Rosewill RC-223 User manual

RAID5 SATA II – 3Gbps
External Dual Ports PCI-Express Host
(Raid 5, 0, 1,10 & JBOD)
RC-223
User Manual

RAID5 SATA II – 3Gbps External Dual Ports PCI-Express Host (Raid 5, 0, 1,10 & JBOD) RC-223 UserManual
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When the HBA be used on Macintosh as a non-bootable adapter, please refer the
Mac drivers on the path of \ Mac OS \ SiI3132 \ Raid5 at the packed driver CD or
download from http://www.siliconimage.com/support/index.aspx?pid=0&cid=0&.
Important Message for User:
**** The setting of Raid 0, 1, 10, 5 and JBOD will appear on screen accordingly
and automatically when Port Multiplier and multiple Drives be connected to 2Port
RAID5 SATA II Host Card.
**** Before controller card installation, we recommend the users to study this
manual and the PDF file of SATARaid5 Manual at enclosed CD folder \SATA
PCIe_Raid5_2Port\SiI3132\Windows\Gui (or\Raid5 SATA2_4Port\SiI3124\
Windows\GUI) first. This Raid manual has more information on Raid architecture,
Raid features, Raid installation, Raid setting and Management software for
Raid5 GUI (Graphical User Interface).
Q0: What is RAID5 Card?
A0: RAID5 Card means the SATA Host adapter (the PCI, PCI-X, PCI-e, Cardbus and ExpressCard) which
can support RAID5, RAID0, RAID1, RAID10, BigDrive and JBOD functions by software setting.
Q1: Can I install non-Raid (base) driver or SATARAID driver on RAID5 card?
A1: No, only SATARaid5 driver is used on RAID5 card.
Q2: How to use a single hard drive on RAID5 Card?
A2: New RAID5 GUI (Graphical User Interface) has a new “Pass-Thru” feature. “Pass-Thru” allows access to
a new hard drive or a used one that without any SATARAID5 configuration. If your current driver doesn’t
support this “Pass-Thru” feature, please download the new one and install it.
Q3: Why 2Port SATA II Host Card can support Raid5 or Raid10?
A3: It needs Port Multiplier and multiple drives. When SATA Port Multiplier and multiple drives are
installed on 2Port SATA II host card, the setting of Raid 0, 1, 10, 5 and JBOD will appear on the screen
accordingly and automatically.
Q4: What is Raid0?
A4: RAID0 also known as Stripping or FAST. Stripping is a performance-oriented, non-redundant data
mapping technique. Stripping arrays need at least two drives and use them to form a larger virtual disk.

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Q5: What is Raid1?
A5: RAID1 also known as Mirroring or SAFE. Mirroring creates an identical twin for a selected disk by
having the data simultaneously written to two disks. If a read failure occurs on one drive, the system will
read the data from the other drive. Raid1 need two drives to store the same data.
Q6: What is Raid10?
A6: RAID10 also known as RAID 0+1 or Mirrored-Striping or “SAFE and FAST”. RAID10 combine both
Striping and Mirroring technologies to provide both the performance enhancements that come from Striping
and the data availability and integrity that comes from Mirroring. There are at least four hard drives is need
for RAID10 setting.
Q7: What is RAID5?
A7: RAID5 also known as Distributed Parity RAID. RAID 5 adds fault tolerance to Disk Striping by
including parity information with the data. The data and parity information is arranged on the disk array
so that parity is written to different disks. There are at least three hard drives is need for RAID5 setting.
Q8: What is JBOD?
A8: The JBOD (Just a Bunch of Disks , also known as Contiguous) means a single logical drive that can either
be an entire disk drive or a segment of a disk drive. JBOD is the Contiguous configuration option when
creating RAID Groups (or sets) in the SATARAID5 Manager utility.
Q9: What is CONCATENATED?
A9: Concatenated also known as Big Drive, The Concatenated combines multiple disks or multiple
segments of disks into a single large disk. It does not provide any data protection or performance
improvement but can be useful for utilizing leftover space on all disks.
Q10: How to make sure RAID5 setting is ready for working?
A10: RAID5 setting may cost hours for component ready and function available, please be patient for that.
Especially if Raid5 setting by BIOS, please Click “Task Manager” to make sure there is “Green” color on the
selected components and then Raid5 setting is completed.
Q11: May use the existing used hard drive to RAID5 Card?
A11: Yes, it is workable. But, the working data on your existing used HDD may NOT work and be treated
as a blank drive when you migrate it to RAID5 Card environment.
Q12: Why Windows Device Manager can NOT detect my hard drives, but BIOS
can detect it?

