HP374 Raid controller as a standard ide controller?

[TedTheDog]

I've got an abit mobo with a hpt374 RAID controller and I'm sick and tired of the hassle this cheap option for raid brings me.
I'd therefore like to use the drives as individual drives, just as if they were plugged into the normal IDE channels, but via the RAID controller instead (the IDE channels are full already).

I've tried various phrases and keywords on google but I've actually managed to get "did not match any documents" from google.

Anyone know if its possible?
URL's?
Suggestions on what to search for (please, no goatpr0n jokes, I'm going insane here)

Save an old man from cracking up.

 

[Embattle]

It should be able to support non-RAID configurations, or is it that you can't get it to do it?

 

[(Shovel)]

Originally posted by TedTheDog
I've got an abit mobo with a hpt374 RAID controller and I'm sick and tired of the hassle this cheap option for raid brings me.
I'd therefore like to use the drives as individual drives, just as if they were plugged into the normal IDE channels, but via the RAID controller instead (the IDE channels are full already).

I've tried various phrases and keywords on google but I've actually managed to get "did not match any documents" from google.

Anyone know if its possible?
URL's?
Suggestions on what to search for (please, no goatpr0n jokes, I'm going insane here)

Save an old man from cracking up.

Yes it is! I just did it

I have a KT7a, which has the older Hpt370 controller. Basically, plug in, and away.

You'll probably have to reinstall, and you may need a driver disk handy for the drives to be found by the installer - though Windows XP will have no problem.

It works a charm, I'm pretty sure my system is quicker for not having any IDE channels shared.

One word of warning (and check this for your individual motherboard) the RAID controller, when enabled, will share IRQ with a PCI slot (probably PCI5) so be very careful where you put cards, since sharing with RAID can cause all kinds of upsets.

Also, get the latest motherboard BIOS first (this will have the latest RAID bios... well... probably (see later)). Then get the dedicated drivers for the RAID controller.

Potential problems? I had sound issues, stuttering and so forth. I played with it to no avail, then just before I was about to give and and wire it all up on two channels again, it stopped and it works a charm now. Theres' a separate recetn thread about that.


RAID Controller drivers: Aparently can fix some of the stuttering problems I just mentioned (if you get them). I don't know but it can't be a bad thing. The consensus seems to be (from Usenet) that if it wont work, try and earlier driver version and so on, they appear to be strange beasts.

So yes, yes you can. And yes, it should work wonderfully.

... just remember to change the boot device to ATARAID100... (or ATARAID133, whatever you have).

AND, enter the highpoint BIOS too, as you can manually choose which disk to boot from when not in RAID.

Good luck - it should be pretty smooth.

EDIT: Aha, forgot to elaborate on the RAID BIOS issue. For example: the current HP370 BIOS is version 2.3, however, since Abit have discontinued the KT7a, the latest version available with the motherboard BIOS is 1.1.xxxx.
You can't BIOS update an onboard controller separately from the rest of the board. You can hack together your own BIOS using a handful of Award BIOS tools, but that strikes me as being as silly as it sounds. I guess some people know what they are doing more than me with that kind of thing though. It shouldn't cause an issue - though for me there is talk that the 1.1.xxxx BIOS on my controller is bugger and the 2.3 is superior. However, since yours is a slightly different controller it shouldn't stick. If you do get any issues, then that's something to bear in mind.



OK, I've made it sound like a deathtrap., sorry about that. It really isn't. It's easy to do, easy to undo again, and, as I say, my random sound glitch disappeared on its own.

 

[TedTheDog]

oooooooh
Thanks for quick replies lads.
Yes, I'll be reinstalling from scratch. I'll give it a go as soon as I get time and give you a laugh with the results.
I've downloaded the latest raid bios for the mobo, I'll go rummage for the latest bios for the mobo itself whilst I'm about it. Might aswell sod the whole board up rather than just a single controller.

 

[(Shovel)]

To be totally comprehensive. Requiring a driver disk for the RAID controller during an installation requires you to copy the RAID driver onto floppy disk. An NT, 2K, XP install wont dynamically load drivers from a CD source during installation.

I know that a full XP installation disk will install it fine, I don't know about 2k or earlier OS's. The motherboard manual will have a section near the back dedicated to the RAID controller.

 

[(Shovel)]

Originally posted by TedTheDog
oooooooh
Thanks for quick replies lads.
Yes, I'll be reinstalling from scratch. I'll give it a go as soon as I get time and give you a laugh with the results.
I've downloaded the latest raid bios for the mobo, I'll go rummage for the latest bios for the mobo itself whilst I'm about it. Might aswell sod the whole board up rather than just a single controller.

From what I've found: The individual HP BIOS wont work on the motherboard solution (unless this has changed dramatically from my model). To patch the RAID BIOS you can only do it through the full motherboard BIOS.

I've slipped into the view that if I was ever serious about wanting extra channels - and running a proper RAID rig where the BIOS would be more critical - I would go for an external card since they aren't dependent on the support of the motherboard manufacturer to get the update.

However, for 4x IDE channels, it's great

 

[Embattle]

Generally BIOS updates for ICs is slower due to the requirement of mobo manufacturers to incorporate them with the mobo BIOS release, esp bad when the mobo starts to get on a bit in years. I quiet liked my Rocket RAID 404 card as it meant I was no longer locked to the BIOS/BIOS upgrade method.

Sound issues are fairly common, not only because it tends to share an IRQ with a device in a PCI slot but because I've found at times the RAID hogs the BUS.

VIA also released a patch to help with RAID burst rate issues http://www.viaarena.com/?PageID=66

 

[Happy Go Lucky]

I have a question

Can I transfer my RAID drives on to a another RAID controller (say If I get a new m/b with raid) I'm assuming I will have to re-install the os, but normally on win2k you can keep all your document files.

Does the same apply to RAID ?

Thanks very much.

 

[(Shovel)]

I'd suggest it to be a bit iffy. Seeing as many RAID BIOS updates warn that existing RAID arrays could be invalidated by updating, switching to a different controller could be asking for trouble.

I'd advise making a full ghost backup of the drive. Norton ghost will compress and burn to a wad of CDs, then you can move the drives and if it doesn't work, you can restore the ghost image safely.

 

[Happy Go Lucky]

Thanks shovel

It's just that my divX movies won't fit on a cd, and I cant be arsed to learn how to span them.

Norton ghost sounds worth looking into, I assume you get it on norton system works.

 

[(Shovel)]

I don't know whether it comes on system works or not. I have a Stand alone version, but I expect it will be packaged as well.