Promise FastTrak TX-2000 RAID Problem 1

[coastranger]

I have a Promise FastTrak TX-2000 RAID controller that I'm trying to install. Twice now it has crapped out my boot drive. I followed the instructions carefully both times.

I'm running an Asus P4P800-MX with two Maxtor 6Y120PO drives. The OS is Windows 2000 Pro Server.

Each time the problem occurred immediately after the mirror was created. I used the most current drivers from Promise and updated the bios on the card as well.

Thanks in advance,

CR

 

[ski]

If one of the HD's is already bootable, then were the Promise card drivers installed with the boot HD still connected to the MB's IDE controller, and did you use the manual's instructions in the section for 'Creating A Security Array With An Existing Data Drive'?

Are both HD's jumpered as Master?

Are you using 80 wire cables?

Is the 'First boot device' setting in BIOS configured for SCSI?

 

[ski]

Also, are there any problems listed for the card in Device Manager after its drivers are installed?

Is the card fully seated?

Did you try a different PCI slot?

What exactly happens with the boot drive?

 

[coastranger]

Hey Ski,

Thanks for the reply.

The drivers for the TX-2000 were installed to Windows before the primary drive was connected to the card and booted for the first time.

The system booted from the primary drive when it was set up as a stripe without the second drive in place.

I used new IBM certified signal cables that should be good for ATA-133.

I tried once with the drives set as master and once as the drives set for cable select.

I did not change the PCI slot. I used the first slot because in the past it was the one that was most likely a bus master slot. I don't know that to be the case with this system board.

I don't know about the 'Creating A Security Array With An Existing Data Drive'. I'll look it up though.

There aren't any yellow or red spots in the Device Manager. In the BIOS, the first boot device is the floppy then the SCSI.

The image is created from the Promise bios utility after the mirror (array) is created. After about 75 minutes, the utility reports that the procedure completed successfully. On the reboot, the computer responds with a message similar to "Invalid boot device". I still get the message if I remove the raid card and connect directly to the IDE controller on the motherboard.

I don't know if there's an issue with Maxtor drives. I have an image of the system and may try it with a pair of Seagates. The time spent has already been written off to research. I would have gladly purchased another controller for 60.00 to get the system off the bench. I guess now I'm trying to resolve a lack of confidence in Promise brand products.

Thanks again,

CR

 

[ski]

'Creating A Security Array With An Existing Data Drive' is the section in the Promise instructions that relates to preparing a bootable HD for a RAID 1(mirror) array.

I mentioned it because you stated that "the problem occurred immediately after the mirror was created.

 

[bcastner]

If an Intel chipset based motherboard, you might try using their newer driverset, which includes updates for the Promise RAID controller.

 

[coastranger]

Thanks for the tip bcastner. That's "promising" enough to try again.

CR

 

[coastranger]

Success. I created the array in the bios, but didn't build it there (contrary to the directions). I loaded the Promise PAM utility. When I opened the utility, I saw that the array (mirror) was being created. Afterwards, the computer booted with no error messages.

I don't know if I HAD to blow the system one time to set the array in the TX-2000 bios or on the hard drive. Remember, this was the third time I went through this.

I hope this helps someone else, CR