HighPoint RocketRAID 2220 questions

[TeeJayHoward]

I'm about to spend the cash and pick up the 8x 320GB WD RE / 2220 combo I've been talking about for... Oh, forever (Thanks for helping me to choose the setup!) Before I click on the "Get Broke!" link, though... I've got a few quick questions I'd like answered.

As before, buncha anime files and dvd ISOs, nothing critical. Motherboard's the BFGRNF4U in my sig.

1) My motherboard supposedly has a working PCI lock. I overclock. Will I experience any issues with this card?
2) The card DOES work in a "normal" PCI slot, right? (Hey, just checking again. Lotsa money at stake!)
3) Is the RAID setup done via drivers? Or is it done on the card, and the whole thing just shows up as one bigass drive in Windows?
4) Obviously, the 32-bit PCI slot is a limitation. How much of one? Can I hope for 100MB/s transfers?

The rest of my upgrade, for those that care:
Opteron 165 (Hoping for 2.6Ghz+ per core)
G.SKILL Extreme Series 2GB (2 x 1GB) DDR 500 (PC 4000)
Raptor 150 (It's no MAU, but it'll do!)
______________
Total: $1967.19... The most I've ever spent on a computer upgrade.

 

[unhappy_mage]

1) Hopefully not.
2) Yes, as long as it'll physically fit. No capacitors in the way, etc.
3) Mostly via drivers, as I understand it, but well-done drivers. 100% CPU usage only at 300 MB/s write.
4) 120 MB/s is the figure I hear thrown around for PCI.

Just for the record, $1k is the most I've spent on an upgrade. I hope to improve that figure somewhat in the upcoming months

 

[Dew]

1) My motherboard supposedly has a working PCI lock. I overclock. Will I experience any issues with this card?

As long as the lock actually works you should not have any issues with overclocking.

Since your board is free of obstruction behind the second PCIe X1 slot. Consider the 2320 and read this thread: http://www.hardforum.com/showthread.php?t=1055863

Or, consider the 2320 and get a different board. At this point, another $90 is a drop in the bucket.

Considerations include:
A8N-E - Has a x4 slot
A8N5X - Has a x4 slot
K8N Neo4 - Has a x4 slot

Any board with Dual x16 slots.

PCIe means you never have to worry about compatability in the future and it is pretty easy to find a board to accomidate your needs.

2) The card DOES work in a "normal" PCI slot, right? (Hey, just checking again. Lotsa money at stake!)

If you look here you will notice that there is a possible issue with the card fitting in your board. Slot2 looks most promising but I don't know if the card will hit that Capacitor or not.

3) Is the RAID setup done via drivers? Or is it done on the card, and the whole thing just shows up as one bigass drive in Windows?

It shows up as a regular scsi drive in Linux. You can use the in BIOS management(not recommended, its slow and very limited in functionality), or the windows console/webgui to manage the array. As far as Windows Disk Management is concerned, it should show a large SCSI hdd after you configure your array.

4) Obviously, the 32-bit PCI slot is a limitation. How much of one? Can I hope for 100MB/s transfers?

I don't know the real world results for the 2220 in a 32bit slot. But consider that the PCI bus maxes out at 133MB/sec, for all PCI devices to share.

In a PCIe x1 slot you are looking at 250MB/sec non-shared.

 

[TeeJayHoward]

As long as the lock actually works you should not have any issues with overclocking.

Since your board is free of obstruction behind the second PCIe X1 slot. Consider the 2320 and read this thread: http://www.hardforum.com/showthread.php?t=1055863

Heh. My other thread!

Or, consider the 2320 and get a different board. At this point, another $90 is a drop in the bucket.

Problem with this is that I like my existing board, and can get a stable 333FSB. Oh, and monies.

It shows up as a regular scsi drive in Linux. You can use the in BIOS management(not recommended, its slow and very limited in functionality), or the windows console/webgui to manage the array. As far as Windows Disk Management is concerned, it should show a large SCSI hdd after you configure your array.

All right. Just what I wanted to hear. Thanks!

Oh, and off-topic, but Dew, do you ever go to SPLAT in Springs?

 

[Dew]

Oh, and off-topic, but Dew, do you ever go to SPLAT in Springs?

Yep, but I wont be at the May 20 one, I'll be at work

I'm the network admin at the AG Lan that's held monthly at the Academy. Next one is the 27th if you're interested. My server is always there on display and serving up all the files.

 

[TeeJayHoward]

I'm the network admin at the AG Lan that's held monthly at the Academy. Next one is the 27th if you're interested.

Love to, but I can't make it. Summer semester homework is obscene.

I just hit the button. My account is once more empty, and I've got a big box coming from ZZF. I went with the 2220. Thanks to everyone who responded!