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A12: In RAID storage system, RAID managing information is saved on the drive. If without the correct
RAID Creating by BIOS or GUI, Windows Device Manager can NOT recognize the existing of hard
drive.
Q13: Why RAID5 GUI can NOT recognize my migrating used drive?
A13: When migrating the used HDD to RAID5 card, we better to perform the "Delete Raid Set" on BIOS
setting, since the used HDD may have some different format of RAID managing information and RAID5 GUI
may be confused by this data and no recognition.
Q14: Why Rebuilding take so long time?
A14: The “Rebuilding” function on Raid 1 or Raid10 always spend long hours for component ready, data
copying and function available, especially for high volume data. Please be patient for the rebuilding ready.
Q15: How to create the RAID setting on RAID5 Card?
A15: If 32bit PCI or 64bit PCI-X or PCI-Express RAID5 Host card, RAID5 sets can be created and managed
by either the BIOS utility setting or SATARAID5 GUI setting under Windows. Only SATARAID5 GUI is
functional, as CardBus adapter or ExpressCard/34 Adapter for Notebook.
A16: How to get the PDF file of complete RAID5 manual for RAID5 Host Adapter?
Q16: Please find the SATARAID5-UserGuide_v1.40.pdf under the GUI folder of Driver CD on your card
package.
Q17: OK to use multiple RAID5 Cards in one server system?
A17: Yes, it works, even mixed with different product model of RAID5 card in one server system. RAID5 GUI
can manage each RAID5 card individually but NO cross Raid5 setting is provided.
Q18: Can we add RAID5 Cards to one PC system, which has RAID card (No RAID5,
only RAID0 or RAID1) already?
A18: No, only one RAID GUI or RAID5 GUI can exist in PC system, so we don’t recommend to use the
mixed RAID and RAID5 cards in one system. If you decide to sacrifice the RAID GUI and use the RAID5 GUI
only in system, you must remove the existing RAID GUI from your PC system first before RAID5 Card
hardware installation, otherwise the system will hang up. After RAID5 card, RAID5 driver and RAID5 GUI be
successfully installed, RAID5 GUI can manage the activities of RAID5 card only, no RAID card activity.
Q19: Whether I can plug a 64bit PCI-X SATA II –3Gbps RAID5 card into a
motherboard 32bit PCI slot and test it?
A19: Yes, it works.

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Q20: Does RAID card support ATAPI device?
Q20: No, RAID card doesn’t.
Q21: OK to install Windows OS on RAID5 Drives?
A21: RAID5 card is software RAID5, which is managed and manipulated by Software Driver. It’s NOT good
to let Driver layer charge the tasks of OS layer, so we don’t recommend to use the RAID5, RAID0, RAID1,
RAID10 as OS Disks. Please create the RAID setting and use the RAID features on Data Disks only.
Q22: How to get Linux drivers?
A22: Please visit http://www.siliconimage.com/support/index.aspx?pid=0&cid=0& find Linux drivers on the
folder of /Linux at package Driver CD.
Q23: After Raid5 card installation, Windows can’t restart and hang during booting,
unless CD Shutoff.
A23: It sounds the issue on Mother board BIOS, Please contact Mother board maker to have the latest
BIOS update.
You may also contact agent and try to update the BIOS of Raid5 card.
Q24: When I install multiple drives behind the Port Multiplier, how many drives are
recognized by BIOS?
Q24: Since BIOS does NOT support PM feature, only one drive behind PM is recognized under BIOS. But
Windows and MAC can fully utilize all the drives behind the PM.
1. Introduction
1.1. Features
oExternal SATA II (eSATA) Connector.
o48 bits LBA can Break Capacity-Limit to Support HDD larger than 137GB.
oSupports 1-lane 2.5Gbps PCI Express.
oHot-plug capability.
oSupports SATA II transfer rate of 3.0Gbps.
oFully compliant with Serial ATA 1.0 specifications.
oSupports two independent Serial ATA channels.

