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RAID woes since SP1 2

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stduc

stduc

Programmer
Nov 26, 2002
1,903
GB
Technical Specs
O/S Windows 7 Ultimate (x64) (build 7600)

CPU 2.80 gigahertz Intel Core i7 860 32 kilobyte primary memory cache 64-bit ready Multi-core (4 total) Hyper-threaded (8 total)
Main Board: ASUSTeK Computer INC. P7P55D-E Rev 1.xx
Intel(R) ICH8R/ICH9R/ICH10R/DO SATA RAID Controller

Drives 3x SAMSUNG HD 103SDJ 1 TB drives in a RAID 5 giving 2000.40 GB


On boot up the RAID status is either ‘normal’ ‘validate’ or ‘degraded’. Validate means that after booting up the BIOS will spend a few days (literally!) validating he RAIDs integrity. Degraded means that one of the disks has dropped out of the RAID and it has to be rebuilt – again taking several days!

The machine is just over 1 year old. The drives have given me no issues until recently. About 3 weeks ago I went for SP1. It hung after trundling for a while and after seeming to do nothing for about 15 mins with no response even to Ctl/Alt/Del I was forced to power cycle the machine. It appeared to boot OK and said it was at SP1. The next day when I booted up the RAID status was ‘Validate’ and the machine was very sluggish during the 9 hours or so it took to validate. The next day the status was ‘Degraded’. I took the ‘failed’ HDD out and tested it – no issues were reported by the diagnostics. I replaced the drive and mounted it. It took 49 1/4 hours to rebuild the array. A few days later status went to Validate again and then to Degraded. This time I reverted to an image I had made prior to SP1 and have had no problems since. This time the RAID rebuild to 52 ½ hours!. IF I have no further RAID issues in the next couple of weeks I am forced to conclude that the issue was SP1. But I know I will have to go to SP1 and also that i really really want to avoid another RAID rebuild as the machine is like a snail on mogaddon during the rebuild.

I am posting this for advice and comments. For instance how long next time should I allow the SP1 install to apparently hang the machine?
 
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at times SP1 installs can take quite a while, but this differs between install to install, so no set time period...

as to the RAID, have you updated the drivers for the RAID, even took a look for a firmware update for the controller?



Ben
"If it works don't fix it! If it doesn't use a sledgehammer..."
How to ask a question, when posting them to a professional forum.
Only ask questions with yes/no answers if you want "yes" or "no"
 
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Thanks for the suggestions BigBadBen - The RAID is driverless - but I'll certainly check out if there are any RAID BIOS updates. Scary things BIOS updates though!

Let me put this another way - does anyone know if the SP1 install can appear to hang the machine - but finally complete? I pressed and held the power button because there was no response to the keyboard. Not even to the three finger salute! I can't recall if the mouse pointer was still responding but I am certain that I could not click on anything and that there was no response to a right click.
 
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Do you have the Intel Rapid Storage driver installed? I know on my SSD I was getting all kinds of hangs,reboots and such after going to SP1, until I found they had updated that driver, and after I installed it, have not had an issue since. I also updated the firmware, Drives and system board. But issues persisted until I updated that Intel driver.
 
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The Wizard for the SP1 install (if I remember correctly) does say that it might take several hours to install, although the normal install time is less than an hour on most machines.


Release Notes for Windows 7 with Service Pack 1.doc

Have you tried this, I don't know which version you will require, one is 64-bit, the other 32-bit?

System Update Readiness Tool for Windows 7 for x64-based Systems (KB947821) [February 2011]

System Update Readiness Tool for Windows 7 (KB947821) [February 2011]


When installing SP1 it pays to limit the activity of other programs that might be running and to give the install the highest possible privileges.

How to troubleshoot a problem by performing a clean boot in Windows Vista or in Windows 7


Try right-clicking on the actual Setup.exe and selecting the "Run As Administrator" option? Do so even if your user is an Admin.
 
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I'm thinking it has to be a firmware update that is required. Meanwhile the plot thickens. The LAN driver needed updating and the Audio driver also so I did those and shortly thereafter the RAID failed again. So its on its 60 hour rebuild now (again). I made an image before the driver updates and restored to that so after the rebuild I'll just update the LAN driver and then see if I can find any firmware updates whilst I wait to see how stable it is. I estimate late next week before the rebuild completes!

rclarke250 - I don't believe so - The RAID control software (that allows you to control caching and rebuilds but is not required to make the RAID work)is the Intel SATA RAID Controller. Windows just sees one big disk and uses the microsoft driver.
 
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Windows just sees one big disk and uses the microsoft driver.
Click to expand...
and that may be the problem child...

since you do have an image, why not install the correct INTEL driver and then install SP1 and see if the RAID behaves then...

Ben
"If it works don't fix it! If it doesn't use a sledgehammer..."
How to ask a question, when posting them to a professional forum.
Only ask questions with yes/no answers if you want "yes" or "no"
 
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BigBadBen

You may be correct - but no drivers were prompted for when I installed Win 7 64 bit and I can see nothing appropriate here
Instructions are minimal or non-existant. I guess I could try the Intel Matrix Storage manager? I've downloaded it but the readme file seems to refer to XP! I could I could try running the ASUSSETUP.exe file and see what happens?

The rebuild is proceeding and claims it has 30 hours left to complete!
 
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But it does have the matrix download here at the support page. But it is old. I had to get the latest which was 10.6.0.1002 at the time I was having issues. I actually like the information the manager provides, nice little utility that informs you about the devices hooked up to the sata ports.
 
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rclarke250

Do you mean this?

