ASUSTeK COMPUTER ITE8212F User manual

RAID installation guide for ITE8212F

Page 2of 20
ASUSTeK Computer Inc. All rights reserved.
Contents
Contents 2
1Introduction 3
1.1 About this Guide 3
1.2 The Basics 3
1.2.1 What is RAID? 3
1.2.2 Advantages of RAID 3
1.2.3 Disadvantages of RAID 3
1.3 Different Types of RAID Configurations 3
1.3.1 RAID 0 (Striping) 3
1.3.2 RAID 1 (Mirroring) 3
1.3.3 RAID 0+1 (Striping/Mirroring) 4
1.3.4 JBOD (Spanning) 4
2Drivers 4
2.1 Creating a Driver Disk 4
2.2 Installing Drivers 5
3Installing Hard Disks 7
4Creating a RAID Array 7
4.1 Configuring BIOS 7
4.2 Using the BIOS Configuration Utility 8
4.3 Auto Configuration 9
4.4 Define RAID 10
4.5 Delete RAID 13
4.6 Rebuild RAID 14
4.7 RAID Card Configuration 16
5Using your RAID Drive 17
5.1 Partitioning and Formatting Under Windows XP 17
5.2 Installing an OS on a RAID Drive 17
5.2.1 Installing Windows 2000/XP 17
6Using Hard Drives as Non-RAID 20

Page 3of 20
ASUSTeK Computer Inc. All rights reserved.
1Introduction
1.1About this Guide
This document provides a brief step-by-step guide for beginners in how to set up a RAID
drive using the onboard ITE8212F RAID controller, operating under the Windows XP
environment. This guide was designed to only cover the basic operations in setting up
RAID. Should this document not cover what you need, please refer to the ITE8212 RAID
User’s Manual provided on the motherboard’s Support CD.
1.2The Basics
1.2.1What is RAID?
A RAID (Redundant Array of Independent Disks) controller lets you combine multiple hard
disks to simulate a single drive.The drive created will properties different to that of the
individual drives.
1.2.2Advantages of RAID
The obvious advantage of using a RAID configuration is the ability to create drives with
larger capacity.However, since multiple drives are used, data can be stored in such a way
that it spans over many disks, thus the information can be accessed by the disks
simultaneously, significantly improving data access times.
1.2.3Disadvantages of RAID
Using many drives has adisadvantage. The probability of a single drive failing out of many
drives is much higher than that of one failing out of only one.This results in a greater
chance of losing the information on your disks. There are ways however, to minimize this
effect, even making it more reliable than using single disks.
1.3Different Types of RAID Configurations
There are many different ways in which RAID can be configured, each with its set of
advantages and disadvantages. The ITE8212F controller supports RAID 0, RAID 1, RAID
0+1 and JOBD configurations, each one is described below.
1.3.1RAID 0 (Striping)
RAID 0 works by breaking down data and spreading it over multiple disk drives. RAID 0
does not protect data from failure, and due to the way it stores data, a fault on one drive
would result in failure of the entire array. It does however, have vast improvements in both
reading and writing speeds, with the theoretical speed proportional to the number of disks
used in the array. It is also fairly efficient in using disk space, with its size is equal to the
size of the smallest disk multiplied by the number of disks.
1.3.2RAID 1 (Mirroring)
RAID 1 works by maintaining an identical copy ofthe data ofone drive onanother. If either
of these drives should fail, no information is lost as the second drive will always contain an
identical copy of the other. A RAID 1 system can be recovered by simply replacing the

