Need KT&-RAID help setting up drives.

[Calistograph]

Must I connect both drives (IBM GXP deskstars 46.1GB) to channels 3 and 4 in master? Also, what is block size option in the HPT370 BIOS setup for? What should I set block size at?

And do I need to install the VIA 4 in 1 drivers (running Win98SE). Some have said yes, some no.

 

[AZZKICKER]

YES THE DRIVERS IS WHERE YOU PERFORMANCE IS

trust me

use the 4.28 4 in 1's and your system will rock the house

there the most stable 4in1's to date in my opinion

get the here -----> http://www.amdmb.com/files/general/4in1428b.zip

 

[Calistograph]

So I should avoid any of the newer 4 in 1 drivers? BTW, I can't get that link to work. Do you have another?

 

[Da Whip]

Check out this site;

http://www.viahardware.com/download/index.shtm#4in1

 

[jamesp]

if all you are using is IDE 3 and 4 you don't need the IDE part of 4in1 it is only for IDE 1 and 2 ---but you need the rest. If you have CD or CDRW or DVD you also need the 4in1 IDE Drivers.....The HIGHPOINT Drivers are what Controls IDE 3 and 4 VIA Has nothing to do with them....Best block size I have heard is 16k but my Defrag prog Diskeeper won't Defrag over 4K size for NTFS Drives so thats what I set Mine at. You can di Master Slave and RAID some say it takes a performance hit I Haven't seen it. On My KT7 Board I have boot on IDE 3 Master and other 2 on IDE 4 Master-Slave Raid so I can get ATA100 Boot. Don't need it on KT7A so Boot is IDE 1 and Master-Master on IDE 3 and 4 for Raid both work ok.......I'm also using latest 4in1 4.29x no problems...

 

[Calistograph]

You are using 3 drives in a RAID on a your KT7? One in IDE3 has master and two on IDE4 in master and slave? Hmm. Didn't know you could do that.

So 4k is the block size I need if I want to be able to defrag? What does changing the block size do? Speed things up? What's the ideal setting?

 

[AZZKICKER]

http://www.amdmb.com/files/general/4in1428b.zip

the site was down lastnight and this morning

sorry for the trouble

its working now

 

[jamesp]

Block size has to do with how much data is moved at once 4K 8K 16K etc. This is what gives performance eg: most data transfered per. But systems being different applies here too. Most recommendations are for 16K Block size for performance.

I have My drives as 1 single 2 in RAID BUT as far as I know You could put 4 Drives IDE 3 and 4 and Raid 0 all of them into one device it gives the option to checkmark all of your drives when creating the RAID You can also do IDE 3and 4 masters as RAID 0 IDE 3 and 4 slaves as another RAID 0 and I think then use those two as RAID 1 eg: slaves Mirroring masters or vice versa....I THINK not sure haven't tried it...

 

[Calistograph]

Thanks for the info. I think 90GB ought to hold me for awhile.

If I set block size to 16K, will I be able to defrag?