Date: Sun, 15 Dec 2002 19:30:19 -0600 From: Hari Bhaskaran <subscr@spider.netmails.net> To: "Jin Guojun [NCS]" <j_guojun@lbl.gov> Cc: freebsd-hardware@FreeBSD.ORG Subject: Re: Optimal conf for two HDDs + 1 CD on 2 UDMA/100 channels Message-ID: <20021215193019.A64865@spider.netmails.net> In-Reply-To: <3DFD285E.96FE73AD@lbl.gov>; from j_guojun@lbl.gov on Sun, Dec 15, 2002 at 05:11:58PM -0800 References: <20021215184343.A64802@spider.netmails.net> <3DFD285E.96FE73AD@lbl.gov>
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Jin, Now after reading your question, I do realise something is rong. My motherboard is a Super Micro P4SBE. http://www.supermicro.com/PRODUCT/MotherBoards/845/P4SBE.htm It says it has "Dual Ultra DMA 100 IDE Bus Master". However, only one of the slots is blue in color. Then the manual says elsewhere that "The 80-wire ATA66/100 IDE hard disk drive cable that came with your system has two connectors to support two drives". This would probably mean that I can only use one capable for the harddisks anyways. Both harddisks are ATA-100. The cable itself (that came with the MB) isn't long enough to connect both the drives, so I went to Frys and got a longer (36") cable. Apparently that doesn't have a 'blue' end, although the store confirmed it is UDMA/100 capable. Is this normal? BTW, HDDs are http://www.westerndigital.com/products/products.asp?DriveID=12 and http://www.maxtor.com/en/documentation/quick_specs/diamondmax_plus_9_quick_specs.pdf (120GB one) On Sun, Dec 15, 2002 at 05:11:58PM -0800, Jin Guojun [NCS] wrote: > There are a couple of separated issues in answering your question: > > (1) Not all IDE controllers are really works in stripping well. > (2) Does an inactive IDE device will affect an active IDE device? > > You seem concerning the second issue in your email. It is usually not > the problem. > However, the first issue may be a problem, and it depends on what type of > IDE controller you have. > > For example: > AMD MPX IDE controller has two real IDE buses, which give you over > 190 MBps aggregated throughput. So, stripping will help. > Intel PCI chip sets seem not have two really separated IDE buses. So, it > does not matter how you connect your drives, you will not get aggregated > throughput near 100 MBps. So, do whatever it is convenient for you, > it will not make different. > VIA/ALi/NVIDIA/SiS chip sets all have different features. > > So, you need to test your IDE controllers to decide how you connect > your drives. Normally, what you proposed is a better way. > > -Jin > > Hari Bhaskaran wrote: > > > > Hi, > > > > I plan to use vinumfs on FreeBSD 4.7 using two IDE harddisks 120G each. > > Motherboard has two UDMA/100 IDE slots. > > > > If I didn't have the CD, I would expect it will be better to put both > > HDDs on different cables since they wouldn't compete for the channel > > that way. But then the CD would have to be at least a slave on one of > > the cables. Would it degrade the performance of the HDD on the same > > cable?. The CD drive is Mitsumi SR242S1 -- an I am not sure if it is > > slow or fast. I would use the CD only rarely (probably only during > > initial install). The HDD doc says it is OK to put a CD on the > > same cable so long as the HDD is the master. Would that take care of > > any performance issues? > > > > Is any one configuration better suited for FreeBSD or vinumfs for that > > matter. Any help is greatly appreciated > > > > -- > > Hari Bhaskaran > > > > To Unsubscribe: send mail to majordomo@FreeBSD.org > > with "unsubscribe freebsd-hardware" in the body of the message To Unsubscribe: send mail to majordomo@FreeBSD.org with "unsubscribe freebsd-hardware" in the body of the message
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