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oIndependent Link, Transport, and data FIFO.
oIndependent command fetch, scatter/gather, and command execution.
oSupports Legacy Command Queuing (LCQ).
oSupports Native Command Queuing (NCQ).
oSupports Non-zero offsets NCQ.
oSupports Out of order data delivery NCQ.
oSupports FIS-based switching with Port Multipliers.
o31 Commands and Scatter/Gather Tables per Port.
oTwo Pin headers on board for LED connection.
oCompletely with drivers for Windows Vista, 2000, XP and Server 2003.
oProvides RAID 0 (Stripping) to greatly increase the performance of data transfer
by simultaneously writing data to 2 drives.
oProvides RAID 1 (Mirroring) to protect the data from a disk failure by writing
identical data on 2 drives.
oRAID 0+1 (Mirrored-Stripping) combine both Striping and Mirroring technologies to
provide both the performance enhancements that come from Striping and the data
availability and integrity that comes from Mirroring.
oRaid 5 requires Port Multiplier and 3rd Drive
1.2. Package Contents
RAID5 SATA II – 3Gbps 2Ports PCI Express Host Adapter
Users Manual
Driver CD
2. What Is RAID
RAID - Redundant Array of Independent Disks
RAID technology manages multiple disk drives to enhance I/O performance and provide
redundancy in order to withstand the failure of any individual member, without loss of
data.

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Disk Striping (RAID 0)
Striping is a performance-oriented, non-redundant data mapping technique. While
Striping is discussed as a RAID Set type, it is actually does not provide fault tolerance.
With modern SATA bus mastering technology, multiple I/O operations can be done in
parallel, enhancing performance. Striping arrays use multiple disks to form a larger virtual
disk.
Disk Mirroring (RAID 1)
Disk mirroring creates an identical twin for a selected disk by having the data
simultaneously written to two disks. This redundancy provides instantaneous protection
from a single disk failure. If a read failure occurs on one drive, the system reads the
data from the other drive.
Mirrored-Striping (RAID 0+1 also known as RAID 10)
A Mirrored-Striping Set does just what it says, combining both Striping and Mirroring
technologies to provide both the performance enhancements that come from Striping and
the data availability and integrity that comes from Mirroring. When data is written to a
Mirrored-Striped Set, instead of creating just one virtual disk as Striping would do, a second,
Mirrored virtual disk is created as well.
Parity RAID (RAID 5)
Parity or RAID 5 adds fault tolerance to Disk Striping by including parity information
with the data. Parity RAID dedicates the equivalent of one disk for storing parity stripes.
The data and parity information is arranged on the disk array so that parity is written to
different disks. There are at least 3 members to a Parity RAID set. The following example
illustrates how the parity is rotated from disk to disk.
Parity RAID uses less capacity for protection and is the preferred method to reduce the cost
per megabyte for larger installations. Mirroring requires 100% increase in capacity to
protect the data whereas the above example only requires a 50% increase. The
required capacity decreases as the number of disks in the group increases.
Just Bunch of Disks (JBOD, Contiguous)
The JBOD here (also known as Contiguous) means a logical drive that can either be an
entire disk drive or a segment of a single disk drive. For this card, JBOD function only
supports one disk. JBOD here is a Contiguous configuration option when “Create RAID
Group” in SATARAID5 Manager Utility.

