User manual

SuperTrak SX6000™ User Manual Appendix B
- B2 -
Drive Issues
Q:
Can I add a drive to a SuperTrak SX6000 RAID array via hot-swap and
dynamically adjust the array size/configuration?
A:
No. The SuperTrak SX6000 system does not support dynamically
adjustable RAID size/configurations.
Q:
Can I take a set of drives which make up an array created on one SuperTrak
SX6000 controller and move it to another SuperTrak SX6000 controller?
A:
Yes. All SuperTrak SX6000 controllers read the 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:
Can I take a drive used in a SuperTrak SX6000 array and access it directly
with a different controller, such as the one integrated on the motherboard?
A:
Yes, but only under certain configurations. The following array
configurations will allow the drive(s) to be accessed individually on another
controller: mirror (RAID 1), single drive striped (RAID 0), or single drive
spanned array. Multiple drives striped or spanned will not work. Also, the
other controller must address the drives as LBA, not CHS.
Q:
If I have a problem with one of the drives on the SuperTrak SX6000, 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 that might be experienced during use.
Errors such as bad sectors or ECC/CRC failure are best remedied by
completely replacing the drive. For this reason, drives attached to the
SuperTrak SX6000 controller 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! The purpose of disk management software is to provide support for
hard drives larger then 504MB to those systems that have no intrinsic
support. Since the SuperTrak SX6000 provides all the large disk support
you need to access your array(s), this software is unnecessary, and in
some cases may even cause accessibility problems.
Q:
What system BIOS CMOS settings do I use for the drives on the SuperTrak
SX6000 controller?
A:
None. The drives on the SuperTrak SX6000 controller are supported by the
SuperTrak BIOS and/or operating system drivers not by your system BIOS