say is it's altogether somewhat
typical, a part of building and owning a computer after a lapse of few
years. It'll turn, sure as dinosaur droppings, variously to quirky
behaviors, a patchwork of kludge and indulgences more a less involved
in a balance between technical finesse and blood patches of hair
pulling.