Re: Using WindowsXP to Make RAID 5 Happen

["john nye" <wajcn50@xxxxxxxxx>]

You've been running RAID5 across firewire without problems?


So far yes!!

John

> -----Original Message-----
> From: ukha_d@xxxxxxx [mailto:ukha_d@xxxxxxx]
> On Behalf Of john nye
> Sent: 04 August 2005 23:42
> To: ukha_d@xxxxxxx
> Subject: Re: [ukha_d] Using WindowsXP to Make RAID 5 Happen
>
> Just checked and mine has been running since 1 May and for 49
> days since the last reboot.
>
> Do you know if there is any way I can check whether I have
> been having any disconnects/reconnects/rebuilds?
>
> It would be a pain if I lost the data, but not a disaster as
> I have all the films on DVD's and the music and pictures are
> backed up elsewhere.
>
> Guess I need to investigate other strategies -:(
>
> John
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: "Phil Harris" <phil@xxxxxxx>
> To: <ukha_d@xxxxxxx>
> Sent: Thursday, August 04, 2005 11:01 PM
> Subject: RE: [ukha_d] Using WindowsXP to Make RAID 5 Happen
>
>
>
> Tell you more?
>
> OK ...
>
> ... You *WILL* lose your data if you try RAID5 on firewire
> ... Simple as that.
>
> As Li (of Laser fame) will attest I have been plugging away
> at getting a media server up and running using a rather silly
> number of firewire drives (currently 20) originally with
> Windows and then with Linux.
>
> I did try using RAID5 across the firewire drives but one of
> the things that happen with firewire drives is that they
> disconnect and reconnect pretty much at will and as soon as a
> drive disconnects then it makes the array inconsistent and so
> it starts to rebuild. Then if another drive disconnects
> whilst rebuiilding then it's bye-bye data. And I don't mean
> disconnect as in "unplug" - it seems that they software
> disconnect and reconnect quite frequently.
>
> Thankfully what you will probably find is that simply formatting your
> firewire-RAID5 array will be enough to send it into spasms
> and that should convince you not to risk any data to it.
>
> I have also tried using Linux and UnionFS (Li and his nephew
> have spent many many many frustrating hours trying to support
> my feeble efforts) to do the same - and whilst UnionFS is a
> superb tool - Linux firewire support is still very very flaky
> and - really - should be considered unusable for anything
> "serious". (I have been getting *MAJOR* corruption of the
> firewire drives - usually fixable by fsck but not always.)
>
> Phil
>
> > -----Original Message-----
> > From: ukha_d@xxxxxxx
> [mailto:ukha_d@xxxxxxx] On Behalf
> > Of john nye
> > Sent: 04 August 2005 22:37
> > To: ukha_d@xxxxxxx
> > Subject: Re: [ukha_d] Using WindowsXP to Make RAID 5 Happen
> >
> > Yep, that got my attention Phil.
> > I've got an enclosure containing 4 x 160GB, connected by
firewire.
> > Tell me more.
> >
> > John
> > ----- Original Message -----
> > From: "Phil Harris" <phil@xxxxxxx>
> > To: <ukha_d@xxxxxxx>
> > Sent: Thursday, August 04, 2005 9:10 PM
> > Subject: RE: [ukha_d] Using WindowsXP to Make RAID 5 Happen
> >
> >
> >
> > Just whatever you do for Gods sake don't try doing it
> across firewire
> > or USB drives!
> >
> > Take my word for it - you don't want to try it...
> >
> > Phil
> >
> > > -----Original Message-----
> > > From: ukha_d@xxxxxxx
> > [mailto:ukha_d@xxxxxxx] On
Behalf
> > > Of john nye
> > > Sent: 04 August 2005 17:09
> > > To: ukha_d@xxxxxxx
> > > Subject: Re: [ukha_d] Using WindowsXP to Make RAID 5 Happen
> > >
> > > I did the hack on my media server - been running for a few
> > months now
> > > without a problem.
> > >
> > >
> > > John
> > > ----- Original Message -----
> > > From: "Mark McCall" <lists@xxxxxxx>
> > > To: <ukha_d@xxxxxxx>
> > > Sent: Thursday, August 04, 2005 2:01 PM
> > > Subject: [ukha_d] Using WindowsXP to Make RAID 5 Happen
> > >
> > >
> > > > http://www.tomshardware.com/storage/20041119/index.html
> > > >
> > > > M.