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GA-890GPA-UD3H + RAIDXpert - Unknown Error

GA-890GPA-UD3H + RAIDXpert - Unknown Error
« on: December 05, 2010, 12:13:17 am »
Computer Specs:

LG GH22NS50 22x SATA INTERNAL OEM Black Color SATA DVD WRITER * 1
STRONTIUM HYNIX 2GB 1333MHz DDR3 PC10660 w/ Lifetime Warranty * 4
AMD Phenom II X6 1055T 2.8GHz /3.3GHz Turbo Core 9MB cache Socket AM3 125W TDP * 1
GIGABYTE 890GPA-UD3H AM3 DDR3 1866 Six-Core Processor Ready 890GX+SB850, USB3.0 & SATA3 * 1
Seagate 250G 8M 7200.12 SATA II 3G Internal NCQ HDD (ST3250318AS) * 1
HITACHI 1TB SATA2 3.5" Internal HDD DESKSTAR 7K1000.C 32MB 7200RPM * 3
COOLER MASTER 650W eXtreme Power Plus SLI Silent 12CM Fan Newest ATX 12V V2.3 Dual +12V1 * 1
Microsoft Windows 7 Home Prem 64bit OEM (GFC-00977) * 1

HDD Configuration:

3 * 1 TB Hitachi HDD existing in a RAID5 set (=2TB volume)
1 * Seagate hard drive, exists outside of the RAID set and is used for swap files (Both OS and photoshop)


Problem Description:

The RAID Expert software periodically displays an 'unknown error'
   This error is becoming more frequent
   Seemingly no impact to the computer as a whole
   Is reported in the event log, however no further information beyond the time of its occurence is available

Excluded factors:

Internal power. Usage has been calculated prior to the build of the computer, and is not being exceeded.
External Power. The computer has external power conditioning - a Belkin 4 way power conditioner.
Drivers. Latest Drivers are being used (at least as far as Windows update is concerned)


Remaining factors:

   1: BIOS - I am loathe to perform any form of firmware upgrade, unless it can be demonstrated that this is the only way to fix the
problem. Seen too many flash attempts go wrong to happily entertain the idea.

   2: RAIDXPERT software - internal/unresolved problem. What scares me about this is that I may have an imminient failure on my hands,
and no way to determine where that failure will occur.
      2.1: RAIDXPERT software - false alarm (I dont accept this at this stage, because the frequency is increasing)

   3: RAM - Windows is capable of hiding a multitude of sins at the RAM level.

   4: One or all drives inside or outside of the set are failing; however:
      4.1 All of the drives in the RAID set report being healthy - according to RAIDXPERT itself; and:
         4.1.1 The drive outside the set is also reported as being healthy.

   5: The motherboard - specifically the south-bridge. Perhaps it really is not fit for purpose.
      5.1 The Motherboard - DMA problem?

   6: S.M.A.R.T implementation - drive manufacturers have different implementations. Perhaps the less common Hitachi drives are raising
events that the RAIDXPERT cannot correctly interpret. Or using an unexpected metric.

Information provided elsewhere:

One thread suggested disabling S.M.A.R.T. Potentially this information does not propagate through RAID properly. I accept that this
may be the case, and further I recognise that different HDD vendors have their own S.M.A.R.T implementations.

That same thread suggested what I consider masking the symptom: using an older version of the RAIDXPERT software.

Other Information:

When, in the first week, one of the Hitachi drives did fail, the RAIDXPERT did report the problem correctly, and take the drive offline.
Knowing that the RAID controller is them forced to reconstruct the remaining stripe on the fly (computationally expensive), the computer was
shut down until the replacement drive was fitted, and the array rebuilt.

That incident has shaken my confidence in the Hitachi brand. Further; This particular disk is no longer avaialble in NZ. Co-indicence?
I dont know.

My Question:

What suggestions does anyone have that might point me in the right direction here.

Many Thanks,

Chris

absic

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Re: GA-890GPA-UD3H + RAIDXpert - Unknown Error
« Reply #1 on: December 05, 2010, 10:26:02 am »
Hi there,

First off just want to say what a nice post.

