Win 7 loading slowly with RAID0 storage array present

[Wigpo]

Hello

I have somewhat strange problem, I have 2 OCZ Vertex 3 SSDs in RAID0 as system disk and 4x WD 1TB in RAID0 for storage. My problem is that when the 4 1TB drives are connected the loading time of windows is increased with atleast 1 minute.

While in Windows everything works great, fantastic speeds with both RAID arrays!

Any input on this phenomenon would be appreciated

Windows 7 Professional 64bit
MB: Gigabyte z68x-ud7-b3
SSDs connected to Intel Sata3 ports and WD 1TB connected to Intel Sata2 ports, 2 marvell ports unused.

[Dark Mantis]

Hi and welcome.

I don't think there is much that you can do to help decrease the time it takes for the RAID to prepare but obviously you can make sure that everything else is as fast as possible. Do all the usual things like enabling fast boot, disabling the floppy drive search, boot direct from the hard drive not the optical, etc. All the usual time saving tweaks.

[Aussie Allan]

 Wigpo

  This is the price you pay to enjoy your present system spec ..... you BIOS and OS has rather a lot to do getting all your toys up and running

  This also the time people say to them selves....."Ooooo I know ....I'll try out Hibernate" ..... Don't go there! ...... If you want kick ass performance and rock solid stability.......take the one minute hit and make a cup of coffee

  I have a Raid card that pushes up my raid0 4 disc array substantially.......it adds 1 minute by it self

  I'd rather have turbo-charged V8 that takes a bit longer to warm up then a 1800cc motor-bike

  My next build will probably have 4 vertex 3s in raid0 for OS.........what sort of performance are you getting out of 2 ? and what ports are you running them off ?

  Aussie Allan

[Wigpo]

Thanks for all replies!

The extra minute is only from windows loading(from the moment the starting windows appears and the windows logo begins to assemble until I reach the desktop....), not detecting hardware and stuff like that, btw the SSDs are the primary boot device

The performance out of two are mindblowing...I'm running them of the Intel SATA3 ports on the motherboard.

I have the ATTO Benchmark results but I don't know how to share them with you at the moment. Do you have any suggestions on how to share them?

[Aussie Allan]

  Easies way is to put them on your desk top or a thumb drive....where ever you're used too.....at the bottom left of the box I'm typing into right now you will see

  + Additional Options...    ....Brouse... ...attach.....    .... post and your done!

     Hit that and follow the prompts ..... I'm guessing about ... what 800Mb/s read and 650Mb/s write for the two  ?

[Wigpo]

Oh, its that easy

Well, lets see

I've tried different stripesizes on the RAID0 array with different results

Here are for 16KB and 32KB stripesize

[Wigpo]

I haven't done the 64KB yet but I will do it soon

Atleast I have 128KB aswell

[Aussie Allan]

  Mad!...... the 64 bit strip might well be the sweet spot but we'll see.....keep em coming!

  My new X79 build (Jan -Feb start) is going to have 4 of these OCZ puppy's ..... performance is better then I hoped for!

  Aussie Allan

[Aussie Allan]

  Wigpo .... just though I'd add ....don't bench the living daylights out of them ....SSD just don't like too much ....they just can't handle benching 24/7 like magnetic drives do!

  Aussie Allan

[Dark Mantis]

Yes, the only trouble with SSDs...they don't like being used! That is why it isn't a good idea to run defragmentation programs, well that and the fact that SSDs don't care where the data is stored.

[Wigpo]

Thanks for your notifications and that's the reason that I only bench one time with each stripesize, which means a total of 4 benchmarks and that shouldn't kill em:)

Defrag is a BIG no no on SSDs..

Any further input on why windows would need another minute to load with 4x 1TB RAID0? The system is still using the same drivers since it's running of of another RAID0 array..

[Aussie Allan]

  I'm not running a 68 so really hard to say personally.....these are the sort of things you learn about when owning and using a given board....

  How did the 64bit stripesize turn out ?.....very interested in the missing puzzle piece!

  And here's some light reading for you....Tee Hee!  ( the first one is a living GEM) .....Enjoy and send money later   or Karmas!

http://www.ocztechnologyforum.com/forum/showthread.php?63273-*-Windows-7-Ultimate-Tweaks-amp-Utilities-*

 http://blogs.msdn.com/b/e7/archive/2009/05/05/support-and-q-a-for-solid-state-drives-and.aspx

  Aussie Allan

[Wigpo]

Haven't done the 64KB stripesize yet but will do tomorrow

Hehe, new most of the stuff already but still some fun reading:) the best part was for sure the GodMode folder Never heard of that one before and seems to be quite useful in some scenarios!

[Dark Mantis]

I have just been having a read through myself and found some new info which was interesting. The God Mode folder is a new one to me and I reckon could be very useful and timesaving. Thanks Allan.

[Aussie Allan]

                                                           "GOD MODE.........SUCH POWER"

  Aussie Allan