Silent Gaming Challange!

[mad-dog]

The nice thing about RAID5 is the performance increases that are the result of adding more drives; downside of RAID5 is the neccessity for a external RAID controller since on-board controllers have no dedicated CPU for the parity calculations, but if your willing to throw the calc at the Q6600 then stick with the on-board......but you'll be sorry eventually.
RAID5 only requires a 3-drive minimum whereas RAID10 requires at least 4, the storage efficiency of RAID 10 is 50% whereas a RAID5 array using 4- 250GB HDD's would have 750GB of storage space, the same setup with RAID10 yields 500GB strorage.
They both have their pros and cons.......RAID10 for it's simplicity and ability to use on-board controllers.........RAID5 for it's all-around performance.
They both offer speed, security and the ability to survive after a drive failure, you've gotta figure out which one, if any is right for your needs.
Me, i prefer good-ole, country-fried RAID1, yeah so RAID0 is faster, my dogs bigger than your dog too, speed vs security, simplicity vs efficiency.
These are the questions that you must ponder while you stare blindingly at the birdsnest of tangled wires and cables that we call PC's......George

 

[authoratah]

I think I'll go with RAID 10 then. All drives are spinpoint 500gb units so it'll be my own fault if I actually fill 931gb.


The weirdest thing just happened btw: I decided that the only way to fix this failed RAID would be to reset the array. So I went into the bios, hit ctrl+I, erased the array and set it up again, same name, same size, same setup. Then, predictably, my computer asks for boot media. I put the vista install disc in, ran a few diagnostics, put my backup disc in etc.

Then the thing just restarted itself.

And now I'm back where I was, only without a RAID error. My desktop is still a big green and blue sea turtle (mild irony there seeing as my system is anything but slow) ... even the sliding puzzle I was playing with when my computer bluescreened itself into oblivion is left back in tact. Total Marie Celeste.

I'll not cancel that hard drive order since having a saftey net sounds extremely sensible.


One of those days I guess.

Thanks for the numbers Mad-dog. But I'm afraid I don't have a dog

 

[Phoenix_Fury]

Cut a hole in the wall, put your computer in the room next door, then run the cables to your desk.
Huzzah! Silent gaming for the cost of some extension cables, if that.
That's what I did.

 

[mad-dog]

Cut a hole in the wall, put your computer in the room next door, then run the cables to your desk.
Huzzah! Silent gaming for the cost of some extension cables, if that.
That's what I did.

Damn, I'm still laughing........
That is is a really Xtream mod, let's just think of our towers as powerful servers located discreetly in our R&D lab.
THG would get a kick outta that:
http://www.tomshardware.com/forum/237619-31-have-extreme-hardware

 

[authoratah]

Awww man, why didn't I think of that? I should have built the thing into the floor! The I could cover it with carpet and noise dampner.


Raid array failed again btw. It might be a loose connection. How do I test for a dud drive? It makes a clicking noise sometimes...

 

[mad-dog]

Raid array failed again btw. It might be a loose connection. How do I test for a dud drive? It makes a clicking noise sometimes...

"sometimes".........//............lmao
I would roll on the floor while laughing my arse off but I'm a disabled vet;
it's really hard to get back in my wheelchair from the floor so i try to avoid it....
We can eliminate the RAID controller since it's only 1 HDD, simon says replace the drive.

 

[mad-dog]

Awww man, why didn't I think of that? I should have built the thing into the floor! The I could cover it with carpet and noise dampner.

Nah, just a layer of padding to isolate system noise and the bodies buried beneath me...jus kiddin...seriously...u gotta believe me...but judge, i was framed.

 

[KyleSTL]

The click of death. I know that one all too well. My dad knows it even better.

 

[authoratah]

I have a quare problem now as it would be called locally.


T7700 speakers, DS3R motherboard, only 6/7 of the speakers are sounding

The only one that won't make noise is the middle right one. Speaker and wire are both ok, since I swapped both out, so I'm thinking it's a channel issue.