OK I know you're not too keen on flashing BIOS and you don't actually state which version you are running or the Revision of your motherboard but there has been an update for the RAID ROM which really might help and this is the first thing I would do.
If you use QFlash for updating BIOS you should have no problems. If you're not sure about using QFlash check out the FAQ here: http://forum.giga-byte.co.uk/index.php/topic,2441.0.html

I don't use Raid Expert myself and there does seem to be several reported issues with this programme. You might find some better answers regarding this particular aspect from AMD and/or their forum.
Remember, when all else fails a cup of tea and a good swear will often help! It won't solve the problem but it will make you feel better.

Re: GA-890GPA-UD3H + RAIDXpert - Unknown Error
« Reply #2 on: December 05, 2010, 11:47:05 am »
Hi,

Wow - thanks for you kind words, and your insight.

I had left those two pieces of information out of the description, simply because I don't have that information - yet. From memory it is a 2.1 revision. But until I can state it as fact, it is information that has no relevence here.

I am likely to be in front of the computer within the next few days. By that stage I will also have started requesting information from AMD.

Caught between a rock and a hard place. If I dont investigate flashing the BIOS I'll never know. If I do, and the problem gets worse, I should be able to roll back to the current version. Is there a contingency for what happens if the process fails altogether - and the computer does not boot?

So, we'll see what the next few days turns up.

Regards,

Chris



Dark Mantis

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Re: GA-890GPA-UD3H + RAIDXpert - Unknown Error
« Reply #3 on: December 05, 2010, 12:02:49 pm »
Just to help bolster your confidence a little I would agree with absic and a BIOS update would be my first port of call. As long as it's done using QFlash and properly there is next to no chance of it going wrong. Even if it did there is always the Backup BIOS to fall back on as a failsafe.
« Last Edit: December 05, 2010, 12:03:30 pm by Dark Mantis »
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absic

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Re: GA-890GPA-UD3H + RAIDXpert - Unknown Error
« Reply #4 on: December 05, 2010, 12:11:43 pm »
Hi Again,

as there are 3 revisions of your motherboard that piece of information is quite important as it will be necessary to direct you to the correct BIOS download. Also if your BIOS is reasonably up-to-date, you might not have to flash BIOS at all!

If the BIOS update fails for any reasons there are several methods of getting you back up and running but, I have to flash BIOS with regular monotony and so far, using QFlash, there have been no problems.
Remember, when all else fails a cup of tea and a good swear will often help! It won't solve the problem but it will make you feel better.

Re: GA-890GPA-UD3H + RAIDXpert - Unknown Error
« Reply #5 on: January 09, 2011, 10:28:30 pm »
Update:

I found that if I turned off hibernation, the error messages occurred less often. I cannot prove if the message was a different problem - or the same one, triggered under defferent circumstances. At this point, I'll assume that there were two seperate contributors, and that one has been resolved. I'll even go so far as to say that it was ACPI and waking the drives. (I was sure that I had turned hibernation off at the initial build - I have no faith in it, and would never deliberately build any RAID implementation with hibernation)

If I follow that reasoning, then that still gives me between 1 and 5 further occurrences per week of another error.

I have established its actually a revision 2 motherboard. There are about 6 BIOS updates for that motherboard, and two seem to focus heavily upon the RAID chipset or the southbridge generically.

Are the BIOS updates standalone, or are they cumulative? From my perspective, the risk window is smaller if I only have to perform the operation once.

Anyway, thanks for you help so far.

Chris


blackie

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Re: GA-890GPA-UD3H + RAIDXpert - Unknown Error
« Reply #6 on: January 10, 2011, 02:55:52 am »
I was getting an unknown error from RAID expert also.

I found that there was a later build of RAID expert at the AMD site. Updated and the error went away.

I have no idea what the error was - nor why the RAID expert said I was OK now.

I would check your program first before updating BIOS (but using QFLASH is a cinch - have no fear - do it).
GA-890GPA-UD3H Rev 2.1 (BIOS FF)
AMD X6 1090T o/c to 4.0 GHz - W Hyper 212 EVO cooler
Win 7 HP 64-bit SP1
(2) 4GB G.Skill PC12800 @ 1333 MHz
Corsair TX850 PS & 850D Case
OCZ Vertex 4 SSD & Hitachi HDT722525DLA380 250GB SATA HDs
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