KT600-A - IDE RAID or just SATA RAID?

[Guest]

Archived from groups: alt.comp.periphs.mainboard.elitegroup (More info?)

Was looking at the Fry's special (ECS KT600-A & AMD 2600+ for $80),
and was wondering if the motherboard supported IDE RAID, or only SATA
RAID. The web site is very ambiguous, and looking at the manual & box
didn't really clear anything up (neither mentions RAID at all) Their
web site says:

Storage

* Support by VIA VT8237
o 4 x Ultra DMA133/100/66 devices
o 2 x Serial ATA devices
* RAID0 & RAID1 configuration


Looking for articles on the VT8237, I find the following ambiguous
quotes:
"brings native support for Serial ATA and Serial RAID to the
Mainstream PC" although an article on viaarena gives specs for IDE
RAID for the VT8237, but mentions that it's software raid (in which
case, what does the VT8237 do?).


I've emailed ECS asking, but haven't heard back. I even called their
tech support number in the US, but didn't get a good answer.

The reason I'm being finicky about this is that I'm currently running
RAID 1 (IWILL KK266+R, which has a hardware raid controller) and don't
want to have to buy two SATA drives to keep that ability. After
losing a drive, I decided not to ever have that worry again.


So, does anyone know? Thanks.

 

[Guest]

Archived from groups: alt.comp.periphs.mainboard.elitegroup (More info?)

michael_bourgon@yahoo.com (Michael Bourgon) wrote in message news:<3c093c17.0406290454.7ac22d81@posting.google.com>...
> Was looking at the Fry's special (ECS KT600-A & AMD 2600+ for $80),
> and was wondering if the motherboard supported IDE RAID, or only SATA
> RAID. The web site is very ambiguous, and looking at the manual & box
> didn't really clear anything up (neither mentions RAID at all) Their
> web site says:
>
> Storage
>
> * Support by VIA VT8237
> o 4 x Ultra DMA133/100/66 devices
> o 2 x Serial ATA devices
> * RAID0 & RAID1 configuration
>

Answering my own question, I think. I finally got a response from ECS
via email, but it said that the SATA RAID didn't work, it just used
the same driver. (At least, that's what I got out of it).

So I installed the board. And yes, there is a RAID controller
mentioned during startup. But it appears to be only SATA. When you
install the software, it says I have no drives available for RAID,
even with 2 IDE hard drives installed.

A definite bummer. Tonight I get my old board working. It's slower,
but it has actual RAID. F- for their tech support/web site. For
grins, try calling their sales department. You can't... a voice says
that it couldn't understand what you typed.

Though, I suppose, it's what I get for trying to be cheap.

 

[Guest]

Archived from groups: alt.comp.periphs.mainboard.elitegroup (More info?)

Run the OS off the ide and run the real business off SATA raid.

It works great.

Its like putting a blower on an old 350 or a blower on a new 454.

Hope this helps.
The Tech Support Guy

www.ComputerRelative.com






"Michael Bourgon" <michael_bourgon@yahoo.com> wrote in message
news:3c093c17.0406290454.7ac22d81@posting.google.com...
> Was looking at the Fry's special (ECS KT600-A & AMD 2600+ for $80),
> and was wondering if the motherboard supported IDE RAID, or only SATA
> RAID. The web site is very ambiguous, and looking at the manual & box
> didn't really clear anything up (neither mentions RAID at all) Their
> web site says:
>
> Storage
>
> * Support by VIA VT8237
> o 4 x Ultra DMA133/100/66 devices
> o 2 x Serial ATA devices
> * RAID0 & RAID1 configuration
>
>
> Looking for articles on the VT8237, I find the following ambiguous
> quotes:
> "brings native support for Serial ATA and Serial RAID to the
> Mainstream PC" although an article on viaarena gives specs for IDE
> RAID for the VT8237, but mentions that it's software raid (in which
> case, what does the VT8237 do?).
>
>
> I've emailed ECS asking, but haven't heard back. I even called their
> tech support number in the US, but didn't get a good answer.
>
> The reason I'm being finicky about this is that I'm currently running
> RAID 1 (IWILL KK266+R, which has a hardware raid controller) and don't
> want to have to buy two SATA drives to keep that ability. After
> losing a drive, I decided not to ever have that worry again.
>
>
> So, does anyone know? Thanks.

 

[Guest]

Archived from groups: alt.comp.periphs.mainboard.elitegroup (More info?)

"Tech Support Guy" <helpedyou@ComputerRelative.com> wrote in message news:<40f5855c$1@usenet01.boi.hp.com>...
> Run the OS off the ide and run the real business off SATA raid.

I'd love to, but $$$ prevents me from buying two additional hard
drives. Hell, I had to convince the wife I needed RAM for the thing,
much less two drives.