Motherboard manual link: http://europe.giga-byte.com/FileList/Manual/motherboard_manual_ga-p35c-ds3r_e.pdf

Couldn't find a link for the speakers manual, but they worked fine under XP (of course they worked fine under XP, after 6 years, everything worked fine under XP )

The click of death? You mean the grim reaper of hard drives is approaching? Do I RMA this one? Only a month since I got it...

Firmware betwixt me as a passing thought, but luckily for my computer the instructions were in Samsungenese so I couldn't read them.


Here's a report I made from the intel matrix software

System Information

Kit Installed: 7.5.0.1017
Kit Install History: 7.5.0.1017
Shell Version: 7.5.0.1017

OS Name: Microsoft® Windows Vista%u2122 Business
OS Version: 6.0.6000 Build 6000
System Name: ISIDORE
System Manufacturer: Gigabyte Technology Co., Ltd.
System Model: P35-DS3R
Processor: Intel(R) Core(TM)2 Quad CPU Q6600 @ 2.40GHz
BIOS Version/Date: Award Software International, Inc. F6, 09/07/2007

Language: ENU



Intel(R) RAID Technology

Intel RAID Controller: Intel(R) ICH8R/ICH9R SATA RAID Controller
Number of Serial ATA ports: 6

RAID Option ROM Version: 7.5.0.1017
Driver Version: 7.5.0.1017
RAID Plug-In Version: 7.5.0.1017
Language Resource Version of the RAID Plug-In: 7.5.0.1017
Create Volume Wizard Version: 7.5.0.1017
Language Resource Version of the Create Volume Wizard: 7.5.0.1017
Create Volume from Existing Hard Drive Wizard Version: 7.5.0.1017
Language Resource Version of the Create Volume from Existing Hard Drive Wizard: 7.5.0.1017
Modify Volume Wizard Version: 7.5.0.1017
Language Resource Version of the Modify Volume Wizard: 7.5.0.1017
Delete Volume Wizard Version: 7.5.0.1017
Language Resource Version of the Delete Volume Wizard: 7.5.0.1017
ISDI Library Version: 7.5.0.1017
Event Monitor User Notification Tool Version: 7.5.0.1017
Language Resource Version of the Event Monitor User Notification Tool: 7.5.0.1017
Event Monitor Version: 7.5.0.1017

Array_0000
Status: No active migration(s)
Hard Drive Write Cache Enabled: Yes
Size: 931.5 GB
Free Space: 0 GB
Number of Hard Drives: 2
Hard Drive Member 1: SAMSUNG HD501LJ
Hard Drive Member 2: SAMSUNG HD501LJ
Number of Volumes: 1
Volume Member 1: HD1

HD1
Status: Normal
System Volume: Yes
Volume Write-Back Cache Enabled: No
RAID Level: RAID 0 (striping)
Strip Size: 128 KB
Size: 931.5 GB
Physical Sector Size: 512 Bytes
Logical Sector Size: 512 Bytes
Number of Hard Drives: 2
Hard Drive Member 1: SAMSUNG HD501LJ
Hard Drive Member 2: SAMSUNG HD501LJ
Parent Array: Array_0000

Hard Drive 0
Usage: Array member
Status: Error occurred
Device Port: 0
Device Port Location: Internal
Current Serial ATA Transfer Mode: Generation 2
Model: SAMSUNG HD501LJ
Serial Number: S0MUJ13P791483
Firmware: CR100-10
Native Command Queuing Support: Yes
Hard Drive Write Cache Enabled: Yes
Size: 465.7 GB
Physical Sector Size: 512 Bytes
Logical Sector Size: 512 Bytes
Number of Volumes: 1
Volume Member 1: HD1
Parent Array: Array_0000