Page 4of 20
ASUSTeK Computer Inc. All rights reserved.
damaged disk and mirroring the data on the new drive. This method should cause a
decrease in writing speeds, and results in a disk capacity equivalent to that of the smaller
disk.
1.3.3RAID 0+1 (Striping/Mirroring)
RAID 0+1 combines RAID 0 and RAID 1, creating two arrays of RAID 0, one mirroring the
other. This method has both the faster data access speeds of RAID 0 and the data
security level of RAID 1.Its disk capacity (in a 4 drive array) is double that of the smallest
drive.
1.3.4JBOD (Spanning)
Standing for Just a Bunch Of Disks, JBOD simply stores data on a drive in an array and
moves on onto another in the array when it is full. It creates a drive size equal to the sum
of the sizes of all the drives in the array with no performance enhancement. JBOD does
not protect data from failure and a fault on one drive will cause the entire array to fail.
2Drivers
A driver is required for your operating system (OS) to recognize your RAID drives. If you
are planning to install Windows 2000 or XP on a RAID drive, you will need a copy of the
drivers on a floppy disk during installation (refer to 2.1 Creating aDriver Disk). If the RAID
drive is to be installed onto a system with an existing OS, please ensure the drivers are
correctly installed for your OS to recognize the newly constructed RAID system (refer to
2.2 Installing Drivers).
2.1Creating a Driver Disk
**This will most likely need to be done on a second computer unless you are re-installing
your OS onto a RAID drive.**
1)Insert your motherboard’s Support CD into your CD-ROM drive. A menu should
automatically pop up if Autorun is enabled.
2)Go to My Computer and then your CD-ROM drive to find the folder. Please note that
the directory structure may vary between different Support CDs.
3)Run MakeDisk.exe.
4)Insert a floppy into your floppy drive and click on Extract. This will copy the driver files
onto the floppy.

Page 5of 20
ASUSTeK Computer Inc. All rights reserved.
5)When the program finishes copying the files, click on Quit to close the program.
2.2Installing Drivers
The drivers for the ITE8212 IDE RAID controller should be already installed if you have
followed your motherboard’s manual after installing your OS. However, it is still best to
check.
1)Under Windows XP, right click on My Computer and go to properties.
2)Click on the Hardware tab and then click on Device Manager.

Page 6of 20
ASUSTeK Computer Inc. All rights reserved.
3)Open SCSI and RAID controllers and check if ITE RAID Controller (Windows XP) is
there.
4)If it is, then you should be ready to install your RAID drive. If not, follow the remaining
steps to install the driver.
5)Insert your motherboard’s Support CD into your CD-ROM drive. A menu should
automatically pop up if Autorun is enabled.

Page 7of 20
ASUSTeK Computer Inc. All rights reserved.
6)Click on the Drivers tab and then on ITE8212 Driver and Application. Likewise, if
Autorun isn’t enabled, run the installer from \Drivers\ITE8212\Driver\ITERAID.exe.
3Installing Hard Disks
The ITE8212 controller supports up to a maximum of 4 hard disks,2 parallel ATA disks on
each of the 2 connectors.
For a RAID 0 or JBOD array, a minimum of 2 disks must be used.A RAID 1 array needs
two disks while a RAID 0+1 needs four disks.
When installing hard disks for a RAID array, it is preferable to use disks that are similar in
disk capacity. For best results,please use identical disks.
Connect your hard drives, please refer to your motherboard’s manual for help if necessary.
4Creating a RAID Array
4.1Configuring BIOS
Please note that procedures may vary between different motherboards. Check with your
motherboard’s manual if you have any problems.
1)Power on your computer and go into the BIOS settings by pressing the <Delete> key
during the boot sequence.

Page 8of 20
ASUSTeK Computer Inc. All rights reserved.
2)Enter the Advanced menu by pressing the right arrow key.
3)Browse until you reach the Onboard Devices Configuration and then press <Enter>.
4)Set ITE8212F Controller to RAID Mode.
5)Press <F10> to save your settings and reboot.
4.2Using the BIOS Configuration Utility
The ITE8212 RAID BIOS Setup Utility is used to manage your RAID arrays with this
chipset.
On that screen it alsolists the drivesconnected to your ITE8212F RAID controller.
Enter the Setup Utility by pressing<Ctrl-F>or <Ctrl-E> when it prompts you toduring boot.
The main menu of the Setup Utility allows you to access the functions used to create and
manage your RAID arrays.
There are five options in the main menu, please press 1~5 to enter the submenu or the
“Esc”key to quit the Setup Utility.

