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Table Of Contents

Advanced Micro Devices

AMD-RAIDXpert2 User

Guide

Publication #

53987

Revision:

3.01

Issue Date:

June 2016

Summary of content (115 pages)

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AMD-RAIDXpert2 User Guide Publication # 53987 Revision: 3.
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© 2013—2016 Advanced Micro Devices, Inc. All rights reserved. The information contained herein is for informational purposes only, and is subject to change without notice. While every precaution has been taken in the preparation of this document, it may contain technical inaccuracies, omissions and typographical errors, and AMD is under no obligation to update or otherwise correct this information. Advanced Micro Devices, Inc.
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53987 Rev. 3.01 June 2016 AMD-RAIDXpert2 User Guide Contents Revision History ............................................................................................................................. 11 Chapter 1 Safety Precautions.................................................................................................. 14 1.1 General ............................................................................................................................. 14 1.2 Safety Definitions ...
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53987 Rev. 3.01 AMD-RAIDXpert2 User Guide 3.13.1 Number and Organization of Disks ......................................................................... 32 3.13.2 Caching Attributes................................................................................................... 32 3.13.3 Application Workload ............................................................................................. 33 3.14 RAID Reliability Considerations .......................................................
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3987 Rev. 3.01 June 2016 AMD-RAIDXpert2 User Guide 4.12.2 Pausing the Boot Sequence for Warning Messages ................................................. 41 4.12.3 Change the Staggered Spinup Count ....................................................................... 42 4.13 Continue Booting from the BIOS Configuration Utility ................................................. 42 4.13.1 Resume the Boot Process .....................................................................................
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53987 Rev. 3.01 AMD-RAIDXpert2 User Guide 6.4.3 The Array List Section of the Array Status Window .............................................. 65 6.4.4 The Event View Section of the Array Status Window ............................................ 66 6.4.5 Array and Disk Commands ..................................................................................... 67 6.5 Working with Disks ........................................................................................................
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53987 Rev. 3.01 June 2016 AMD-RAIDXpert2 User Guide 6.8.2 Set Event Notifications ............................................................................................ 85 6.8.3 Licensing .................................................................................................................. 86 6.9 Add Space Using a RAIDABLE Array ........................................................................... 86 Chapter 7 Troubleshooting ................................................
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53987 Rev. 3.01 AMD-RAIDXpert2 User Guide 9.4 June 2016 Create New Arrays: rcadm --create .................................................................... 104 9.4.1 Before You Begin.................................................................................................. 105 9.4.2 Example ................................................................................................................. 105 9.5 Delete Arrays: rcadm --delete .................................................
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53987 Rev. 3.01 June 2016 AMD-RAIDXpert2 User Guide List of Tables Table 1. Document Convention ....................................................................................................... 13 Table 2. Glossary of Terms .............................................................................................................. 13 Table 3. System Requirements for RAIDXpert2 ............................................................................. 16 Table 4. Features of RAIDXpert2 ........
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53987 Rev. 3.01 AMD-RAIDXpert2 User Guide June 2016 Table 31. POST Screen Warning Messages.................................................................................... 88 Table 32. Cannot Create an Array ................................................................................................... 90 Table 33. An Array is in a Critical State ......................................................................................... 91 Table 34. An Array is in an Offline State ..................
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53987 Rev. 3.01 June 2016 AMD-RAIDXpert2 User Guide Revision History Date Revision Description June 2016 3.01 Second Public Release. Removed support for the Microsoft® Windows® 8 operating system. Removed support for Ubuntu 13.10. This included removing extra steps that concerned Ubuntu 13.10. Updated Operating System Requirements Removed references to Windows XP and Windows 8.1. Replaced SUSE (SLED) references with Red Hat (RHEL) 7.2 64 bit Updated revisions of Ubuntu Desktop Linux  15.
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53987 Rev. 3.01 AMD-RAIDXpert2 User Guide June 2016 Preface This user guide:     Provides information about arrays, disks, and RAID levels (RAID types). Describes how to improve storage system performance or reliability by understanding array and disk tasks and options. Describes how to acquire and load RAIDXpert2 drivers for Windows® and Linux® operating systems. Describes the features and procedures for using RAIDXpert2, which is the RAIDXpert2 GUI.
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53987 Rev. 3.01 June 2016 AMD-RAIDXpert2 User Guide Document Conventions and Symbols Table 1. Document Convention Convention Element Navy blue, underlined text (http.//www.example.
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53987 Rev. 3.01 AMD-RAIDXpert2 User Guide Chapter 1 1.1 June 2016 Safety Precautions General This section includes general safety precautions and specific RAIDXpert2 cautions. Read and keep this user manual for future reference. 1.2 Safety Definitions CAUTION: Indicates that failure to follow directions could result in damage to equipment or data. IMPORTANT: Provides clarifying information or specific instructions. Note: Provides additional information. TIP: Provides helpful hints and shortcuts.
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53987 Rev. 3.01 June 2016 AMD-RAIDXpert2 User Guide CAUTION: Do not delete the first array listed in the Arrays section, if it is the AMD-RAID bootable array. Doing this deletes the operating system and AMD-RAID files. CAUTION: Do not initialize a disk that is part of an array. Initializing a disk in a non-redundant array deletes the array and its data. The array no longer appears in Array View. This is especially true for a non-redundant bootable array.
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53987 Rev. 3.01 AMD-RAIDXpert2 User Guide Chapter 2 2.1 June 2016 Getting Started RAIDXpert2 Technology RAIDXpert2 consists of (a) storage management and (b) a RAID controller and port virtualization. RAIDXpert2 runs on existing systems by using a motherboard’s built-in SATA ports. 2.2 Who Should Use This Manual Only trained, experienced, and authorized personnel should install RAIDXpert2 and use its features and capabilities.