Hard Drive 1
Usage: Array member
Status: Normal
Device Port: 1
Device Port Location: Internal
Current Serial ATA Transfer Mode: Generation 2
Model: SAMSUNG HD501LJ
Serial Number: S0MUJ1KP715495
Firmware: CR100-10
Native Command Queuing Support: Yes
Hard Drive Write Cache Enabled: Yes
Size: 465.7 GB
Physical Sector Size: 512 Bytes
Logical Sector Size: 512 Bytes
Number of Volumes: 1
Volume Member 1: HD1
Parent Array: Array_0000

Unused Port 0
Device Port: 4
Device Port Location: Internal

Unused Port 1
Device Port: 5
Device Port Location: Internal

CD/DVD Drive 0
Device Port: 2
Device Port Location: Internal
Current Serial ATA Transfer Mode: Generation 1
Model: TSSTcorpDVD-ROM SH-D163B
Serial Number: Data not reported
Firmware: SB00

CD/DVD Drive 1
Device Port: 3
Device Port Location: Internal
Current Serial ATA Transfer Mode: Generation 1
Model: TSSTcorp CDDVDW SH-S203B
Serial Number: Data not reported
Firmware: SB01

 

[mad-dog]

@ Julia1981:

From what I understand, the 8800gts you mention can't be passively cooled.

http://www.thermalright.com/default.htm
product menu/ vga coolers/ HR-03+/
passive cooler for 8800GTS/GTX

I use this cooler on my 8800GTS with a 92mm fan, it works as advertised.
supplied thermaltape is useless for securing heatsinks to the mosfets; i couldn't stomach the thought of small chunks of conductive aluminum falling off my vga card during chrysis game play.
Thermal-adhesive (2-part mixture) is advised; or aftermarket thermal-tape

 

[authoratah]

Click of death? Nooo!!

 

[Gundam1s]

I don't know if anyone has posted this yet but
http://www.inventgeek.com/Projects/IonCooler/Overview.aspx
it uses a negative ion generator to pull air through it.
0DB

 

[authoratah]

Nice. Shame I can't get that kind of stuff here in Ireland.

That and my lack of work ethic...

 

[authoratah]

Just ran 3DMark 06. I got 10099

Yay! I don't know if that's good but it's 5 figures and with 1 more point, it'll be 20 in binary.

 

[mad-dog]

Just ran 3DMark 06. I got 10099

Yay! I don't know if that's good but it's 5 figures and with 1 more point, it'll be 20 in binary.

top-shelf, I'm still stuck in the low 9,000's until i get this system sorted out.

 

[authoratah]

Oh good. I fixed the RAID again. This is just plain weird.

You know the way you can sometimes jundy a hard drive back into working order by swapping the ends of the SATA cable, or by cleaning off the odd bit of dust?

I did that, reset my RAID array like last time (which shouldn't work, but does because it appears vista is pretty resilient) and the error hasn't come back.

Now I have to put an RMA on hold.

Next question is whether or not my 620W PSU can handle another 2 hard drives, same as the ones I have now.

Raid 0 with 4 drives, dispite giving me over 1.8TB, is probably a bad idea. Probably.

You know saying that reminds me of Half Life? It's exactly what Dr. Kleiner said before he turned on his O/Ced Mass Spectrometer. Some things don't overclock...

 

[mad-dog]

Next question is whether or not my 620W PSU can handle another 2 hard drives, same as the ones I have now.
Raid 0 with 4 drives, dispite giving me over 1.8TB, is probably a bad idea. Probably.

Very bad idea indeed...
RAID0 is a bad idea with 2 or more drives IMHO; the more drives you add increases the risk of individual failure.
RAID0 as you know offers no security, when 1 drive fails all data is lost and must be rebuilt manually; all your bookmarks, e-mail, documents, videos, music, media....etc.
For the aforementioned reasons i feel RAID0 has no place in a data server.
There are other RAID configurations that offer complete redundancy, minimal degradation, security and speed w/o the risks.
Man i hate when i get off on a tangent like that but you keep bringing up RAID0.........
Your already stressing that Corsair 620 as it is; it has little if any headroom remaining and 2 more drives may push it over the cliff.

