Intel RST 9.6.0.1014, Windows 7 Pro 64-bit; Constantly Rebuilds

[KHolz]

I have a really serious problem. A system report from RST on the problem system is included at the end of this post.

I have been trying to get this RAID(5) stabilised for weeks now. All the disks are identical, all the cables to the disks have been replaced. The power supply has been tested repeatedly (a 750W Amacrox in a line-conditioned, UPS supported environment). All the specs of the RAID are posted below. I'm going out of my mind trying to figure out what's going on. The latest stable BIOS has been applied to the motherboard. The drives have all been tested individually with absolutely no faults. There is not yet any unique or critical data on these drives as they won't stabilise long enough to me to trust them. The drives have their latest and correct firmware.

I've tried using two of the drives in a RAID1 (mirror) and the same thing happens. The RAID has to rebuild (taking 40+ hours) after the drives have idled.

The only thing I can figure out is that, although all the sleep and 'power-saving' options of the motherboard and operating system that can be disabled have been disabled, the RAID always degrades and starts rebuilding when the drives spin up after the computer has been idle.

Do I need to disable the idle spin-down of the drives (is that even wise)? How is that done?

Why can't RST tell when drives are spinning up?

Can I tell RST to wait longer for spin-up before degrading the RAID?

Please can someone with more RAID experience than myself (in Windows) look at the specs below and tell me what I can do to stabilise this set-up? (I have extensive experience with Apple, UNIX and Linux LVM and MD based RAID setup and configuration. But this system is for a customer using Adobe CS5 which needs to run on Windows). The lack of verbose diagnostic information is killing me.

I appreciate any suggestions,

Kirk R Holz

-------------------------------> System Report Posted Below Here

System Report

System Information 

OS name: Microsoft Windows 7 Professional OS version: 6.1.7600 7600System name: WORKSTATION-PCSystem manufacturer: Gigabyte Technology Co., Ltd.System model: P55-UD3RProcessor: GenuineIntel Intel64 Family 6 Model 30 Stepping 5 2.927 GHzBIOS: Award Modular BIOS v6.00PG, GBT - 42302e31

Intel® Rapid Storage Technology 

Kit installed: 9.6.0.1014User interface version: 9.6.0.1014Language: English (United States)Intel RAID controller: Intel(R) ICH8R/ICH9R/ICH10R/DO/5 Series/3400 Series SATA RAID ControllerNumber of SATA ports: 6RAID option ROM version: 9.5.0.1037Driver version: 9.6.0.1014ISDI version: 9.6.0.1014

Device Information 

Name: Array_0000Size: 5,723 GBAvailable space: 0 GBDisk data cache: EnabledNumber of volumes: 1Volume member: Cherish_1Number of disks: 3Array disk: 9XW04ZY0Array disk: 9XW06E5WArray disk: 9XW0DC5F

Name: Cherish_1 

Status: Rebuilding 3% completeType: RAID 5Size: 3,815 GBData strip size: 128 KBWrite-back cache: EnabledSystem volume: NoInitialized: Yes Verification errors found: 0Blocks with media errors: 0Physical sector size: 512 BytesLogical sector size: 512 BytesParent array: Array_0000Number of disks: 3Array disk: 9XW04ZY0Array disk: 9XW06E5WArray disk: 9XW0DC5F

Disk on port 0 

Port location: InternalStatus: NormalUsage: Array diskSize: 1,908 GBSerial number: 9XW04ZY0Model: ST32000542ASFirmware: CC35System disk: NoPassword protected: NoDisk data cache: EnabledNative command queuing: Yes SATA transfer mode: Generation 2Physical sector size: 512 BytesLogical sector size: 512 Bytes

Disk on port 1 

Port location: InternalStatus: NormalUsage: Array diskSize: 1,908 GBSerial number: 9XW06E5WModel: ST32000542ASFirmware: CC35System disk: NoPassword protected: NoDisk data cache: EnabledNative command queuing: Yes SATA transfer mode: Generation 2Physical sector size: 512 BytesLogical sector size: 512 Bytes

Disk on port 2 

Port location: InternalStatus: NormalUsage: Array diskSize: 1,908 GBSerial number: 9XW0DC5FModel: ST32000542ASFirmware: CC34System disk: NoPassword protected: NoDisk data cache: EnabledNative command queuing: Yes SATA transfer mode: Generation 2Physical sector size: 512 BytesLogical sector size: 512 Bytes

Disk on port 4 

Port location: InternalStatus: NormalUsage: UnknownSize: 0 GBSerial number: K1Q98734839Model: HL-DT-ST DVDRAM GH22NS50Firmware: TN02System disk: NoPassword protected: NoDisk data cache: DisabledNative command queuing: NoSATA trans...

