User`s manual

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Q: Can I take a set of drives belonging to an array in one server and move it to
another server?
A: Yes. All controllers read arrays the same way. Once the drives are all connected, you
must restart the system for it to recognize the newly-inserted array configuration.
Q: If I have a problem with one of the drives, how can I low level format it to correct
the problem?
A: Do NOT do this. Low-level formatting IDE drives is unnecessary and generally does not
correct problems. Errors such as bad sectors or ECC/CRC failure are best remedied by
completely replacing the drive. For this reason, drives attached should NOT be low level
formatted.
Q: Do I have to install disk management software on my array in order to access the
full storage capacity of drives?
A: No! Disk management software would only complicate things. The array should be fully
addressable by your O/S as it is. Remember that some operating systems have varying
limits on the sizes of partitions and logical drives that can be defined. Consult your O/S
documentation about partitioning larger drives.
Q: What system BIOS CMOS settings do I use for the drives on the RAID IDE
connectors?
A: None. The drives are supported by the FastBuild BIOS and/or an O/S driver, not by your
system BIOS.
Q: How do I partition/format a RAID array?
A: The system sees an array as a single HDD. Therefore, anything that you can do to a
single HDD can also be done to an array. You can, and should, use the FDISK and
FORMAT utilities to partition/format the array. You can partition the array however you
see fit. You can also format the array with whatever file system you wish.
Installation Issues
(Capacity, Booting)
Q: Why are some drives recognized by the Setup utilities as only partial capacity?
A: Some hard drive models are shipped with a jumper that reduces the addressable
capacity of the drive to prevent problems with older systems which won’t support larger
drives. Consult the documentation accompanying the hard drive to set the jumper
appropriately in order to utilize the full capacity of the drive.
Q: How can I change the system boot sequence in order to boot from the
array?
A: The boot sequence is controlled by the system BIOS. As far as the system BIOS is
concerned, the Promise controller and defined arrays are categorized as a “SCSI”
device (even though the BIOS will not attempt to access the array as any type of SCSI
device). This allows you to set the boot sequence of the system BIOS CMOS setup
utility to boot from “SCSI” first, rather than “IDE” (the standard onboard IDE or one
which effectively replaces it).