KT7A-RAID [v1.3] Question

[Alien 1]

So I finally got my KT7A-RAID & Athlon XP 1900+, & intend to install them later today, but having read through the manual I have 2 questions.

 

I have 3 IDE drives [1xHDD, 1xCD, & 1xCDRW] & I would like to put them all on seperate channels. As the manual says that the only type of drives you should run from the HPT 370 RAID controller are HDDs, & not CDs, etc, this means my HDD is going to have to go on the RAID controller. I've heard that if you actually want to install-on/boot-from a RAID array that you have to have a driver [floppy] disk handy for when it asks during XP's install, but do you still need to do this if you only intend to run the drive like a normal single ATA/100 drive?

 

My other question is what needs to be done to tell the motherboard/BIOS to boot from an HDD on the RAID controller? I know in the manual it says to set the boot device to ATA100RAID - that much I understand....but you see something else has me concerned. I've heard that when you create a RAID array that you lose all data on the drive. Obviously I do not want this to happen, as I only intend to reformat the 1st partition [the 1 that XP is currently installed on & that I intend to reinstall it to]. From looking @ the RAID section of the manual it would seem as if it would be ok to just select the boot disk & set the mode [uDMA, etc] & leave the options for creating RAID & mirrors alone. Am I right in this, & will it leave my data intact?

 

Thanks in advance.

 

PS - anyone know what the CFM rating is of the fan that AMD ship out with the retail version of the XP 1900? It's the same colour blue as those plasters/band-aids that get used in kitchens [so they can be easily spotted in the food], is 60mm square & about 10mm thick, & has the number 41512462 underneath the barcode. It's possible that it might say in 1 of the leaflets that comes with it, but I haven't opened the package yet - want to leave doing that til the last minute. Only asking cos whilst the heat sink looks to be not too bad, the fan looks a bit wimpy.

[Dirty Harry 0]

I'm on a KG7-raid board without running any raid. For all practical purposes the HPT controller is just another IDE channel. Don't worry about the raid you don't have.

 

Easiest way to install is to install the OS with the HD connected to the IDE channel, then load the VIA 4in1 drivers, then switch the cable to the HPT plug. You can also load the driver during startup, but it seems to cause trouble sometimes.

 

After you've switched the cable from IDE1 to HPT 1 you switch the boot sequense in bios to ULTRAATA100 or whatever they call it there.

 

Note, to get full speed out of your HPT /ATA-100 drive you also need to install the HPT driver. The version should correspond to the HPT-bios. Whenever you updtae the system bios, first update the HPT driver.

 

H.

[Alien 1]

Thanks! That saves me having to trawl through newsgroups for the answer.

 

BTW - I forget which v. of the Athlon you have, but did you [or anyone else] get the retail/boxed version of the Athlon XP? & if so, am I the only 1 that would like to see whoever designed the plastic box/package it came in hung, drawn & quartered? Grrrr!!!

[Dirty Harry 0]

No, I buy bulk The stepping was important to me.

What was wrong with the plastic box ?

 

H.

[Alien 1]

Well, from what I've seen plastic packaging of this kind can normally be divided into 3 types:

 

1. The heat-sealed variety [like batteries come in].

2. The type that's all 1 piece of plastic that's folded @ 1 end & sealed @ the other [& sometimes the sides as well] by either staples or the plastic has been shaped so that it locks together.

3. Like no. 2, except it's actually 2 seperate pieces of plastic that either lock together or are stapled.

 

Personally I think no. 2 would have been most appropriate for the Athlon XP, closely followed by no. 3. So you're thinking that they went for no.1, right? Wrong - worse than that! They went for 2 seperate pieces that were glued together in places, but as it wasn't glued together all the way round & the glue wasn't visible I just stick my thumbnail inbetween the 2 layes of plastic & tried to pull it open, to no avail. @ 1st I thought it was just a tight fit & got a flat blade screwdriver to try & lever it apart, & work my way around the outside of the packaging - still no joy. In the end I had to cut the stupid thing open. Even the heat-sealed variety would have been better - @ least that way I would have been able to see straight away that it would need cutting open, but I still think no. 2 or no. 3 would have made much better choices.