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53987 Rev. 3.01 2.3.2 June 2016 AMD-RAIDXpert2 User Guide Supported Operating Systems RAIDXpert2 currently supports the following operating systems:      Microsoft® Windows® 7: Professional Edition, Ultimate Edition; 32 bit and 64 bit Microsoft Windows 10: 64 bit Red Hat Enterprise Linux® (RHEL) 7.2 64 bit Ubuntu Desktop Linux 15.04 32 bit and 64 bit Ubuntu Desktop Linux 15.10 32 bit and 64 bit 2.
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53987 Rev. 3.01 AMD-RAIDXpert2 User Guide Table 4. Features of RAIDXpert2 (Continued) RAIDXpert2 Feature June 2016 Description Array Recovery If an array is accidentally deleted, it might be recovered by creating a new array with the same properties as the deleted array. (This can occur only if disk Write Access operations are not in-progress.
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53987 Rev. 3.01 June 2016 AMD-RAIDXpert2 User Guide Table 4. Features of RAIDXpert2 (Continued) RAIDXpert2 Feature Description Multiple RAID Levels per Disk Support for multiple array levels per disk allows the administrator to create arrays of different RAID levels using the same disks. Native Command Queuing (NCQ) Native Command Queuing is a command protocol of disks that are supported by RAIDXpert2.
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53987 Rev. 3.01 AMD-RAIDXpert2 User Guide 2.5 June 2016 RAIDXpert2 Feature Set IMPORTANT: The supported feature set (for RAIDXpert2 Basic or RAIDXpert2 Plus) is determined by the license level that is included in the system BIOS. Refer to the system’s motherboard specifications for the supported features. Table 5.
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53987 Rev. 3.01 June 2016 AMD-RAIDXpert2 User Guide Table 5.
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53987 Rev. 3.01 AMD-RAIDXpert2 User Guide June 2016 Table 5.
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53987 Rev. 3.01 June 2016 AMD-RAIDXpert2 User Guide Notes: 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. Chapter 2 At the AMD BIOS Configuration Utility (also referred to as the Option-ROM) arrays can be created or deleted, and Critical or Offline arrays are indicated. INT13 support can be turned off completely at the BIOS Configuration Utility. See Chapter 3, Arrays, Disks and RAID Levels, on page 24, for detailed information about understanding arrays, RAID levels, and performance and reliability considerations.
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53987 Rev. 3.01 AMD-RAIDXpert2 User Guide Chapter 3 3.1 June 2016 Arrays, Disks and RAID Levels Understanding Arrays Arrays are several disks that are grouped together to improve either the performance or reliability of a storage system. Because some RAID levels enhance performance while others improve reliability, it is important to consider the user’s needs when planning an array configuration.
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53987 Rev. 3.01 June 2016 AMD-RAIDXpert2 User Guide Table 6. RAID Levels – General Characteristics (Continued) RAID Level RAID10 (Striped RAID1 Sets) Main Characteristic   Volume (JBOD)   RAIDABLE (also known as RAID Ready)   3.3 Use/Usefulness Combines mirrors and stripe sets. RAID10 allows multiple disk failures, up to 1 failure in each mirror that has been striped. Supports 4, 6, or 8 disks. Offers better performance than a simple mirror because of the extra disks.
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53987 Rev. 3.01 AMD-RAIDXpert2 User Guide June 2016 Table 7. Array States State Description Normal The Normal state is displayed when everything is functioning correctly. Ready The Ready state is displayed while an array is being created. Critical The Critical state is displayed when the array is no longer redundant (fault tolerant) because of one or more disk failures. Arrays can still be read and written to, but the data is no longer protected should another disk fail.
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53987 Rev. 3.01 June 2016 AMD-RAIDXpert2 User Guide See Section 3.9, Rescanning Disks for Changes in State, on page 30 for a discussion of when to rescan disks and the outcomes when doing so. 3.4 Creating Arrays: Future Expansion When creating arrays, consider whether disk capacity needs to expand in the future. If the file system must be expanded, perform the tasks indicated in Table 8. Table 9. Array Expansion Considerations Operating System Do This... And Consider This...
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AMD-RAIDXpert2 User Guide 3.6 53987 Rev. 3.01 June 2016 Migrating RAID Levels Online: Using ORLM (Supported by RAIDXpert2 Plus) Online RAID Level Migration (ORLM) allows an array to move from one RAID level to almost any other RAID level. This task includes migrating the array from a non-redundant RAID level to a redundant RAID level. Prior to starting a RAID level migration/transformation, make sure that the disks selected for the destination array have sufficient capacity.
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53987 Rev. 3.01 June 2016 AMD-RAIDXpert2 User Guide Table 10. Types of Tasks per Array Task When Displayed Transform While an array is being transformed. Create While an array is being created. Consistency Check While verifying that the parity (RAID5) or mirror disk (RAID1 or RAID10) consistency is correct. (For redundant type arrays only.) Restore While an array is being restored. Secure Erase While an array secure erase is being performed.
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53987 Rev. 3.01 AMD-RAIDXpert2 User Guide June 2016 Table 11. Disk States (Continued) Disk State When Displayed New Whenever an uninitialized, new disk is connected. Legacy Whenever a disk containing non-RAIDXpert2 configuration data is connected. Offline Whenever the disk fails and RAIDXpert2 detects an error condition on the disk. SMART Error Whenever the disk reports a SMART error(s) to RAIDXpert2. A disk can be a member of multiple arrays.
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53987 Rev. 3.01 June 2016 AMD-RAIDXpert2 User Guide Because of this function, RAIDXpert2 does not automatically perform a rescan when it detects that a disk has been added or removed. For example, to hot-swap a RAID5 set with six disks into a new system, do not perform a rescan until all six disks have been connected. Arrays associated with the disks that are not yet connected change state to either Critical or Offline.
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AMD-RAIDXpert2 User Guide 53987 Rev. 3.01 June 2016 For additional information, see Section 6.6.13, Add or Remove Dedicated Spares, on page 82. 3.12 Global Sparing A global spare is a disk that is assigned as an alternate disk for multiple arrays, instead of associating it with only one array. Many arrays can be restored using the global spare disk, as long as it is not already part of the array and it has enough space available.