Intel(R) Matrix Storage Manager Driver V8.9.0.1023 for Windows 32/64bit XP & Windows 32/64bit Vista & 32/64bit Windows 7.(WHQL)
Intel(R) AHCI/RAID Driver Disk for Windows 32/64bit XP & Windows 32/64bit Vista & 32/64bit Windows 7.
 
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Thanks RC, for jumping in and pointing him to the correct download, the driver is now at version 10.8.0.1003... for normal operation of the ICH10R as AHCI or in IDE mode, the MS drivers will suffice (99% of the time)...

PS: I got the same chipset on my mainboard (P55A-UD3 GigaByte), though I only use the Marvel RAID (as RAID 0 for games only)...



Ben
"If it works don't fix it! If it doesn't use a sledgehammer..."
How to ask a question, when posting them to a professional forum.
Only ask questions with yes/no answers if you want "yes" or "no"
 
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Thanks rclarke250 - downloaded.

The current situation is that the RAID is nearly rebuilt. In device manager - Disk Drives - there is a device called CMR5 (which is the name I gave to the RAID) with the drivers for that marked as Microsoft v 6.1.7600.16385 c:\windows\system32\drivers\disk.sys and c:\windows\system32\partmgr.sys

Under Storage controllers I have Intel(R) ICH8R/ICH10R/DO/PCH SATA RAID Controller - Intel version 8.9.0.1023 C:\windows\system32\iaStor.sys

Is that the situation I should have?

I assume that if I double click on iata_enu_10.8.0.1003.exe it will update to version 10.8.0.1003 ?

I am planning to see if the RAID remains stable for a week or so (no driver updates of any kind) Then Update the BIOS and Then Update the RAID driver. Does that seem reasonable? Or do you think I should update the Driver first and then the BIOS
 
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>> Does that seem reasonable?

Yep, it does...

>> Or do you think I should update the Driver first and then the BIOS

it should not matter, either way should be fine...

>> I assume that if I double click on iata_enu_10.8.0.1003.exe it will update to version 10.8.0.1003 ?

yes, it will update the iaStore.sys driver, but I am not sure if it is that exact version number, sometimes Intel will just update the INF file and leave certain other files at an earlier version...


Ben
"If it works don't fix it! If it doesn't use a sledgehammer..."
How to ask a question, when posting them to a professional forum.
Only ask questions with yes/no answers if you want "yes" or "no"
 
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Sounds good, the main thing is have a plan and follow it. At least until it's resolved or there is a change that can be tracked for better diagnosis.
 
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How do you make god laugh? ..... Tell him your plans!

Would you believe it - the RAID failed again overnight whilst the system was going an image backup. Probably after the backup completed. I have no idea as I was in bed. A different disk reported as failed this time. So I decided I would update the driver and then mark the disk as normal and let it rebuild.

That went OK - and so far so good. The updated drivers seems to be managing the rebuild better as well - the system seems much more responsive than before whilst rebuilding the RAID.

A few observations.

You no longer seem to get an estimate of when the rebuild will complete. At least I can't find that option.

I took a look at the install logs in C:\Intel\Logs
There were a few errors reported - such as

!!! ERROR 0xE0000102: SetupFindFirstLine generated an unexpected error. skipping inf
!!! ERROR 0x2: Error querying registry key
!!! ERROR 0x3: FindFirstFile generated an unexpected error
Copy File Source = C:\Windows\Temp\IIF2\difxapi.dll
Copy File Destination = C:\Windows\SysWOW64\difxapi.dll
Copy file error (5) on source = C:\Windows\Temp\IIF2\difxapi.dll.

!!! ERROR 0x2: Error deleting entire registry key system\CurrentControlSet\Services\IaNvStor


I don't think I need to worry. Or do I?
 
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Check to see if the Intel storage manager is loaded under programs. It should give you rebuild under status/advanced.

For info on the .dll file, try here.
IaNvStor looks like a nand driver for turbo memory from Intel. If you don't have turbo memory, and very few desktops do, it would be safe to delete this key by hand in the registry. If you do have turbo memory, or are using a USB key for turbo memory, then leave it, and check to make sure the USB key is plugged in.
 
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It appears there is no key \CurrentControlSet\Services\IaNvStor
So that explains that error - thanks.

Rebuild is now at 10%. All I was saying is that version 9 had a useful add-on that attempted to predict how much longer the rebuild would take. This version doesn't appear to have that functionality. No biggie though.

I'm hoping this rebuild will stick! By my calculatoins it should complete mid morning on Friday.
 
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No worries - BadBigBen- I will - just in case it helps anyone else if for no other reason.

RAID completed rebuilding overnight - so fingers crossed. I have to be away a lot at the moment so the machine will be shut down this evening for several days. I shan't be in any hurry to update the Audio or NIC drivers either, never mind re-trying SP1!

It seems the rebuild turned on the Write-back cache. I'm not sure I want that enabled. I can't see anywhere to turn that off though?

Name: CMR5
Status: Normal
Type: RAID 5
Size: 1.8 TB
Data stripe size: 64 KB
Write-back cache: Enabled
System volume: Yes
Initialized: Yes
Verification errors found: 0
Blocks with media errors: 0
Physical sector size: 512 Bytes
Logical sector size: 512 Bytes
Parent array: Array_0000
Number of disks: 3

In HELP it says

Disabling the volume write-back cache
1. Under 'Status' or 'Manage', in the storage system view, click the volume for which you want to disable the write-back cache. The volume properties are now displayed on the left.
2. In the Advanced section, click 'Disable', and then click 'Yes' to confirm.
3. The page refreshes and the write-back cache is now disabled

Trouble is - there is nothing to click! No Disable option.

Any ideas?
 
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