[idata]

The only thing I can figure out is that, although all the sleep and 'power-saving' options of the motherboard and operating system that can be disabled have been disabled, the RAID always degrades and starts rebuilding when the drives spin up after the computer has been idle.

Do I need to disable the idle spin-down of the drives (is that even wise)? How is that done?

It would be better for RAID never to spin down the drives as constantly stopping & starting the disk is a ware on the motor.

It would be interesting to see if this is the same problem as some others are having as I don't have any problems with RST 9.6 without my HDD's spinning down.

Its a setting in Windows that you need to change to stop that.

Start > Control Panel > change "view by" to Large icons (you see why) > Power Options > Create power plan > have it to balanced and name it > next then create > with your name of this plan selected click change plan settings > change advanced power settings > + hard disk > + turn off hard disk after > change the minutes all the way down till it say never then apply ok.

[KHolz]

I have disabled spin-down on the hard drives as you suggested, and now we'll know in about two hours if this is the remedy.

I'd suggest to INTEL that this setting be predicated by RST if it's necessary for stable RAID operation.

The funny thing is, this montherboard also has a Gigabyte RAID, (dual raid MB), and that one has never degraded and rebuilt as the RST has done constantly.

I will post back when I know whether this has fixed the problem. I've seen some other posts about this problem (seeming with this particular drive model), which is meant to aggressively save power (green). I'll also amend those posts to show this solution.

The reason I considered spin-down is that most UNIX and LINUX raid options automatically disable spin-down, which some technicians berate for power consumption reasons. But, this RAID is for stability and performance -- power consumption must come later.

Message was edited by: Kirk Richard Holz

[idata]

Had similar problems with a RAID 10 in a Gigabyte GA-EX58 UD5 and resolved it by updating the driver to the 9.6.0.1014. But it didn't help with a RAID 5 in my ASUS P5E VM HDMI which used the ICH9R controller. Today I successfully attemted the updating of the "option ROM" within the BIOS. So far it works but I'll report back if things go bad.

Your option ROM version seems recent. The option ROM version in my ASUS was 7.5.0.1017. Now it's 9.6.0.1014.

[KHolz]

This has only been partially solved. Windows 7 PRO 64-bit is sleeping the drives. RAID drives shouldn't sleep. I have told the Power Options control panel not to sleep the drives, but every time the computer is restarted, the power options are set back to the default of sleeping after 90 minutes. (I've tried invoking the control panel as administrator and it still does it.) It really appears to be a bug in Windows 7, however, RST shouldn't let the RAID drives sleep AND should be able to recognise that the drives are asleep as opposed to failed.

[idata]

I have told the Power Options control panel not to sleep the drives, but every time the computer is restarted, the power options are set back to the default of sleeping after 90 minutes. (I've tried invoking the control panel as administrator and it still does it.)

That shouldn't happen if you set it then it should stay set even after a restart I too use win 7 64 bit and it does not do that you might have too reinstall windows because of that as if thats broken who known what else is not being set correctly.

Another thing I can think of is power saving tools like Dynamic Energy Saver by Gigabyte thats can mess about with the power and stuff so don't use it uninstall it.

[KHolz]

Removing the dynamic power management software from Gigabyte solved the problem (in addition to disabling spin-down of drives in the advanced power options in Windows 7).

Cheers,

Kirk

[idata]

I was in the same situation. 2 TB "Green Drives", Intel RST, Gigabyte motherboard.

I lost lots of time (months) with TLER, drivers, firmware...

I was getting constant rebuilds on the Intel side (not on the Gigabyte...), but only on Windows 7 (the other alternate boot OSs, WIndows XP and Windows 2008, don't suffer this problem.