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3. Installation Procedures
1. Power down the computer system.
2. Insert the Host card into an available bus slot.
3. Power ON.
4. Install Device Driver as section 5.
5. Remove all the existing SATARaid GUI (or Java SATARaid GUI) to ensure your new
SATARaid5 GUI can work properly.
6. Install new SATARaid5 GUI.
7. Power down the computer system again.
8. Connect Hard Drives to SATA Ports.
9. Power ON.
10. If you connect the used HDDs to SATA Ports, Press CTRL+S or F4 and then delete the
Raid setting on every used HDD when BIOS booting
11. Use SATARAID5 Manager GUI for RAID Group creating
If 1 Disk, please select “Make Pass-Thru” option in Device Menu or “Concatenate” or
“Contiguous” option in Create RAID Group Menu
If 2 Disks, don’t select “Parity RAID” or “Mirrored Striped” setting
If 3 Disks, don’t select “Mirrored Striped” setting
12. Click “Task Manager” to make sure Raid setting is completed. It shall be “Green” color
or “Blue” color on the selected components. RAID5 setting may cost hours for
component ready and function available, please be patient for that.
13. Use Device Manager for hard disk initialization, partition and formatting.
4. BIOS Setting (RAID Setting)
Creating and deleting RAID sets is a function found in the BIOS. During boot up, the RAID
setting message will appear and pause for a few moments to allow the user to choose
what to do. This board will act as normal NON-RAID card when BIOS not configured for
RAID. Just proceed to Software Installation section directly. If you use traditional parallel
ATA HDD, make sure your hard drives be set up as master mode before the RAID setting.
4.1. Creating Striped Sets (RAID 0)
1. As the BIOS boots, Press CTRL+S or F4 to enter the raid bios utility.
2. Select Create RAID set. Press Enter.
3. Select RAID 0 then press Enter.

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4. Select Number of hard drive. Press Enter.
5. Select RAID size. Press Enter.
6. Press Yto save your settings.
7. Press CTRL+E and then press Yto exit the setup.
8. Continue with conventional Fdisk and Format steps as if you are installing a conventional
hard drive.
9. Your RAID configuration is complete. Please proceed to software installation section.
4.2. Creating Mirrored Sets (RAID 1)
1. As the BIOS boots, Press CTRL+S or F4 to enter the raid bios utility.
2. Select Create RAID set. Press Enter.
3. Select RAID 1 then press Enter.
4. Select Auto configuration. Press Enter.
5. Press Yto save your settings.
6. Press CTRL+E and then press Yto exit the setup.
7. Continue with conventional Fdisk and Format steps as if you are installing a conventional
hard drive.
8.Your RAID configuration is complete. Please proceed to software installation section.
4.3. Creating JBOD Sets
1. As the BIOS boots, Press CTRL+S or F4 to enter the raid bios utility.
2. Select Create RAID set. Press Enter.
3. Select JBOD (Single) then press Enter.
4. Select JBOD Drives. Press Enter.
5. Select RAID size. Press Enter.
6. Press Yto save your settings.
4.4. Creating Spare Drive
1. As the BIOS boots, Press CTRL+S or F4 to enter the raid bios utility.
2. Select Create RAID set. Press Enter.
3. Select Spare Drive then press Enter.
4. Select Spare Drives. Press Enter.
5. Select RAID size. Press Enter.
6. Press Yto save your settings.