 

[authoratah]

Very bad idea indeed...
RAID0 is a bad idea with 2 or more drives IMHO; the more drives you add increases the risk of individual failure.
RAID0 as you know offers no security, when 1 drive fails all data is lost and must be rebuilt manually; all your bookmarks, e-mail, documents, videos, music, media....etc.
For the aforementioned reasons i feel RAID0 has no place in a data server.
There are other RAID configurations that offer complete redundancy, minimal degradation, security and speed w/o the risks.
Man i hate when i get off on a tangent like that but you keep bringing up RAID0.........
Your already stressing that Corsair 620 as it is; it has little if any headroom remaining and 2 more drives may push it over the cliff.

Wellll, I got a whole rail going spare so I should be ok.

Sorry I keep bringing up my RAID, but

when 1 drive fails all data is lost

hasn't happened to me. Twice.

Is there any reasonable speed difference between 0+1 and 1+0? A subtle difference, academic at best.

 

[authoratah]

New problem for you all today: download stalls. Specifically the Overlord 1.2 patch. Most times it gets to 92% and then just stops really. Seems to run out of puff. After a good while, I'm told a timeout has occured.

Now here's the queer part: All 6 computers in my lair are affected. 3 laptops (and 1 a Mac) and 3 desktops of varying age and browser.

I googled this earlier and got a very stodgy looking fix guide which uses hijackthis. It looked like the computing equivelent of disecting an elephants digestive tract.

So, downloads not quite downloading: what's the cause, or rather solution.




Hard drive still clicks at me sometimes ... oh! it's failed again! Just as I tried to write clicks! It sounded as though it farted at me earlier. Must remember not to run any hard drive intensive apps. Could it be a heat issue? it's 50C in there right now.

 

[kevin c]

i built my system a year ago an p 180 case and i chose an unusual psu the antec phantom 500 it barely fits in the bottom chamber the p180 case has a fan in the bottom.the fan on the power suppply has never come on add to that i have silent vidio cards the noise level is nil. in fact i cant tell if the computer is on unless i look at the power lite

 

[KyleSTL]

Authoratah, my father had two hard drives crash that were running (and clicking too) at 52°C. I would suggest backing everything up and sending it for an RMA. I would not trust any valuable information on it from the way you have described. It's slowly dying, the same thing that happened to my dad. I told him to replace it, and he didn't. Within a month the drive died and he had to start all over adding his very extensive music collection and all his other stuff. He also lost months of pictures (~1000). Please don't make the same mistake.

 

[authoratah]

Hi Kyle,

Will do. I have replacements ready to go. I even got a RAID card. Now I need to know how to move the array from the native controller to the new controller

The current setup is 2 drives in a Raid 0 array running from an onboard raid controller, which in turn is set up from the BIOS.

The new setup to come in is 3 drives in a Raid 3 config (lemme explain!) running from this XFX raid card I got in Peats. The sales guy said it's essentially the same as Raid 5, only without any performance drop should a drive fail.

I'll reconfig the machine so as I can back up then see if the auto resetter on the card foobars anything. No point jumping without a safety net!

I turned up the noctua fans a little, to about 800RPM and 900RPM. Case is now cooler, topping out at 50C-55C. I'm fairly sure the hard drives can operate in these conditions. As you know though, the P180 fan in the bottom chamber can experience difficulty moving air across the HDs especially if there are a lot of wires in the way.

How much heat is my GTS spewing into the case? It'd probably rise up into the noctua heatsink and leave through the top and back vents.

Got a quad silencer 750 from PC P&C there. The cabling is neater now and I don't have to worry about any power issues.

As for the RMA, will I be ok sending back a hard drive from a computer that has been used to enter passwords? It was part of a Raid 0 array (2 drives) and I'd kinda know how to retrieve the data myself given the scenario in a forensic context. Not easy of course, but short of a large hatchet coming out of the drive, data retrieval isn't impossible.

Any ideas as to why downloads stall?

 

[authoratah]

Ah dear. It broke on me again.