Page 9of 20
ASUSTeK Computer Inc. All rights reserved.
4.3Auto Configuration
This function allows you to quickly create a RAID drive using default settings. (Please
make you have already back up your data in hard drive before you create arrays)
1)Enter the Setup Utility and select1 Auto Configuration.
2)Use the arrow keys "and !and the “space”key to change the options.
3)There are five configuration options:
RAID Type Raid Mode Number of disks
required
RAID 0 Striping 2 or 3 or 4
RAID 1 Mirroring 2
RAID 0+1 Striping + Mirroring 4
JBOD Span 2 or 3 or 4
IDE None 1 or 2 or 3 or 4

Page 10 of 20
ASUSTeK Computer Inc. All rights reserved.
4)Press <Ctrl-Y> to save the setting, or “Esc”key to leave Auto Configuration and go
back to theMain Menu.
5)Setting up a new array will cause old data on the disks to disappear. A warning
message will appear on the screen. Press<Y> to create the array, or any key to cancel
the array creation.
4.4Define RAID
This function allows you to manually create RAID arrays, allowing better flexibility over
what was offered when setting up automatically.
1)Enter the Setup Utility and select2 Define RAID.
2)Use arrow keys #and $to highlight the Array No you wish to define. Please use the
“space”key to make the array bootable if you would like to boot your system from the
array. Press <Enter> to select the highlighted Array No and enter Define RAID
submenu to configure the array. Press <Esc>to quit and go back to theMain Menu.

Page 11 of 20
ASUSTeK Computer Inc. All rights reserved.
3)Please use arrow keys #and $to highlight different configuration position. Use the
“space”key to cycle through the different options.
4)If you have chosen to create a RAID 0 or RAID 0+1 array, you will be given the option
of selecting the Block Size. It is recommended to leave this option at its default setting.
5)Drive Assignments displays the information on the hard drives attached to the RAID
controller.Use arrow keys #and$to highlight the drive you wish to assign to the array.
Press “space”key to change the Assignment status to“Y”. “Pri”represents the primary
channel, and “Sec”represents the secondary channel. “D0”represents the hard drive
as Master, and “D1”represents the hard drive as Slave. When Ris displayed in the
Size (MB)column,the unit for capacity is GB.
6)Press <Ctrl-Y> to save the configuration. If your settings are correct, a warning
message about losing old data will appear.

Page 12 of 20
ASUSTeK Computer Inc. All rights reserved.
7)Press <Y> to erase the data on the hard drive, and to create the array. Press <N>to
abort.
8)If the RAID Mode is either Mirror or Strip+Mirror, and you choose not to erase old data,
the Rebuild RAID Menu will appear.
9)If you choose not to rebuild the array at this time, a warning message about
inconsistent data will appear.

Page 13 of 20
ASUSTeK Computer Inc. All rights reserved.
10)If you press <Y>to rebuild at this time, you will be asked to choose a source disk.
Then you will be asked whether you wish to monitor the reconstruction. For details,
please refer to4.6 Rebuild RAID Steps (3) ~ (6)..
4.5Delete RAID
This function allows you to delete RAID arrays.
11)Enter the Setup Utility and select3 Delete RAID.
12)Use arrow keys #and $to highlight the array you wish to delete. Press <D>to enter
the Delete RAID Submenu. The “D”key has no effect if the highlighted array is empty.
Press <Esc>to go back to theMain Menu.
13)Press <Ctrl-Y>to confirm the deletion, or press any other key to abort.

Page 14 of 20
ASUSTeK Computer Inc. All rights reserved.
14)If you press <Ctrl-Y>, the utility will prompt you asking whether to erase the data on the
hard drives. Press <Y>to clear the data,<N>to keep the data on the hard drive.
4.6Rebuild RAID
This function allows you to rebuild a mirrored (RAID 1 or RAID 0+1)array.
1)Enter the Setup Utility and select4 Rebuild RAID.
2)Use arrow keys #and $to highlight the array you wish to rebuild. Press <Enter>to
enter the Rebuild RAID Drive Select Submenu.Press <Esc>to go back to the Main
Menu.

