How to install 2DH array in 1600 server

[Guest_imported]

Pardon the "Newbieness" as I'm getting started in learning servers. I picked up a Compaq 1600 server from e-bay and purchased a Smart-Array 2DH controller. I opened up the server and installed the 2DH in slot 1. What else needs to be hooked up to this controller? Do I get a new SCSI cable and hook-up the hard disks (5-4.3 SCSI drives currently) to this new controller? Then nothing would be hooked up to the SCSI controller on the motherboard? Not sure how to proceed.

As of now, I haven't hooked up any cables to it, just inserted the 2DH in a PCI slot. I ran the SmartStart disk and configured everything, but during the array configuration I get the error message "There are no physical devices attached to the Compaq Smart-2DH Controller in Slot 1".

Please help!

Thanks,

Howard

 

[ntinlin]

There should be a SCSI cable going from the drive cage to the motherboard. Probably marked Port A.

Should be able to remove from board and plug on to connector on top of RAID card. SmartStart should then work ok.
Don't worry about having nothing plugged into the motherboard socket.

Neill

 

[Guest_imported]

Thanks Neil, it worked! There is also a Port B, but my smart array 2DH controller only has one internal and one external connection. I hooked up Port A to the interal connection of the 2DH, is it OK to hook up Port B to the external? And what's the best way of doing this? Or should I just buy another 2DH card instead of worring about hooking up the external connection of the 2DH?

Thanks for the help,

Howard

 

[TheLad]

We used to have to buy special connectors which was like a PCI SCSI port. Internally, the connection went to the drive cage, externally we had a special cable that plugged this connection into the external port on the 2DH.

Buying another 2DH would definately be an expensive option. -----------------------------------------------------
"It's true, its damn true!"
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[ntinlin]

Hi Howard,

Compaq don't recommend mixing internal and external usage on the same RAID board. I do it here with SA-3200's but it isn't guaranteed to work.
Not positive but I think since the 2-DH is a single channel board only that that wouldn't work anyway.

2nd hand RAID cards aren't too hard to come by or too expensive and the 1600's are nice machines so it's worth it.

Alternative would be to forget about using the internal bays and put everything externally.

 

[TheLad]

The 2DH is a dual channel board - one internal connection, one external connection.

As specified in my previous post, we used to use both internal and external connections on our servers. -----------------------------------------------------
"It's true, its damn true!"
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