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53987 Rev. 3.01 3.13.3 June 2016 AMD-RAIDXpert2 User Guide Application Workload When configuring an array, workload is probably the most important performance variable. Most applications do many more reads than writes. The best performance is obtained with array types like RAID0, RAID5, or RAID10. 3.14 RAID Reliability Considerations RAID reliability is enhanced through data redundancy and backup. 3.14.1 Data Redundancy RAID1, RAID5, or RAID10 are necessary for redundancy.
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53987 Rev. 3.01 AMD-RAIDXpert2 User Guide Chapter 4 4.1 June 2016 BIOS Configuration Utility When to Use the AMD-RAID Controller BIOS Configuration Utility The AMD-RAID Controller BIOS Configuration Utility is also known as the Option ROM. Use the utility to accomplish the procedures indicated in Table 13. Table 13. When to use the AMD-RAID Controller BIOS Configuration Utility (Option ROM) Procedure Initialize a new disk Description To initialize a new disk drive for data storage.
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53987 Rev. 3.01 4.2 June 2016 AMD-RAIDXpert2 User Guide Access the AMD-RAID Controller BIOS Configuration Utility When booting the system, press Ctrl + R when the BIOS banner displays. There is a maximum of three seconds to use this key combination to enter the BIOS Configuration Utility. Note: If the BIOS Configuration Utility does not display, contact your system or motherboard supplier. 4.
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53987 Rev. 3.01 AMD-RAIDXpert2 User Guide 4.4.1 June 2016 Initialize Disks CAUTION: If a disk is part of an AMD-RAID array, the disk cannot be selected for initialization. To initialize the disk anyway, delete the AMD-RAID array. Data on the disk is deleted during initialization so ensure the correct disks are chosen to initialize. CAUTION: A legacy disk can contain valid data. When a legacy array is deleted, all data on the disk is lost. 1.
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53987 Rev. 3.01 4.5.2 June 2016 AMD-RAIDXpert2 User Guide Create an Array Note: The ability to create RAID10 arrays may not be available on your system. At the Main Menu, use the arrow keys to highlight Create Array. Press Enter. Select the disks with which to create the array:  To select all disks, press the A key  To select individual disks, highlight a disk with the arrow keys and press Insert. Any number of disks may be selected using this method 4.
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53987 Rev. 3.01 AMD-RAIDXpert2 User Guide June 2016 The operating system and RAIDXpert2 files can be installed to a RAIDXpert2 bootable array. Use the procedure in Section 4.5.2, Create an Array, on page 37, to create the bootable array. Ensure it is the first array listed in the Arrays section of the BIOS Configuration Utility. To install the operating system and RAIDXpert2 files see Chapter 5, Software Installation, on page 43. 4.5.2.
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53987 Rev. 3.01   June 2016 AMD-RAIDXpert2 User Guide It is recommended that the user install the operating system on an AMD-RAID bootable array at a redundant RAID level—such as RAID1 or RAID5—and swap the array into the first position, if it is not already Array 1. Swapping arrays can be performed only at the BIOS Configuration Utility. 4.7.2 Swap Arrays 1. At the Main Menu, use the arrow keys to highlight Swap Two Arrays, then press Enter.. 2. Select the arrays to swap: a.
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53987 Rev. 3.01 AMD-RAIDXpert2 User Guide 7. June 2016 Press the C key to continue, or press the ESC key to return to the Main Menu. 4.8.3 Unassign Spares At the Main Menu, use the arrow keys to highlight Manage Host Spare(s), then press Enter. 2. Use the arrow keys to highlight Unassign Hot Spare(s), then press Enter. 3. Select the disks to unassign as spares:  To select all disks, press the A key.  To select individual disks, use the arrow keys to highlight the disk and press Insert to select it.
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53987 Rev. 3.01 June 2016 AMD-RAIDXpert2 User Guide  State  Cache settings Note: The disks in the array are selected (green). 4.11 Rescan All Channels This option allows the user to rescan all channels to detect new or removed disks and arrays. It rereads the configuration information from each disk. Sometimes when a disk is offline, it can be brought online through a rescan. 1. 2. 3. At the Main Menu, use the arrow keys to highlight Rescan All Channels. Press Enter.
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53987 Rev. 3.01 AMD-RAIDXpert2 User Guide June 2016 b. Press Enter to toggle between On (enables pauses) and Off (disables pauses). 3. Set pauses to the boot sequence for offline warnings by doing the following: a. Use the arrow keys to highlight Toggle Pause if Critical. b. Press Enter to toggle between On (enables pauses) and Off (disables pauses). 4. Press ESC to return to the Main Menu. 4.12.
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53987 Rev. 3.01 June 2016 Chapter 5 AMD-RAIDXpert2 User Guide Software Installation This Installation Guide is designed to assist you with system setup, by performing these general procedures: 5.1 System Setup Process Overview A generic system setup process follows these steps: 1. Copy the AMD-RAID drivers to a removable storage medium. CAUTION: Install the device drivers and applications on a system at the same time that the Windows or Linux operating system is installed. 2. 3.
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53987 Rev. 3.01 AMD-RAIDXpert2 User Guide June 2016  Connect a USB flash drive to a USB I/O port or insert a blank CD-DVD disk into the applicable drive. 5. Download the AMD-RAID drivers from the web site to the appropriate removable storage medium. 5.3.2 Copying AMD-RAID Drivers in a Linux® Environment Power on the system. Locate and use a system that is running a Windows operating system and has a USB I/O port for the USB flash drive. 3.
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53987 Rev. 3.01 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. June 2016 AMD-RAIDXpert2 User Guide a. Select the AMD-CBS tab. b. Select AMD FCH Common Options, then press Enter. c. Select SATA Configuration Options, then press Enter. d. Set SATA Mode to RAID, then press Enter. In the BIOS setup: a. Select the AMD-CBS tab. b. Select Promontory Common Options, then press Enter. c. Select PT SATA Configuration Options, then press Enter. d. Set PT SATA Mode to RAID, then press Enter. In the BIOS setup: a. Select the Boot tab. b.
