Question : Problem: Why can't I create an array with my RAID card?

I have a Promise FastTrak 100 TX2.  I've used them before so I know how to make an array.  My primary drive is a 61.5 GB IBM hardrive.  The new IBM that I want to mirror to is a new formatted 61.4 GB (this may be the problem).

When I run the RAID utility everything starts duplicating fine until I reach 73% complete then I get a warning saying to restart and change drives cause something is wrong with the drive.  Of course nothing is wrong with the drive when hooked up as a slave without the RAID card.  Could the issue of the new drive being a bit smaller be the issue.  Promise has what is called a gigabyte boundary feature that if turned on it will truncate the larger drive but it claims I could loose data if any exists in that section of truncation.

What are your thoughts on this?  Mine is to image copy the larger drive to the slightly smaller drive and then run the RAID with mirror.  Let me know.

Answer : Problem: Why can't I create an array with my RAID card?

jberenyi,

Since you have asked for my thoughts, I am willing to provide them.  The first thought I have after reading your question is why you chose to partition the IBM hard drive that is intended to be your designated Target drive?  When attempting to create a MIRROR Array, it is best to have the Target drive assigned as a RAW partition.  A RAW partition simply means that no partition information has been created and placed upon the drive.  The first thing you should consider is deleting the partition on the Target drive, but this is not your only conflict.  You can delete the partition using the FDISK utility in a Windows Startup diskette, or through the operating system through the command prompt.  You can also delete a partition through Microsoft's Management Console by clicking on Storage in the left frame, and using the Disk Management Snap-In to delete the partition.  You can also use Hitachi's or OnTrack's Diagnostic Utility.  Hitachi's Drive Fitness Test will determine if there is a communication error in either drive, and OnTrack's Data Advisor should allow you to verify the partition integrity.  Data Advisor should also allow you to delete the partition on the Target drive, but I cannot remember if this feature is included in this version.  You can find these utilities at the following link:

http://www.hgst.com/hdd/support/download.htm

The most likely problem in your situation is indeed the difference in drive volumes.  From what I know of the DeskStar line, there is a 61.49GB and a 60.4GB hard drive.  The RAID BIOS assigns a MIRROR Array by copying the stored data from the Source drive to the Target drive, and this includes the file system, partition table, or whatever you wish to designate what we refer to as the partition.  The partition is critical because it defines the storage volume's surface area.  It does this by assigning a start and end point, and then mapping the area between the two points.  If your conflict is caused by the difference in storage volumes, it is because the Source volume exceeds the Target volume.  What can sometimes occur is that sectors on the Target drive can become displaced when referenced to the Source drive's partition.  When this happens the RAID Controller's BIOS will indicate an error because the copied information is no longer matching the original locations from the source.  It is because this error can occur that it is always best to copy from the smaller of the two drives.

The easiest way to determine if this is your situation is to simply copy the data from the Source drive manually.  Hitachi's download page should have a DOS copy option in one of the two previously mentioned utilities.  The problem with DOS applications is that drive content transference can take an extremely long time due to data transfer rate used by DOS.  If you still have your installation CD for your operating system, you simply need to install the Target drive as the Primary Slave drive under the on-board IDE Controller.  Disconnect power from the 61.49 GB hard drive, but connect it to the on-board IDE Controller as the Primary Master.  Insert the OS installation CD-ROM after you boot your system, and boot into the CD-ROM if prompted, or restart your system to boot into the CD-ROM drive.  Install the operating system as per the Installation CD's instructions, and allow the operating system's Graphic User Interface (GUI) to appear upon completion of the installation.  Using the motherboard's installation CD, install all drivers, and then install all drivers for any additional devices such as PCI controller cards.  Do not worry about any updates at this time, since you are only concerned with identifying the conflict.

After all appropriate drivers have been installed, shut down the system.  Remove all power including AC and any self-powered peripheral devices.  Connect power to the Primary Master, and verify that all jumper settings are correct.  Connect power and start your system booting into the Primary Master.  Copy all files that you wish to save to the Slave.  If you are uncertain as to what exactly you should copy, then it would be best to do a DOS copy of the drive content from the 61.49GB to the 60.4GB.  However if you have 60GB's worth of stored data, it could take more than eight hours, but at least all files would be copied.  Once the files have been successfully copied onto the Slave drive, and you should test a few files to verify, then run the disk check utility such as ScanDisk or CheckDisk, and then Defragment the hard drives.  Shut down power again.  Install the drives to the RAID Controller, and again verify correct jumper settings.  Start the system, and enter the RAID BIOS.  However this time set the Source drive as the 60.4GB drive, and the Target drive as the 61.49GB drive.

You might still receive an error message, but in this case it is probably due to the GigaByte Boundary being disabled.  The Boundary function is used to correctly configure volume size when assigning the Array.  If two different storage volumes are used, the RAID Assignment cannot be properly calculated due to a disparity in size.  Basically the two volumes must be equal so that the Controller can function properly.  In a STRIPE Array the two volumes must be equal so that equal increments can be assigned to each drive.  In a MIRROR Array the two volumes must be equal so that the partition information is accurate, and all file placement information matches in both drives.  It is easier to understand if you try to imagine a funhouse with mirrors.  If you look into a normal mirror you simply see yourself.  If you look into a mirror with a different angle of reflection, or different storage volume in the case of a drive, what you now see is a distorted image of yourself.  If the partitions do not match successfully, then the smaller drive will have incorrect information concerning the location of the stored files.  Since you get approximately 73% complete when the error message appears, it is towards the end of the partition where the copied partition does not match the source partition's information.  The fact that you state that both drives function fine under traditional IDE control suggests that it is indeed the storage volume causing the conflict.

If you were to run Disk defragmentation on the 61.49GB hard drive from another drive's operating system, you can verify that no drive content is stored at the "end of the drive".  The option to truncate would not result in lost data by terminating the partition.  However it is possible to damage a partition beyond repair by truncating the partition's starting or ending point.  If the partition becomes severly damaged beyond repair, then all data in the drive can no longer be accessed without the use of a recovery utility.  It is for this reason that I always suggest that the smaller drive should always be the Source drive when creating a MIRROR Array.

Even if you believe your drives are functioning properly, I ask that you perform the following steps before doing anything else:

1).  Place the drives under an IDE Controller.
2).  Boot into the operating system, and it can be installed on either drive.
3).  Run a disk integrity check such as ScanDisk, CheckDisk, or whatever utility is supported by your operating system of choice.
4).  Defragment all the hard drives.
5).  Run OnTrack's Data Advisor to verify file and partition integrity.
6).  Run Hitachi's Drive Fitness Test to verify drive integrity.
7).  Copy all file content onto the 60.4GB drive by either first installing the operating system on the drive, or through one of the two utilities offered by Hitachi.
8).  Connect the drives to the RAID Controller.
9).  Using the RAID BIOS create and assign a MIRROR Array with the Source being the 60.4GB drive, and the Target the 61.49GB drive.
10).  Allow truncating of the 61.49GB drive when prompted, and restart to complete the assignment.

If the conflict is indeed the Boundary function, you should not receive any error messages.  However if you have any doubts at all, it would be best if you saved all content onto CD-R or CD-RW media as backups.  If you use CD-RW's, you can erase them after having completed the Array.

If you need any further assistance, please do not hesitate to ask.  Audiodog