RAID 0/1 on the XL201

[@7908848805001668]

There's space for three (ie 2 extra) HDs but with the original HD and the DVD drive only 2 SATA ports are available.

I can't see a way of adding two extra discs as a RAID array (in my case striped in RAID 0 mode) and still keep the two original drives. I suppose another driver controller card would do it but not suitable here methinks.

Incidentally, inside the case seems to be a well thought out and built box of bits. A pity I've already been frustrated with the silly little things (LH WLAN aerial thread and Vista upgrade purchase) before I get to the inevitable(?) bigger things.

AndyR

[Blencogo]

Hi Andy,

You should be able to add two drives in RAID 0 as you should have 4 SATA ports (3 available).

You need to add the two discs to SATA Ports 2 & 4 (don't use 3 for RAID) and configure a new RAID Volume from the two new drives using the Intel Matrix Storage Manager.

Start -> All Programs -> Intel Matrix Storage Manager -> Intel Matrix Storage Console.

[@7908848805001668]

I must have been really stupid, or too tired when I wrote my post - I certainly didn't have my glasses on, nor my brain in gear.

I knew I had sufficient ports when I fitted the third hard disc but when I began to connect them I saw the identical leads but lost the fourth port in the spaghetti and then couldn't count. Durrrrr ...

Anyway, Blencogo, thks for the help - I'll do it later.

Can I assume that I can move the original HD and DVD onto ports 1 & 3 and that it doesn't matter which goes where and that the Matrix Manager will leave the existing HD alone?

Finally, can I assume by Ports 1,2,3 and 4 you mean 0,1,2 and 3 respectively (as marked on the motherboard)?

Thanks again

AndyR

[Blencogo]

Hi Andy,

Ignore what I said about the port connections - that is for my RC102 which has 4 disc bays.

In your 'Caddy' connect Port 0 to the bottom drive, Port 1 to the middle one and Port 2 to the top one.

You should find all three discs in the Intel Matrix Console and you just choose the two you want to configure in RAID 0.

You may find the INTEL MATRIX WEBPAGES useful.

[@7908848805001668]

Hi Blencogo - again and so soon thanks!

I'll post to confirm that all went well (or not). With 400gb at about £75 each, the thought of (more than) a terrabyte raid Media Centre was too attractive a proposition.

Anyone here remember when a terrabte was affordable only by ICI - and how many 100's of thousands of pounds did it cost?

AndyR

[@7908848805001668]

All went well - very quick, except the 2 hours to format each drive - and the Matrix Raid SW is much easier to use than it was to find in the first place. Beats hands down Sony's instructions on how to RAID the discs (by doing a complete recovery I think).

AndyR

[Blencogo]

Well done Andy - nice job!

:smileygrin:

[terdarli]

Hi,

Do you notice much difference having the RAID setup now?

I have recently purchased the XL201 and am now looking at extra storage. I'm not new to computing (far from it!), but home video editing is something new to me and when I tried this in the distant past I found the disk speed was a huge problem.

I intend editing HDV from my Handycam, and was thinking of either adding 1x500Gb or going straight for 2x500Gb in RAID-0 if it's worth the extra? Thoughts?
(Appreciate you don't have data security in Raid-0, but that will be solved by lots of DVD-RW's and maybe an external 500Gb drive to ghost the important files too).

Also, how noisy do you find the system with 3 Hard disks?
I was thinking of the Samsung SpinPoint T HD501LJ as everything I've read seems to indicate these are the quietest on the market.

Has anybody else any thoughts on this?

Cheers
Terry

[@7908848805001668]

Hi Terry

I'm just revisiting this thread as I'm about to look at the postings for the Vista Upgrade.

I added the 2 (400gb) drives very easily as described above - they are quiet (Samsung Spinpoints) so that they're unheard except with no sound playing.

They're quick and the whole setup is highly recommended for video editing - I'm just starting with an HD SR1E or whatever the 30gb hard disc, HD (HighDensity) camera is called - I forget - plus the usual video function which, once I've followed the tips elsewhere, when saved to a central server should allow me to stream video anywhere on the home network.


Highly recommended

AndyR

[terdarli]

Hi Andy,

Thanks for the advice - I think I was leaning towards the 2 extra Samsung drives, but nice to hear from somebody that has already done it.
Had the extra 2Gb Ram delivered today, so now just got to wait for those Samsung spinpoints to come back into stock!

Cheers
Terry