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53987 Rev. 3.01 AMD-RAIDXpert2 User Guide June 2016 6. At the system's Power-On Self-Test (POST) screen, press F7 / F12 / ESC (or similar) to access the UEFI Configuration Utility (also called UEFI Boot Manager). 7. Boot to the EFI Internal shell 8. Enter fsx:, where x is the number of the UEFI Flash Drive. 9. Use rcadm to create the desired Boot Virtual Disk. Refer to Appendix A, rcadm.efi Information, on page 107 for more information. 5.
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53987 Rev. 3.01 June 2016 AMD-RAIDXpert2 User Guide Select the I Accept the License Terms checkbox, then click Next. Select Custom: Install Windows Only (advanced) option. Click Load Drivers, Browse. Navigate to the directory containing the saved AMD-RAID drivers, then click OK. Select the rccfg.inf driver, then click Next. A valid drive displays at the Windows installation location screen. i. Click Next, then follow the on-screen instructions to complete the installation. 7.
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53987 Rev. 3.01 AMD-RAIDXpert2 User Guide June 2016 6. At the Load Driver Window, do the following: a. Click OK, Browse. b. Navigate to the directory containing the saved AMD-RAID drivers, then click OK. c. Select the first rcraid.inf driver in the list, then click Next. d. Select the I Accept the License Terms checkbox, then click Next. e. Select Custom: Install Windows Only (advanced) option. f. Click Load Drivers, Browse. g.
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53987 Rev. 3.01 June 2016 AMD-RAIDXpert2 User Guide 5. At the Red Hat Enterprise Linux welcome window, do the following: a. Press the Up arrow, then select Install Red Hat Enterprise Linux 7.2. b. Press Tab. c. Type modprobe.blacklist=ahci inst.dd nomodeset at the end of the existing string then press Enter. For example, vmlinux initrd.img……..quiet modprobe.blacklist=ahci inst.dd nomodeset 6. At the Driver Disk Device Selection, press 1 (the number of the flash drive), then press Enter. 7.
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53987 Rev. 3.01 AMD-RAIDXpert2 User Guide June 2016  Enter valid entries.  Click Save.  In the upper left corner, click Done. 12. In the bottom right corner, click Begin Installation. 13. At the Configuration window, do the following: a. Click Root Password:  Enter an applicable root password.  Re-enter the root password.  In the upper right corner, click Done. b. Click User Creation:  Enter a Full Name.  Enter a Username.  Enter an applicable password.  Re-enter the user password.
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53987 Rev. 3.01 June 2016 AMD-RAIDXpert2 User Guide  libXext…el7.i686  libXi…el7.i686  libXtst…el7.i686  gtk2……el7.i686  libstdc++*.el7.i686  libSM-*.el7.i686  libpng12*.el7.i686  adwaita-gtk2-theme-*.el7.i686  libcanberra-gtk2-*.el7.i686  PackageKit-gtk3-module-*.el7.i686 22. Open a Web Browser, then do the following: a. Go to rpmfind.net b. Search for compat-libstdc++-33 c. Download and install the compat-libstdc++-33-3.2.3-71.el7.i686.rpm d. Reboot the system. 5.5.2.
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53987 Rev. 3.01 AMD-RAIDXpert2 User Guide June 2016 Note: The string should look like the following: splash -- break=mount nomodeset 10. When the BusyBox shell displays, perform the following steps: a. Insert the USB flash drive. b. Type the following, pressing Enter after each one:  mount -t vfat /dev/sdal /tmp Note: /dev/sda1 may need to be changed to /dev/sdb1 or /dev/sdc1, depending on the number of devices there are.  cp -ap /tmp/dd /  /dd/pre_install  umount /tmp  exit c.
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987 Rev. 3.01 June 2016 AMD-RAIDXpert2 User Guide 23. Reconnect the Ethernet cable. 24. Proceed to Section 5.7, Installing the AMD RAIDXpert2 Management Suite for Linux®, on page 58. 5.5.2.3 Install the AMD-RAID UEFI Drivers during a RHEL 7.2 64 bit Linux® Installation Note: The Linux operating system modules must include the gcc+ compiler and the pthreads library, so that the rcadm program can be installed properly.
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53987 Rev. 3.01 AMD-RAIDXpert2 User Guide June 2016 b. In the bottom right corner, then click Continue. 11. At the Installation Summary Screen: a. Under Localization, configure the following:  Date and Time  Keyboard  Language Support b. Under Software, configure the following:  Installation Source  Software Selection  Under Base Environments, select Server with GUI.  Under Add-Ons for Selected Environments, select Compatibility Library.  In the upper left corner, click Done. c.
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53987 Rev. 3.01 June 2016 AMD-RAIDXpert2 User Guide 15. At the Initial Setup of Red Hat Enterprise Linux Server 7.2, do the following: a. Press 1, then press Enter. b. Press 2, then press Enter. c. Press R, then press Enter. d. Press the C key, then press Enter. 16. Login to the system, then do the following: a. Select a user. b. Enter a password. 17. At the Welcome window, select the desired language, then click Next. 18.
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53987 Rev. 3.01 AMD-RAIDXpert2 User Guide 5.5.2.4 June 2016 Installing the AMD-RAID UEFI Drivers during a Supported Ubuntu Desktop Installation Note: AMD-RAIDXpert2 supports the Ubuntu 15.04 and 15.10 desktop operating systems. Note: Prior to starting this procedure, obtain the AMD-RAID drivers from your system supplier or motherboard vendor. Copy the AMD-RAID drivers to the dd directory on a USB flash drive, see Section 5.3.2, Copying AMD-RAID Drivers in a Linux® Environment, on page 44.