I was using Seagate disks with firmware CC34, and Intel RST 9.x.

Now they are upgraded to CC35, Intel RST 10.1.0.1008. WIndows 7 Power Settings, Advanced, disk never sleeps, and it seems to work perfectly (at least RAID 1 tested)

I'm writing this for two reasons :

1- Maybe someone with the same problem finds it (http://www.bing.com www.bing.com) - Keywords : SEAGATE, CC34, CC35, REBUILD, RST, GIGABYTE, RAID1

2. Maybe the people who write drivers at Intel will write a newer version which can detect and/or correct this issue AT THE DRIVER LEVEL...

[idata]

In my case, latest version works like a charm !!!!

(10.5.0.1015)

[idata]

Intel RST 10.6.0.1002 / Gigabyte GA-P55-USB3 / pair of WD Green 1TB drives in RAID1 / Windows 7 64-bit

Thank you all for this tread. Two weeks I've spent trying to solve this!

The problem was presenting itself on my system as random hangs or freezes - sometimes under load, sometimes idle at the desktop.

I did a clean reinstall - part of that for me is disabling Hybrid Sleep mode. I manged to get things stable and was reinstalling USB devices an applications one at a time and testing.

After installing the UPS an setting the RAID1 array to Enable Write-back cache the hangs came back (I know, two changes at once but I never suspected RST to be a possible cause.) I wanted to reset the write-back cache but I could not (the array was initializing) so I unplugged the UPS and unistalled its software. (Eaton Powerware 5110) but the hangs continues. Uinstalled every Gigabyte MB utility... still it locked up.

Found this thread - I was sure the disk sleep was set to 'never' so I figured I should confirm - the initalization takes hours anyway. I was first surprised to see that the Screen Off timer was set to 3 minutes - I had specificaly set that to 15 when I had turned off Hybrid Sleep. Checked disk sleep and sure enough - 3 minutes! Set it to never and the system stablised. No hangs. Rebuild completed. Nice stable PC again.

THANK YOU for this thread. I'm posting to get more 'keywords' for google and bing to pick up. I have no idea how the sleep timers were changed (probably eithera gigabyte utility or the UPS software)

Agreed with earlier post that Intel RAID should be 'aware' of the disk spin down parameter in the OS and be able to wake them up.

-Rob Barker

[JBaum1]

I just found this thread, now almost 3 years old since the last post, but it seems relevant.

I am trying to sort out which version of IRST to use with my Gigabyte GA-EP35-DS3P (P35 chipset, ICH9R controller) as I attempt a clean install Windows 7 x64 on a new pair of Crucial M550 128Gb SSDs. I found this document and hope others can criticize it or decide if it is helpful:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Intel_Matrix_RAID http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Intel_Matrix_RAID

In the middle of the article one encounter this:

Matrix Storage Manager option ROM

Intel's Matrix Storage Manager http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Option_ROM option ROM is a part of Matrix RAID that has to be used in the http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/BIOS BIOS to create new RAID arrays.http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Intel_Matrix_RAID# cite_note-11 [11] Intel uses "Rapid Storage Technology" -"Option Rom"- on its newest chipsets, dropping the Matrix name.http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Intel_Matrix_RAID# cite_note-12 [12]http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Intel_Matrix_RAID# cite_note-13 [13] Intel's support NOTE states (Intel Rapid Storage Technology (formerly Intel Matrix RAID) showing how the Matrix storage changed to RST (Rapid Storage Technology).http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Intel_Matrix_RAID# cite_note-14 [14]

There are several versions available:

It is followed by a table in which I discover that:

8.9.0 was released in 2009. A search on the Intel website directed me to 8.9.0.1023 as the proper driver download for my system.

9.6.0.1014 was released in 2010. It was installed by GamePC in May 2010 when they serviced my system.

10.8.0 was released in November 2011. The table says it is the last version to support ICH9R. A search turns up version 10.8.0.1003.

Should I be trying to use 10.8.0.1003? I am not trying to use huge disks, 500 Gb for data and 128 Gb for OS/Programs.

thanks for any insights

baumgrenze

[JBaum1]

This is a 'note of closure' on my part.

I have decided to forgo the use of IRST on my newly installed Windows 7 system.

thanks

baumgrenze