User`s manual
5
Getting Started
This section will help you get started with the hard drive installation.
WARNING: Before installing the driver into an existing system, backup any
necessary data. Failure to follow this accepted PC practice could result in data
loss.
Installing The Hard Drives
WARNING: If you wish to use a Windows NT 4.x or Windows 2000 hard
drive that will be configured in the Mirrored array as a boot drive, do NOT
connect the hard drive to the RAID IDE connector yet. You must install the
Windows NT 4.x or Windows 2000 operating system and driver with the hard
drive connected to the standard IDE connector. After you’re done with the
installation, connect the drive to the RAID IDE connector. The “First Boot Device” field in
Advanced BIOS Features of the Award BIOS setup utility must be set to “SCSI”.
Hard drives must be Ultra ATA/133, Ultra ATA/100, Ultra ATA/66 or Ultra ATA/33 compatible.
For optimal performance, install identical drives of the same model and capacity. The drives’
matched performance allows the array to function better as a single drive.
1. Drives in an array must be identical. If striping for performance, use two new drives. If
mirroring for protection, you can use two new drives or use an existing drive and a new
drive (the new drive must be the same size or larger than the existing drive). Only two
drives can be configured as RAID. Since both of these drives must be in Master mode,
striping or mirroring must be done between 2 RAID IDE channels; not between 2 drives
that are chained on the same channel.
2. Configure the jumpers of the hard drive using the correct “Master / Slave” or “Cable-
Select” settings in the positions described in the table below.
NOTE: Sometimes the Master drive with no slave attached is called “Single.” The master
slave setting differentiates two drives chained on the same channel.
Jumper Settings
# of Drives IDE Channel 1 IDE Channel 2
1 M ----
2 M M
M = Master
3. Install the hard drives into the hard drive bays of your system, including the power cables.