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53987 Rev. 3.01 June 2016 AMD-RAIDXpert2 User Guide 12. When the Welcome screen displays, select the desired Language and then click Continue. 13. Accept the default settings, then click Continue. 14. Select Erase Disk and install Ubuntu, then click Continue. 15. From the Select Drive drop-down menu, select the AMD-RAID Array, then click Install Now. 16. From the Write Changes to Disks? Window, then click Continue. 17. Select the desired Time Zone and then click Continue. 18.
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53987 Rev. 3.01 AMD-RAIDXpert2 User Guide 5.7 June 2016 Installing the AMD RAIDXpert2 Management Suite for Linux® Obtain the AMD RAIDXpert2 Management Suite executable file (Setup.sh) from your system supplier or motherboard vendor. Download the Setup.sh file to the system’s desktop. Table 15. Linux® Procedure for Installing the Management Suite Element Action RHEL 7.
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53987 Rev. 3.01 June 2016 AMD-RAIDXpert2 User Guide Table 15. Linux® Procedure for Installing the Management Suite (Continued) Element Action Permissions tab Ensure that the Execute or Executable checkbox(es) is/are selected. Click Close. Setup.sh icon Double-click the Setup.sh icon that is on the desktop. At Do you want to run ‘Setup.sh’ or display its contents?, click Run. Wait while Linux runs the Management Suite installer. Introduction window Click Next.
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53987 Rev. 3.01 AMD-RAIDXpert2 User Guide 4. June 2016  tar xvfz xampp-linux-1.8.1.tar.gz –C /opt  cd /opt/raidxpert2/htdocs  cp –rv raidxpert2 /opt/lampp/htdocs To start lampp, type the following, then press Enter:  /opt/lampp/lampp startapache Note: This must be done after each system reboot. Note: rc_cgi and lampp must be running for the Web GUI to function correctly.
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53987 Rev. 3.01 June 2016 Chapter 6 6.1 AMD-RAIDXpert2 User Guide AMD RAIDXpert2 Graphical User Interface (GUI) Start RAIDXpert2 RAIDXpert2 can be accessed using a web browser or Windows shortcut. 6.1.1 6.1.1.1 Web-Browser Access Browser Setup Note: Microsoft® Edge is not supported.     Use Chrome version 20, Firefox version 14, Internet Explorer 8, or Safari 6, or a greater version of each. To optimize the display, use a color monitor and set its color quality to the highest setting.
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AMD-RAIDXpert2 User Guide   53987 Rev. 3.01 June 2016 For each active RAIDXpert2 session an identifier is stored in the browser. Depending on how your browser treats this session identifier, you might be able to run multiple independent sessions simultaneously. Internet Explorer can run separate RAIDXpert2 sessions if you select File > New Session. If you do not select a new session, all instances of Internet Explorer share the same session. End a RAIDXpert2 session by selecting Options > Logout.
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53987 Rev. 3.01 June 2016 AMD-RAIDXpert2 User Guide To change an existing password, see Section 6.2.2, Change a Password at the Options Menu, on page 63. If a user forgets the username or password, delete rc_login.txt to restore the default user name and password (admin and admin).   6.2.2 Change a Password at the Options Menu Note: Both usernames and passwords are case-sensitive. 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. At the Options menu, select Password. The Choose a new Username and Password window displays.
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53987 Rev. 3.01 AMD-RAIDXpert2 User Guide June 2016 Table 16. Elements of the Array View Section, Array Status Window (Continued) Element Description RAID Level The RAID level of the array. Disk Number The number assigned to disks in an array. Disk Manufacturer The manufacturer of disks in an array. Disk Model Number The model number of the disks in an array. 6.4.2 The Disk List Section of the Array Status Window Elements of the Disk List Section 6.4.2.
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53987 Rev. 3.01 June 2016 AMD-RAIDXpert2 User Guide Table 17. Elements of the Disk List Section, Array Status Window (Continued) Element Description Firmware Disk manufacturer’s firmware version. Space Available Total amount of space unused on the disk. Largest Available Largest contiguous unused space on the disk. Features Information about port communication and physical disk cache settings. If a disk is missing from the Disk List, the most likely cause is: A loose cable.
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53987 Rev. 3.01 AMD-RAIDXpert2 User Guide June 2016 Table 18. Elements of the Array List Section, Array Status Window (Continued) Element Description Total Capacity Total capacity: 1 MB = 1,000,000 bytes 1 GB = 1,000,000,000 bytes Note: Because the ATA storage industry has standardized the meanings of MB as 1,000,000 bytes and GB as 1,000,000,000 bytes, RAIDXpert2 reports the same units. State State of the array (NORMAL, CRITICAL, OFFLINE).
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53987 Rev. 3.01 June 2016 AMD-RAIDXpert2 User Guide Table 19. Elements of the Event View Section, Array Status Window Element Description # The number of the event. Date The date and time at which the event occurred. Event The RAIDXpert2 Asynchronous Event Notification (AEN) number of the event. Priority The notification priority of the event: Low, Informational, Warning, Critical, or Fatal. Text A brief description of the event. 6.4.
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53987 Rev. 3.01 AMD-RAIDXpert2 User Guide June 2016 Table 20 provides page numbers for each command. Table 20.
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53987 Rev. 3.01 2. 3. June 2016 AMD-RAIDXpert2 User Guide Select the disk(s) to be initialized, by selecting the box next to the disk(s). Click Initialize Selected. 6.5.2 Rescan Disks The Rescan Command Performs the Following Actions:  Rescans the SATA channels that search for new, legacy, or removed disks.  Rereads the configuration information from each disk. When a disk is offline, it might be brought online by using a rescan. A rescan also stops and then automatically resumes all tasks.
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53987 Rev. 3.01 AMD-RAIDXpert2 User Guide June 2016 3. Options for Disk Device displays in the Disk List panel. 4. Perform one of the following actions:  To use the disk as a dedicated spare, select Assign as Dedicated Spare. Note: The capacity of a dedicated spare must be equal to or larger than the capacity of the smallest disk in the array.  To use the disk as a global spare, select Assign as Global Spare. 5. Click Confirm. 6.5.
