Intel MB - RAID problem

[3d_compos]

Hello

Motherboard - ASUS P8P67 EVO R3.0 Intel P67 LGA1155
4 HDDs - WD Caviar RE4 2 TB WD2003FYYS 64MB (RAID edition).

I have a RAID 10 setup out of 4 HHDs on build-in on-board Intel RAID driver.

It was working brilliant for a month. Then suddenly, during startup, some strange, unnatural continuous sound (resembling a tractor working) came from one of the drives and the computer stopped booting up for a while. After boot-up this sound and lagging occurred very frequently. Then Intel RAID driver indicated a disk malfunction and disconnected the drive. Indeed, the disk indicated some SMART errors (write errors in particular).

I disconnected the drive cable - everything came into perfect life again. I thought it was a HDD problem - but it wasn't.

The same problem started with another drive of the RAID array that was connected to different port.

1. What may be happening here?

2. I guess it's a MB problem - is is rather hardware problem or software?

3. What RAID controller should I buy to resolve the problem? - Is that a solution?

4. BTW. The system (Win7) is on separate Vertex-3 SDD. Can I achieve 6 gbit transfer despite the Marvel onboard?

 

[Sotiri]

I don't know first hand, but I recall seeing discussions claiming the onboard RAID controllers are really only good for 2-disk RAID0 or 1 setups, anything more and they start to get unstable. For your setup I've seen people suggest you get a good RAID card. It kind of makes sense. I expect the onboard controller is a consumer grade product and you're running closer to an enterprise level, especially with the enterprise class drives you're using. You should try posting in the Data Storage Systems thread, there's a lot of good info there for RAID setups.

 

[piquadrat]

Look into SMART table and track the parameter called: Ultra ATA CRC Error Rate.
Take a cable out of equation.

 

[3d_compos]

The Smart indicates problems in the following parameters:

Ultra ATA CRC Error Count - 2
Write Error Rate - 6

BUT: I replaced the cable - problem still persists. So it's not cable issue.


Can you suggest me any good RAID card?

 

[otoc]

The Smart indicates problems in the following parameters:

Ultra ATA CRC Error Count - 2
Write Error Rate - 6

BUT: I replaced the cable - problem still persists. So it's not cable issue.


Can you suggest me any good RAID card?

Have you run drive diagnostics on each HD?
http://support.wdc.com/product/download.asp?groupid=615&sid=30&lang=en

Updated bios with the the appropriate IRST driver? Does the array pass the IRST verification test OK? BCLK @100?

I've run Raid5 on a Pro version board with four drives and no issue other than the speed hit and time it takes for configuring the raid.

If you are getting clicking sounds, it is probably a drive going bad.

 

[BoredSysAdm]

if the second drive also started to make noises - it's also has problem.

but most importantly - booting from raid is typically bad idea, get yourself good SSD (not super easy task) and install your OS there.
Regarding hardware raid card - these would be mostly beneficial if you using raid 5/6. For simple types like 0/1/10 the difference would be marginal.

btw: I'm running 4 regular wd 500gb 7200rpm drives on raid5 on intel h57 mobo with intel rapid storage - zero issues so far

 

[Ruoh]

but most importantly - booting from raid is typically bad idea, get yourself good SSD (not super easy task) and install your OS there.

Reading fail.

 

[BoredSysAdm]

Reading fail.

only partially true...

computer stopped booting up for a while

If Win7 is already on a separate SSD - then I can't imagine ANY issue with Non-system raid volume affecting boot if OS is on different disk

Ether OP has regular win7 boot issues and a separate issues with failing drives or the OP providing wrong info