I'm not interested in mirroring or striping, but I do want the DVD-ROM, burner and hard drive(s), each on their own channel.

My question is this:
Given that most mobos w/ Highpoint or Promise RAID controllers,
seem to recommend putting your boot drive on the primary IDE channel, can those RAID controllers just have the burner or DVD drive on it?

And contrary to what I've just written above:

In the case of a P4 Gigabyte 8IEXP, I'd like to put the HDD on the RAID controller, just so I could take advantage of the ATA133 capability,(realizing, of course, I prolly wouldn't see any real performance gain over the ATA100 capability of the Primary IDE).

Thanks for any input and enlightenment here. . .

- Bill

No sir! Those RAID controllers (most anyway) are meant for IDE devices only, the manual even specifies that you should not connect any ATAPI devices to the RAID ports. I would do the following:

RAID port 1: Primary/OS drive
RAID port 2: 2nd HD if you have one

IDE port 1: Burner
IDE port 2: DVD

Hope this helps!


Mike

Hi bill
There was a post awile back addressing such a set-up.
I beleive that you can do this.
The mobo BIOS should allow you to pick your first boot device, so I don't see why there would be a problem.

WB

I have my primary hdd on the alternate controller. (I have an abit be6-II with the ata66 hpt366 controller)

The only real catch is when you go to install Windows2000 or XP you'll probably need to hit F6 to install drivers for the controller. Even though the be6-II was a very popular Mobo the POS XP doesn't include drivers for that controller

If it throws a fit during install (not uncommon!) install the OS on the primary controller, then once the OS is up and running move it over to the ATA133 controller.

You shouldn't have any problem TMK having the other drives on their own controller, it should slow down to ata33 for them just fine.

OK I need glasses, what Martoch was saying about the set-up is what I thought you wanted to do.
Anyway, what Martoch said.

WB

Took the words right out of my mouth vass!


From my mobo manual:

Hey Bill, this is a nice site with pics for setting up Windows on a RAID controller:
http://www.kattanweb.com/computech/g...ndows_2000.asp

Thanks Mike, vass, and Woody:

I remember reading about installing the controller drivers during the XP install, and now that you mention it, I did read something about RAID not supporting CD-ROM drives.

I think I'm straight. Gotta return to finishing this 2.4GHz box, because my once proud PIII 500, is showing it's age and limitations.

Thanks for the link, Mike. So, according to what you've listed above, every drive would then be set as Master,( or, in some cases, the "Single" jumper setting), is that right?

Thanks again, guys. . .

- Bill

Hey Bill, not a problem buddy...

As far as what jumper setting you want to choose, if you have a single drive on an IDE cable, set the jumper to CS (Cable Select) and have the device on the end of the ribbon (Master position).

With two devices, of course you want the primary as Master and secondary as Slave.

Have fun with that 2.4GHz box, what a HUGE speed difference from that 500!

Mike:
I thought CS required a special cable??

Here's the rest of the system:

P4 2.4GHz / 533
Swiftech HSF w/ 80mm fan
Arctic Silver 3
512MB (may go to 1GB PC2100)
120GB WD Special Ed. HDD
44x Yamaha burner
Pioneer DVR-104 DVD burner
ATI Radeon 8500 128MB DDR
Santa Cruz sound card
400 watt Antec PSU
NIC
Pinnacle TV Tuner
17.4" clear Planar LCD(but I'll prolly stick w/ my 19" Mitsubishi Diamontron CRT 'til it dies.
Clear-view clear acrylic case ( hope I have no EMI probs )
4 UV sensitive 80mm case fans and UV sensitive rounded cables
2 Sidewinder UV CCFLs
Klipsch 4.1 Promedia speakers

Hopefully, this will keep me a happy camper for awhile.( I needed some inspiration to finish this thing - I've been working on other folks PCs, trying to make a few bucks!).

- Bill

Nah...


HOLY WOWZERS! Sweet system my friend!!!


Happy camper??? I'd say you're the Happy Forest Ranger!