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53987 Rev. 3.01 June 2016 AMD-RAIDXpert2 User Guide Table 21. New and Legacy Disks, as They Appear in the BIOS Configuration Utility and RAIDXpert2 (Continued) Status of the Disk A disk containing nonRAIDXpert2 configuration data. CAUTION: A legacy disk can contain valid data. When a legacy array is deleted, or when its corresponding legacy disk is initialized, the data is lost. In RAIDXpert2 The disk appears as a legacy disk with a legacy array.
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53987 Rev. 3.01 AMD-RAIDXpert2 User Guide June 2016 Table 22. Creating Arrays: Issues and Recommendations (Continued) Issues Recommendations Array size The array size of the new array is limited to 2.199 TB on some versions of Windows and Linux. Refer to the operating system documentation for details on maximum array sizes. Number of arrays In some circumstances, more than eight arrays are possible. They might appear to function properly, but are not supported by AMD-RAID.
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53987 Rev. 3.01 June 2016 AMD-RAIDXpert2 User Guide Note: See Section 6.6.12, Scan an Array in the Background, on page 82, for details. 9. Check Skip Initialize to skip initialization. CAUTION: Creating a redundant array with Skip Initialization selected can result in data corruption. 10. Check Leave Existing Data Intact if an array is lost or deleted, and the user immediately creates a replacement array of the same characteristics.
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53987 Rev. 3.01 AMD-RAIDXpert2 User Guide 6.6.3.1 June 2016 Before You Begin Review the issues and recommendations indicated in Table 23. Table 23. Transforming Arrays: Issues and Recommendations Issues Recommendations Array size An array cannot be transformed to a smaller-sized array. The transformed array must be the same size as or larger than the original array. Array size limits The array size of the transformed array is limited to 2.
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53987 Rev. 3.01 June 2016 AMD-RAIDXpert2 User Guide Table 23. Transforming Arrays: Issues and Recommendations (Continued) Issues Recommendations Task control commands When using task control commands, a Transform task can only be paused or resumed but not removed. To end a Transform task, pause and delete it. Note: If a task is paused and then deleted, the array is deleted. Deleting a task is the same as deleting an array. Data loss occurs when a task is deleted.
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AMD-RAIDXpert2 User Guide 6.6.3.3 53987 Rev. 3.01 June 2016 Access Additional Space After an array has been transformed to a larger size, use the operating system tools to access the additional space. There are several possible methods for expanding the existing file system on an array that has been transformed to a larger size:   Microsoft® provides a command prompt utility called Diskpart.exe that can expand any NTFS file system without requiring a reboot. The Diskpart.
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53987 Rev. 3.01 4. June 2016 AMD-RAIDXpert2 User Guide  To use the disk as a dedicated spare, select Assign as Dedicated Spare.  To use the disk as a global spare, select Assign as Global Spare. Click Confirm. 6.6.5 6.6.5.1 Prepare to Physically Remove an Array Physically Remove an Array CAUTION: Prior to removing an array, remove its drive letter (Windows) or unmount the array (Linux). 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. In the Array View section, select the array to remove.
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53987 Rev. 3.01 AMD-RAIDXpert2 User Guide June 2016 Table 24. Deleting Arrays: Issues and Recommendations Issue Recommendation Drive letters or partitions Remove drive letters or partitions from the array using procedures in your operating system. Each operating system has different names and paths for removing drive letters or partitions and as such are outside the scope of this document. For more information, see your operating system’s user documentation.
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53987 Rev. 3.01 6.6.7 June 2016 AMD-RAIDXpert2 User Guide Change Cache Settings for Arrays Table 25 provides information about the four array-caching options available. Table 25. Cache Array Options Option Description No Cache I/O requests are translated and passed to the disks without keeping a cached copy of the data available for future requests Read Cache Data reads are cached, if appropriate. This option performs sequential Read Ahead, when necessary Write Back Cache Data writes are cached.
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AMD-RAIDXpert2 User Guide 3. 4. 53987 Rev. 3.01 June 2016 At the Task Priority window, change the task priority by moving the slide one way or the other. Click OK. 6.6.9 Interrupt, Cancel, or Resume a Task The task control commands allow the user to pause, resume, or cancel (remove) tasks being performed on arrays. Full task control can be used on Create, Consistency Check, and Check Bitmap tasks.
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53987 Rev. 3.01 6.6.10.1 June 2016 AMD-RAIDXpert2 User Guide Before you Begin The Consistency Check command can be started at any time on a redundant-type array, as long as another task is not running on the array. The Consistency Check command can be started while under I/O load. If the array state is Critical, the Consistency Check fails. To estimate the remaining time for a Consistency Check, look at the percentage of the task that is completed (in hours: minutes: seconds).
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AMD-RAIDXpert2 User Guide 2. 3. 4. June 2016 At the Array menu, select Check Consistency. Select Schedule. At the Check Consistency window, select the Frequency, Day, and Time, then click Confirm. 6.6.11.2 1. 2. 3. 4. 53987 Rev. 3.01 Delete a Scheduled Consistency Check In the Array View section, select the array to on which to delete the Consistency Check. At the Array menu, select Check Consistency. Select Schedule. At the Consistency Check window, click Remove. 6.6.
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53987 Rev. 3.01 6.6.13.2 June 2016 AMD-RAIDXpert2 User Guide Remove a Dedicated Spare Assignment 1. In the Array View section, select the array from which to remove a dedicated spare. 2. At the Disk menu, select Spare/Identify. 3. Select Remove as Dedicated Spare, then click Confirm. TIP: For additional information see Section 3.10, Sparing Options: Disks and Arrays, on page 31. 6.6.
