Asrock P4VM890 R2.0 User Manual

VIA RAID Installation Guide

1. VIA BIOS RAID Installation Guide …………………………………………………………………………………………. 2

1.1 Introduction of RAID ………………………………………………………………………………………………. 2

1.2 RAID Configuration Precautions ………………………………………………………………………………… 3

1.3 BIOS Configuration Utility ………………………………………………………………………………………… 3

1.3.1 Enter BIOS Configuration Utility ………………………………………………………………………. 3

1.3.2 Create Disk Array ……………………………………………………………………………………….. 3

1.3.3 Delete Disk Array ……………………………………………………………………………………….. 6

1.3.4 Select Boot Array ……………………………………………………………………………………….. 6

2. VIA Windows RAID Installation Guide ……………………………………………………………………………………... 7

2.1 Create RAID Array ………………………………………………………………………………………………… 8

2.2 Delete Disk Array ……………………………………………………………………………………………..…… 10

2.3 Check All Disks ……………………………………………………………………………………………………. 10

2.4 Verify Mirror Disk ………………………………………………………………………………………………….. 11

2.5 Synchronize Mirror Disk ………………………………………………………………………………………….. 12

2.6 Disk Error Detection ………………………………………………………………………………………………. 13

2.7 Duplicate Critical RAID 1 Array ………………………………………………………………………………….. 13

2.8 Rebuild Broken RAID 1 array ……………………………………………………………………………………. 13

If you insert two HDDs to VIA SATA connectors and plan to configure RAID functions, please refer to VIA RAID installation guide part, including
VIA BIOS RAID installation guide and VIA Windows RAID installation guide.

1. VIA BIOS RAID Installation Guide

You are allowed to configure RAID functions under BIOS environment.

1.1 Introduction of RAID

VIA VT8237 south bridge chipset integrates RAID controller supporting RAID 0, RAID 1, and JBOD functions with two independent SATA
channels. This section will introduce the basic knowledge of RAID.

RAID

The term “RAID” stands for “Redundant Array of Independent Disks”, which is a method combining two or more hard disk drives into one logical
unit. For optimal performance, please install identical drives of the same model and capacity when creating a RAID set.

RAID 0 (Data Striping)

RAID 0 is called data striping that optimizes two identical hard disk drives to read and write data in parallel, interleaved stacks. It will improve data
access and storage since it will double the data transfer rate of a single disk alone while the two hard disks perform the same work as a single
drive but at a sustained data transfer rate.

WARNING!

Although RAID 0 function can improve the access performance, it does not provide any fault tolerance. Hot-Plug any HDDs of the RAID 0 Disk will cause data

damage or data loss.

RAID 1 (Data Mirroring)

RAID 1 is called data mirroring that copies and maintains an identical image of data from one drive to a second drive. It provides data
protection and increases fault tolerance to the entire system since the disk array management software will direct all applications to the
surviving drive as it contains a complete copy of the data in the other drive if one drive fails.

JBOD (Spanning)

A spanning disk array is equal to the sum of all drives. Spanning stores data onto a drive until it is full then proceeds to store files onto the next
drive in the array. When any member disk fails, it will affect the entire array. JBOD is not really a RAID, and it does not support fault tolerance.

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1.2 RAID Configurations Precautions

Please use two new drives if you are creating a RAID 0 (striping) array for performance. It is recommended to use two SATA drives of the same
size. If you use two drives of different sizes, the smaller capacity hard disk will be the base storage size for each drive. For example, if one hard
disk has an 80GB storage capacity and the other hard disk has 60GB, the maximum storage capacity for the 80GB-drive becomes 60GB, and the
total storage capacity for this RAID 0 set is 120GB.

1. You may use two new drives, or use an existing drive and a new drive to
create a RAID 1 (mirroring) array for data protection (the new drive must be of the same size or larger than the existing drive). If you use two
drives of different sizes, the smaller capacity hard disk will be the base storage size. For example, if one hard disk has an 80GB storage
capacity and the other hard disk has 60GB, the maximum storage capacity for the RAID 1 set is 60GB.

2. Please verify the status of your hard disks before you set up your new RAID array.

1.3 BIOS Configuration Utility

1.3.1 Enter BIOS Configuration Utility

After the system powers on, the following information will appear on the screen. Press ‘Tab’ key to enter BIOS configuration utility.

The main interface of BIOS configuration utility is as below:

1.3.2 Create Disk Array

1. Within the main interface, use the up and down arrow key to highlight the Create Array command and press <Enter> to call out the list of
creation steps.

2. Highlight the Array Mode and press <Enter>, then a list of array modes will appear. Just highlight the target array mode that you want to

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create, and press <Enter> to confirm the selection.

3. There are two methods to create a disk array. One method is “Auto Setup”, and another is “Select Disk Drives”. Select “Auto Setup” to

allow BIOS to select the disk drives and create array automatically. Select “Select Disk Drives” to let user select the array drives
manually. When using Select Disk Drives method, the channel column will be activated. Just highlight the target drives that you want to
use and press <Enter> to select them respectively. When all drives have been selected, press <Esc> to go back to the creation steps
menu.

Create RAID 0

If RAID 0 array is selected in step 2, user can also select a block size for the array. Use the arrow key to highlight the “Block Size” and press
<Enter>. Then the list of available block size will popup. The block size can be selected from 4K to 64K Bytes.

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Use the arrow key to highlight the Start Create Process and press <Enter>, then a warning message will appear. Press Y to finish the creation, o r
press N to cancel the creation. Please note that the content of the hard drive will be destroyed after array creation.

Create RAID 1

The data on disk drives will be destroyed if user uses “Auto Setup” to create RAID 1. But you can reserve the data on source drive if you use
“Select Disk Drives” to select the source and the mirror drive.

Press “y” to copy data of source to mirror drive. There is a limitation when using this feature. The capacity of mirror drive must be greater or equal
to the source drive; otherwise the RAID 1 can’t be created and a error message will appear: “Error: mirror’s size is smaller than source!!! Press
ESC return”. If user does not want to duplicate data, the data on the source and the mirror drive will be destroyed.

Create JBOD

The data on disk drives will be destroyed if user uses “Auto Setup” to create a JBOD. However, you can reserve the data on the first disk drive of
a JBOD array if you use “Select Disk Drives” to select disk drives

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