Serial RAID problem

[dokkktor]

I have just installed my new Raid setup.

MSI 865PE NFS2R MOBO
2X 80GB Seagate SATA Hard Drives
Fresh install of Windows XP PRO SP2 from formatted Hard Drives.

I have everything running great. Installed all my programs.

2 days later and I start using Azureus to download Torrents.

About 10 minutes into this I get the Blue Screen of Death and it says something about

Kernel_Stack_Error or something like that.

Then the computer restarts and gets to a point where it says Bad Disk - No operating system found or something like that.

I restart and get into the Bios and it isn't reading my RAID.
I enter the Raid Setup Screen and it says that one of the drives is missing.
I open the case and re-seat the wires.

I restart and now the drive is present in the RAID set-up screen but FAILED.
I can Fix the RAID and it works and gets me back into Windows.

The computer works fine for another 2 days and I try Azureus again.
Within 5-10 mins again BSofD and it goes by too fast to read the error but it looks different.

Go through the Re-Seat cable procedure again and it gets me back into Windows.
Immediately turn on Azureus and get the BS0fD once more.

This last time now I don't start Azureus and the Computer runs fine for 3 days now, no problems.

Questions I have are:

1. What error log file will tell me what the Blue Screen of Death is saying? (It looks different each time)

2. How can a software program break up my RAID like that. Is it the fact that there are files being Uploaded and Downloaded with such high speeds (200-400 kbps) confusing it somehow? I am lost with this one. Or is it just a weird coincedence?

3. What would cause a RAID setup to all of a sudden come apart saying that one of the disks is missing? But then Fix itself that easily?

All the drivers were updated (I think) right after I re-installed Windows.

The only other thing I can think of is that the power supply has only one SATA plug so I had to buy a splitter that runs from one of the regular plugs. I believe it is a 430w Thermaltake.

In case it may be a power issue, I am also running
- ATI 9500
- a 30 GB IBM HD
- DVD Burner
- Video Cam
- non-usb printer
- IR port
- usb Mouse and Keyboard

Thank in advance for any help or directions to where I can find some info.

 

[spyordie007]

My money is on an issue with the RAID controller; perhaps the reason it's doing it while you are downloading torrents is because it generates a large number of random I/O operations (speculating based on the symptoms you're describing)...

Have you:
Checked for updated RAID controller firmware?
Updated the BIOS on your motherboard?
Updated drivers (in Windows) for your RAID controller (I'm not exactly clear about when it was you did this)?

Also in general I'd say that sticking your OS on a RAID-0 container is asking for trouble, even moreso if it's software RAID (which is most likely with your SATA setup). I would suggest keeping your system volume off the RAID-0 container.

 

[RebateMonger]

Originally posted by: dokkktor
1. What error log file will tell me what the Blue Screen of Death is saying? (It looks different each time)

To get an error message instead of a reboot:
In the System Properties Control Panel, select "Advanced", Select "Startup and Recovery Settings....", and tell XP NOT to automatically restart, and tell it to write an event to the system log.

I can't find a MSI Neo FS2R board with 865PE chipset, so I'm not sure what kind of RAID controller they are using. I didn't think that the 865-based boards normally came with Intel RAID-capable controllers. Is it a 3rd-party RAID controller chip?

 

[dokkktor]

It is a 865PE Neo2 FIS2R MOBO
It uses the Intel IAA RAID Edition for ICH5R
82801ER

I just updated the BIOS just to be sure and now RAID doesn't even show up as an option in the BIOS screen. SATA does but not RAID - The RAID Configure screen doesn't even come up now.

I went through the whole BIOS line by line and I can't find anywhere that just turns it off or can enable/disable it.

Now a whole new problem.

 

[dokkktor]

OK OK
On the third go around with the BIOS settings (restart Comp)
There is now the option for SATA RAID.
It is now back on track. So just disregard my last post.

The RAID driver is the most up to date one I can find at MSI's site.

Not sure about Firmware though. (how do you check and what exactly is it?)

The RAID controller is built into the MOBO.