Page 15 of 20
ASUSTeK Computer Inc. All rights reserved.
3)Use arrow keys #and $to highlight the source disk(s). Press <Enter>to make the
selection. When the utility prompts you to continue, press <Y>to continue with
rebuilding, or press<ESC>to abort.
4)If you press <Y>, you will be asked whether you wishto monitor the rebuild progress.
You can leave the Setup Utility and reboot if you choose background rebuild. If you
choose to monitor the reconstruction, you can monitor the progress until it finishes.

Page 16 of 20
ASUSTeK Computer Inc. All rights reserved.
5)When the rebuild is complete, you will be informed. Press any key to go back to the
Rebuild RAID Menu
6)If you choose not to monitor the reconstruction, the reconstruction will occur in the
background.
4.7RAID Card Configuration
This function allows you to see RAID controller’s resources and each hard drive’s status
1)Enter the Setup Utility and select5 RAID Card Configuration.

Page 17 of 20
ASUSTeK Computer Inc. All rights reserved.
2)Use the arrow keys "and !and the “space”key to enable or disable Auto-Rebuild
option. The Auto-Rebuild function allows automatic rebuild of mirrored array if the
failed drive is replaced without powering down your PC. (You must have removable
docking cases that support hot-plug to replace hard drive without turning down PC.)
When this function is disabled, you need to manually rebuild the array.
3)On the RAID Card Resource section, PCI slot interrupt and I/O port addresses are
displayed. On the Drive Status section, each hard drive’s status is displayed.
5Using your RAID Drive
Once you created your RAID drive, it will act like any other newly installed disk drive; it will
not be partitioned or formatted. You will have to partition and format the drive in order to
use it. If you are installing Windows, the setup program will allow you to partition and
format the drive during installation.
5.1Partitioning and Formatting Under Windows XP
The Disk Management utility is used to partition and format disks under Windows XP.
1)Right click onMy Computerand select manage.
2)Select Disk Management under Storage.
For further information on how to use this utility, consult your Windows manual or click on
Help.
5.2Installing an OS on a RAID Drive
Installing an operating system on a RAID drive is the same as installing it on a standard
drive except that a RAID driver needs to be installed during the installation of the OS.
5.2.1Installing Windows 2000/XP
1)Remove any floppy disks from their drives.
2)Insert your Windows installation CD into your CD-ROM drive and restart your
computer.

Page 18 of 20
ASUSTeK Computer Inc. All rights reserved.
3)Enter BIOS setup screen, and follow instructions in your user’s manual to set your
desired optical drive (the one with the Windows installation CD inside) as the first boot
device, then save and exit theBIOS setup screen.
4)Press any key in boot from the CD when prompted (in some motherboards, booting
from a CD is automatic and no keys are needed to be pressed).
5)Press <F6> when Windows asks if you need to install a third party SCSI or RAID driver.
6)When Windows finishes an examination of your system, you will be asked to specify
additional devises or to ignore it. Press <S> to specify your ITE8212FIDE RAID
controller.
7)Insert the floppy containing the RAID drivers created in 2.1 Creating aDriver Disk and
thenpress <Enter>.

Page 19 of 20
ASUSTeK Computer Inc. All rights reserved.
8)Select ITE8212 RAID Controller(Windows XP). Please select the correct driver for you
OS. Choosing the wrong driver may cause problems.
9)The RAID driver is now loaded, continue the installation of Windows as you normally
would.

Page 20 of 20
ASUSTeK Computer Inc. All rights reserved.
6Using Hard Drives as Non-RAID
Drives connected to theITE8212F RAID controller (RAID Mode in BIOS) do not have to be
set up in a RAID array in order for them to work. By simply not assigning them to an array,
they can be used like any other drive connected to the board’s main IDE connectors.
Alternatively, you can set ITE8212F to IDE Mode in the BIOS. Please go to Advanced >
Onboard Devices Configuration Menu, set ITE8212F Controller to IDE Mode.
If you would like to install OS on the non-RAID hard drive connected to theITE8212F RAID
controller, you still need to prepare the driver disk. Please follow the steps in 5.2 Installing
an OS on the RAID drive.