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AMD-RAIDXpert2 User Guide 53987 Rev. 3.01 June 2016 After the secure erase is complete, a user can choose to manually delete the array or reuse it. If the user chooses to reuse it, it must be unhidden using the procedure in Section 6.6.15, Hide an Array, on page 83. CAUTION: When an array is securely erased, the data on the array is lost. 6.6.16.1 1. 2. Securely Erasing an Array In the Array View section, select the array to erase. At the Array menu, select Secure Erase, then click OK. 6.
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53987 Rev. 3.01 June 2016 6.8 Working with Options 6.8.1 Change Password Settings AMD-RAIDXpert2 User Guide A password can be changed at the Options menu. See Section 6.2.2, Change a Password at the Options Menu, on page 63. 6.8.2 Set Event Notifications With the Notification option, the user can manage event log and email notifications of events. The Event View section of the Array Status window displays the priority listing.
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AMD-RAIDXpert2 User Guide 53987 Rev. 3.01 June 2016 Note: Warning, Critical, and Fatal events will always display in the Event Log. 6.8.3 Licensing To display Licensing information, including available licensing levels, select License at the Options menu. 6.9 Add Space Using a RAIDABLE Array Note: RAIDABLE array is formerly known as RAID Ready array. 1. Install a new disk. After a rescan, a pop-up window opens.
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53987 Rev. 3.01 June 2016 Chapter 7 7.1 AMD-RAIDXpert2 User Guide Troubleshooting Troubleshooting The chapter discusses four major categories of troubleshooting:     Problems with system startup. Warning messages that might appear at the Power-On Self-Test (POST) screen. Problems with arrays. Problems with disks. System Startup Problems 7.2  Table 28. The System Does Not Boot  Table 29. The BIOS Configuration Utility Does Not Display Table 28.
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53987 Rev. 3.01 AMD-RAIDXpert2 User Guide June 2016 Table 30. Username and Password Problem A user forgets the username or password. 7.3 Corrective Actions Reset the username and password by deleting rc_login.txt. This restores the default user name and password (admin and admin). Warning Messages: POST Screen The POST screen is one of the first screens to appear during the system’s boot sequence.
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53987 Rev. 3.01 June 2016 AMD-RAIDXpert2 User Guide Table 31. POST Screen Warning Messages (Continued) Warning Message WARNING: Found arrays that are Offline [or equivalent] This warning message appears when at least one array is in an Offline state and Toggle Pause if Offline is set to ON at the BIOS Configuration Utility. If two or more disks in a redundant array have failed, or if a single or multiple disks in a non-redundant array have failed, data has been lost.
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53987 Rev. 3.01 AMD-RAIDXpert2 User Guide June 2016  Table 36. Cannot Create a Global Spare, on page 92   Table 37. Recreate a Deleted Array, on page 92 Table 32. Cannot Create an Array Possible Causes The disk is not displayed. Additional Information Corrective Actions The controller cannot communicate See Section 7.5.1, Troubleshooting with the disks. Disks, on page 93. Insufficient free space available on the selected disks Select a different combination of disks.
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53987 Rev. 3.01 June 2016 AMD-RAIDXpert2 User Guide Table 33. An Array is in a Critical State Possible Causes One or more disks in the array have failed or been removed. Additional Information Corrective Actions Due to the failed disk or disks, the array is no See Section 7.5.1, longer maintaining redundant (mirrored or parity) Troubleshooting Disks, data. on page 93. The failure of an additional disk results in an Offline state and lost data. Table 34.
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53987 Rev. 3.01 AMD-RAIDXpert2 User Guide June 2016 Table 36. Cannot Create a Global Spare Possible Causes Additional Information Corrective Actions The disk is already part of A global spare cannot be selected if it Select a different disk. an array is already part of an existing array.
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53987 Rev. 3.01 7.5 June 2016 AMD-RAIDXpert2 User Guide Disk Related Errors Table 38. Disk Errors  Section 7.5.1, Troubleshooting Disks, on page 93. Table 38. Disk Errors  Possible Causes Additional Information A disk has been removed from an array Corrective Actions See Section 7.5.1, Troubleshooting Disks, on page 93. A disk is not visible in the BIOS Configuration Utility or is offline A disk is highlighted red at the BIOS Configuration Utility The disk has failed.
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53987 Rev. 3.01 AMD-RAIDXpert2 User Guide June 2016 If problems with a disk have caused an array to go Critical, it may be necessary to also assign a dedicated or global spare for the array. If problems with a disk have caused an array to go Offline, data may have been lost. Recover lost data from a backup storage source.
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53987 Rev. 3.01 June 2016 Chapter 8 8.1 AMD-RAIDXpert2 User Guide Software License: EULA Software License: End-User License Agreement (EULA) BY INSTALLING, DOWNLOADING AND/OR USING THE SOFTWARE THAT ACCOMPANIES THIS END USER LICENSE AGREEMENT (“AGREEMENT”) AND ANY ASSOCIATED DOCUMENTATION OR UPDATES THERETO ("SOFTWARE"), YOU AGREE THAT, WHETHER AS AN INDIVIDUAL OR AUTHORIZED REPRESENTATIVE OF AN ENTITY, YOU HAVE READ THIS AGREEMENT, UNDERSTAND IT AND AGREE TO BE BOUND BY IT.
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53987 Rev. 3.01 AMD-RAIDXpert2 User Guide June 2016 unaltered, object code form solely (i) for internal business purposes; and (ii) only with respect to one (1) AMD product that was purchased through authorized AMD sales channels. Further, you must obtain this Software only from authorized AMD sales channels. Obtaining it from any other source is a violation of the intellectual property rights of AMD and its licensors. 8.1.
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53987 Rev. 3.01 June 2016 AMD-RAIDXpert2 User Guide received the Software. Notwithstanding the foregoing, Updates to the Software (which may or may not be distributed) shall be governed by this Agreement, and such Updates will be considered Software for purposes of this Agreement.
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53987 Rev. 3.01 AMD-RAIDXpert2 User Guide June 2016 modified rather than voided, if possible, in order to achieve the intent of the parties to the extent necessary to make the provision enforceable under applicable law, and enforced as amended. In any event, all other provisions of this Agreement will be deemed valid and enforceable to the full extent.