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4.5. Deleting RAID Sets
1. As the BIOS boots, Press CTRL+S or F4 to enter the raid bios utility.
2. Select Delete RAID set. Press Enter.
3. Answer Y to remove the RAID set. If the RAID set being deleted is a Striped set, then all of
the data will be lost. If the set being deleted is a Mirrored set, then the data will remain
intact and accessible on both drives.
4.6. Rebuilding Mirrored Sets (RAID 1)
1. After replacing the failed hard drives boot the BIOS, Press CTRL+S or F4 to enter the
raid bios utility.
2. Select Rebuild RAID 1 set. Press Enter.
3. Select Rebuild Hard Drive. Press Enter.
4. Answer Y to rebuild the Mirrored set of hard drive.
4.7. Resolving Conflict
When a RAID set is created, the metadata written to the disk includes drive
connection information (Primary and Secondary). If, after a disk failure, the
replacement disk was previously part of a RAID set (or used in another system), it may
have conflicting metadata, specifically in reference to the drive connection information.
If so, this will prohibit the RAID set from being either created or rebuilt, In order for the
RAID set to function properly, this old metadata must be first overwritten with the new
metadata. To resolve this, select Resolve Conflicts, and the correct metadata, including
the correct drive connection information, will be written to the replacement disk.
5. Software Installation
5.1. Windows Vista/2000/XP/2003 Fresh Installation
1. Power off the system. Connect the hard drives to the controller card and insert the
controller card into a PCI Express slot. Power up the system.
2. Put your Windows Vista/2000/XP CD into the CD-ROM/DVD drive, or the 2000/XP boot
diskette #1 in the floppy drive if your system cannot boot from the CD.
3. Press F6 for third party SCSI or driver installation at the beginning of text mode
installation. Press 's' when setup asks if you want to specify an additional device
and insert the Driver CD. Press 'Enter' and select 'E:\ SATA PCIe_Raid5_2Port

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\SiI3132\Windows\Driver'.
4. Press 'Enter' to continue on with text mode setup.
5. Follow the setup instructions to select your choice for partition and file system.
6. After setup examines your disks, it will copy files to Windows 2000 installation folders
and restart the system. The setup program will continue and finish the installation after
restart.
7. Waiting until Windows finishes installing devices, regional settings, networking settings,
components, and final set of tasks, reboot the system if it is required.
8. See instructions in section 5.3 to verify controller was installed correctly.
5.2. Adding the controller card to an existing Windows
Vista/2000/XP/2003 Installation
1. Power off the system. Connect the hard drives to the controller card and insert the
controller card into a PCI Express slot. Power up the system.
2. During OS boot up, Windows will display the 'Found New Hardware Wizard'. Click
'Next'.
3. Select 'Search for a suitable driver for my device (Recommended)' and Click 'Next'.
4. Insert the Driver CD in your CD-ROM/DVD drive, check Specify a location, uncheck
the other boxes, click Next, type in E:\ (If your CD-ROM/DVD is E:\). Click Browse.
5. Points specify a location, example E:\ SATA PCIe_Raid5_2Port \ SiI3132 \ Windows
\ Driver, click Open then OK.
6. When the wizard indicates that it found a driver for the device click 'Next'.
7. If the 'Digital Signature Not Found' dialog appears, click 'Yes' to continue installing the
driver.
8. The wizard will now copy the required files to the system and start the driver. After
starting the driver the wizard will display a completion dialog, click 'Finish' to exit the
wizard.
9. See instructions in section 5.3 to verify controller was installed correctly.
5.3. Verifying controller installation under Windows
Vista/2000/XP/2003
1. Right click on 'My Computer' icon, select 'Properties', left click on 'Hardware' tab and
then on 'Device Manager' button.
2. Double click on 'SCSI and RAID Controllers', If there is no yellow '!' or '?' in front of

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'Silicon Image SiI 3132 SoftRaid5 Controller', the driver is started correctly.
3. To view information about the devices attached to the controller, use the SiICfg
Utility and click on the device from the list.
5.4. Update new driver on Windows Vista/2000/XP/2003 with
existing driver
1. Right click on 'My Computer' and select 'Properties'. Under the 'System
Properties' section, click on 'Hardware' tab and then on 'Device Manager' click 'SCSI
and RAID Controller' and right click 'Silicon Image SiI 3132 SoftRaid5 Controller'.
2. Click 'Driver', 'Update Driver' and select 'Search for a suitable driver for my device
[Recommended]'. Insert the Driver CD. Press 'Enter' and select 'E:\ SATA
PCIe_Raid5_2Port \SiI3132\Windows \Driver'. Click 'Next' and complete the driver
installation.
3. System will go through the enumeration process and install the driver. At the end of the
process, click 'Yes' to reboot your system when necessary.
4. See instructions in section 5.3 to verify controller was installed correctly.
Thank you for purchasing a quality Rosewill Product.
Please register your product at : www.rosewill.com for complete warranty information and future support for your
product.