Re: new dell, dumb operator needs help!
- From: "Christopher Muto" <muto@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
- Date: Fri, 3 Oct 2008 17:57:31 -0400
i think the answer is this... when selecting the components for your system
on the dell configuration page you did not configure your system with disks
to be preconfigured as raid 1 (mirrored disk) you configured it to have two
hard disks that are not in a raid configuration. for optiplex machines that
offer raid configurations, you will find the available raid configuration
listed under 'hard disk'. for example under the 'hard disk' section you
might find something like '80gb raid 1 (2x80gb)'. i suspect that you
selected just a plain 80gb under the 'hard disk' section and another 80gb
under the '2nd hard disk' section. if a primary and secondary hard disk is
selected then the configuration page will produce error messages if you try
to select one of the optional partition choices. partitions have nothing to
do with raid, but have to have to do with how a voulme (raid or not) is
divided up in to different sized partitions. i suppose they didn't consider
the dilemma of having only a single section about partition sizes if the
user happens to select two drives (hard drive plus 2nd hard drive, as
opposed to raid), and hence the error messages. but that all said, you can
still make the system utilize the built in raid functionality as suggested
above.
"Christopher Muto" <muto@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote in message
news:7ZmdnTHvFeLbynvVnZ2dnUVZ_v_inZ2d@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
since your ordered your system with two 80gb drives, and you see two 80gb
drives in 'my computer' then it is pretty clear that you do not have raid
configured on your system. the setting in the bios is an autodetect
setting that may or may not will operate in raid mode. with this bios
setting the drives will only operate in a raid configuration if they have
signatures on them. i am guessing that they do no have the signatures and
so default to operating as two unrelated, non-raid, type drives. i think
that what you need to do is look for an application on your system called
the 'intel matrix storage manager' which allows you to configure the
behaviour of your drives, or more specifically allows you to mark each
drives roll, part of a raid configuration or a hot spare, etc. take a
look...
"Larry" <larry@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote in message
news:fabae4d0oa980ip9tc7r4474q4dul2pvms@xxxxxxxxxx
Optiplex 330
2 80 Gb Hard Drives
Windows XP Pro Installed, disks for both XP and Vista included ($90
extra)
I Purchased this system a few days ago.
My concern is the two hard drives, on the purchase screen, there was
an option to format a 20 Gb, 40Gb, or Raid partition. I selected 20 gb
partition, it was rejected, same with 40 gb. I couldn't figure out
why, so I didn't select the partition option.
The system was delivered with the 2 drives C: and D: and a dell
utility drive. The operation system and a few other things
(surprisingly little junk) on the C: drive, nothing on D:. I have
Partition Magic and plan to partition both drives to suit my work
habits, but am afraid to go ahead, if Dell wouldn't partition the boot
drive, what chance do I have?
I went into the BIOS, this is what I found:
Both Sata Drives controlled by AHCI-BIOS
There are 3 selections for Sata operation, No. 1 is enabled.
1. Raid Autodetect/AHCI = Raid if signed drives otherwise ACHI
2. Raid Autodetect/ATA = Raid if signed drives otherwise ATA
3. Raid On = Sata is configured for Raid on every boot.
What is a SIGNED DRIVE?
I don't know anything about Raid or if Dell set it up for Raid.
I would be delighted if one of the pundits on this group would advise
if it is safe for me to go ahead and partition these drives as I like,
if I can't, what can I use D: for.
Thanks for any help,
Larry
.
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- Re: new dell, dumb operator needs help!
- From: Christopher Muto
- Re: new dell, dumb operator needs help!
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