Actually, I was installing a RAID card there (3 port XFX REVO 64) and I must have done something because it wouldn't boot at all atall (ashurebegorrah!)

The guy in the shop sold me a €20 Raid card and I kinda didn't want it but how strong is the onboard RAID of the ICH9R chip setup? It's got the JMicron chip. PoS was spoken of it. The Raid card came with incomplete software, but I suppose you get what you pay for buying a card from a company that went bust.

So I reset the CMOS, got back in business.

Kyle, you're right. I'll have to RMA the drive.

Trouble is, windows backup won't work. I installed a blank hard drive to backup to but it aint dancing. So it's 3rd party software to the rescue.

My troubles:
Speakers aren't all working
RAID keeps breaking
--> Dodgy hard drive that's part of the main system partition needs to be RMA'd
Downloads stall on me (just steam.msi to be fair now)
My PSU only has 3 SATA power cables per run, so I'll need an extension cord or molex adaptor. Compatability rears its ugly head once more.
Windows backup won't work (backup error 0x80070002). Any suggestions on backup software?


I really shouldn't have bought that card, but considering the cost of some of the good ones like the ARC 1220, €20 was a bargain. The thing won't rebuild if the array fails though, it's just there to boost performance a bit. Rather telling that Netcell, who made the card, went bust.



It's getting to the stage where there's more fix than computer from the number of repairs I've made...

 

[KyleSTL]

That is the reason I will never (on my budget) go with a RAID setup. Risk is too high for the return IMHO. RAID is complicated, and with my budget (and most consumers too) I can't afford complicated. I use Norton Ghost for ghosting, but I do not have an automatic backup (my files don't have a high turnaround, and they're not added to in great amounts or very often). From what I've read (believe me I have no experience) the Intel 9R chip is pretty stable, it just simply doesn't have the features some of the server-class add-on cards do.

 

[authoratah]

It's getting worse.

I now have to reset the CMOS every time something is disconnected. It all began when I tried to install the eSATA bracket. Took me a whole 2 days to fix. The real mess is that the cmos jumper reset is under the graphics card, so it has to come out every time. And invariably, I forget to plug in the PCIe power connecter and it sets off the alarm when I go to turn it on.

Turns out the MBR was corrupted. I do believe this machine has broken in nearly every possible manner by now, and in every case, I have gotten it back to the Vista desktop.

Clicked again, twice, right there.

What I really need now is a repair strategy. I don't know if moving my hard drives to the RAID card I mentioned will be possible. Vista might not want to reinstall now that it's activated.

The reason I haven't been able to RMA is because my OS is on one of the broken hard drives.

What I could do, after backing up, is install the foruth hard drive, convert to RAID 5, RMA the broken drive and work with 3 drives for a while then get the replacement in. Only problem is I don't know if it'll rebuild. It's the most crucial step in the recovery process and also the one I know least about.

I daren't try to run windows backup either. Last time I did that, it click'o'deathed 4 times then told me that windows update is broken. This might indicate that other backup software will be just as unsuccessful. I might switch to RAID 5 with a 3 disc setup. At least then I'd have some error recovery though I can't know if the rebuild will work. It's uncharted territory and no map exists.

I have thought through a few scenarios, but they tend to involve a rebuild of RAID. I've only thought of 1 way that doesn't involve a rebuild.

1. Install 4th drive --> Set up a Raid 10 config --> Mirror the bad drive onto a good drive --> remove the bad drive, send it back to the manufacturer --> Twiddle thumbs until replaccement arrives --> install the replacement --> rebuild array
2. Convert existing 2 drive RAID 0 into a 3 drive RAID 5 (I installed a third hard drive to try and backup the array, but it didn't work out with windows' native backup tool, so I'll get Norton Ghost and try that) --> remove bad drive and replace with 4th (spare) drive --> rebuild array
3. Create system backup --> Move drives onto RAID card --> setup RAID 5 array using the card and the remaining 3 good drives --> Reformat, restore system from backup --> Keep the replacement as a spare.

Variations of this theme are most welcome.