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53987 Rev. 3.01 June 2016 Chapter 9 9.1 AMD-RAIDXpert2 User Guide rcadm Command Line Interface Tool What is rcadm? The rcadm program is a command line interface (CLI) tool for managing RAIDXpert2 in the Windows, Linux, or EFI operating system. See Appendix A, on page 107, for rcadm.efi Information. The rcadm program initiates RAIDXpert2 operations, such as:  Manage RAIDXpert2, arrays and disks (see Section 9.2, Manage Arrays and Disks: rcadm -manage, on page 100).
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AMD-RAIDXpert2 User Guide 9.1.1 53987 Rev. 3.01 June 2016 To Use rcadm with a Linux® Operating System By default, rcadm is installed in /usr/bin. 9.1.2 or To Use rcadm with a Windows® Operating System  Change directories to %Program Files%\RAIDXpert2.  Run the rcadm.exe command from there.  Add %Program Files%\RAIDXpert2 to the system or user path environment variables. 9.
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53987 Rev. 3.01 9.2.2 June 2016 AMD-RAIDXpert2 User Guide rcadm Controller List Elements Table 40.
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53987 Rev. 3.01 AMD-RAIDXpert2 User Guide 9.2.3 June 2016 rcadm Disk List Elements Table 41. rcadm Disk List Elements Element Description Disk Disk number assigned by RAIDXpert2, corresponding to the SATA channel ID.
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53987 Rev. 3.01 9.2.4 June 2016 AMD-RAIDXpert2 User Guide rcadm Array List Elements Table 42. rcadm Array List Elements Element Description A Array number assigned by RAIDXpert2 Type RAID type. O.S. Name Name assigned by the operating system to the array. The name shows as “Hidden” if the array is hidden from the operating system. The name shows “??” if the array is Offline.
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53987 Rev. 3.01 AMD-RAIDXpert2 User Guide June 2016 Table 42. rcadm Array List Elements (Continued) Element Description Scan Background scan enabled (Yes/No) Name User-supplied name for the array Dedicated Spare Indicates the number of dedicated spares assigned to the array (--verbose mode only) Disk Listing of disks that are part of the array Used Capacity used of a specific disk Offset Location on the disk where the array begins 9.3 View Help from the Command Line 9.3.
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53987 Rev. 3.01 9.4.1 June 2016 AMD-RAIDXpert2 User Guide Before You Begin... Creation of arrays, even redundant arrays, allows users immediate access to the arrays. If the system reboots, the creation process continues where it left off. CAUTION: In some circumstances, more than eight arrays are possible. They might appear to function properly, but are not supported. Note: The array size of the new array is limited to 2.199 TB with some operating systems.
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AMD-RAIDXpert2 User Guide 9.6 53987 Rev. 3.01 June 2016 Transform Arrays: rcadm --transform (supported by RAIDXpert2 Plus) The rcadm --transform or rcadm -T command allows the user to transform (migrate) an array from one RAID level to almost any other RAID level, and to expand the array dynamically, even under I/O load. 9.6.1 Before You Begin... An array cannot be transformed to a smaller-sized array. New arrays must be either the same capacity or larger.
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53987 Rev. 3.01 June 2016 Appendix A A.1 AMD-RAIDXpert2 User Guide rcadm.efi Information rcadm -? -?, --help Displays all primary rcadm commands, or if used after an option, displays help for that specific option. -log, --log-file Print output to a log file as well as standard output. Requires a log file name argument. Overwrites existing file. Only one occurrence of this option on the command line is allowed. Example: rcadm -M -qa -v -log status.txt -C, --create Command for creating arrays.
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AMD-RAIDXpert2 User Guide A.2 53987 Rev. 3.01 June 2016 rcadm -M MANAGE -a, --array Used with certain options to specify arrays. -as, --add-spare Adds a dedicated spare disk to an array. No space is reserved on the disk selected. -rs, --remove-spare Removes a dedicated spare disk from an array. -ras, --remove-all-spares Removes any spares from an array. -ags, --add-global-spare Adds a disk as a global spare. No space is reserved on the disk selected.
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53987 Rev. 3.01 June 2016 AMD-RAIDXpert2 User Guide -n, --name Identifies an array with a user-supplied name. The name can be up to 30 characters, but only 17 of those characters display in the BIOS. -p, --priority Sets an array's task priority from 1-10, with 10 being the highest priority. -q, --query Lists information about specific controllers, arrays, and disks. -qa, --query-all Lists information about controllers, arrays, and disks. -v, --verbose Modifier of the --query and --query-all option.
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53987 Rev. 3.01 June 2016 AMD-RAIDXpert2 User Guide TASK PRIORITY --priority <1..10> --array -p <1..10> -a Examples: rcadm --manage --priority 5 --array 6 rcadm -M -p 1 -a UNLINK ARRAY --unlink --array -ul -a Examples: rcadm --manage --unlink --array 2 rcadm -M -ul -a 5 A.
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AMD-RAIDXpert2 User Guide 53987 Rev. 3.01 June 2016 OPTIONS -sp, --spare-disk Specifies the dedicated spare disk or disks to assign, with a maximum of four. No space is reserved on the selected disks. -s, --size Specifies the size of the array in MBs. If you do not use this option, the largest possible size is used by default. -ns, --no-sync Disables background synchronization of redundant types when creating the array.
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53987 Rev. 3.01 June 2016 AMD-RAIDXpert2 User Guide EXAMPLES Example: Create a RAID5 set of the maximum possible size using all disks. rcadm -C --raid5 --disk * Example: Create a RAID1 set of the maximum possible size, with a spare disk and without a background initialization task. rcadm -C --raid1 --spare-disk 3 --disk 1 2 --no-sync Example: Print the maximum size a RAID5 array could be using all disks without actually creating the array. rcadm -C --raid5 --disk * --max-size A.