ITE IT8212F GigaRAID chipset on Gigabyte '7n400 Pro' mobo

Joker

Hello!

This is my first post on this site after searching on the net for literally hours without finding a solution to my problem. So, here it is...

I brought my Gigabyte 7n400 Pro a few years back and got on great with it. I kept the setup and 12 months ago built myself a new system.

Recently I decided to blow off the dust and bring the old system out to replace my server with a bit more power and more hard disc space. Thats where I hit problems.

I wanted to run 2x40gb hard discs in RAID stripe on IDE channels 3 or 4 using the ITE IT8212F chipset. Unfortunately no matter what I do, the BIOS (for the GigaRAID) just doesn't work!

At first I tried connecting the drives in all manner of combinations:
Master/Slave IDE 3
Cable Select IDE 3
Master ID3 Slave IDE4
etc.
no joy. So I thought, old drives, I'll try some new ones and connected up 2x250gbs. The same.

So then I set about searching for an update for the IT8212F chipset and discovered about modding my BIOS using cbmod. Excellent, I thought my problems were over. I had no problems swapping the IT8212 firmware in the BIOS bin, I tried:
The latest v1.7.1.94 of ite's website (even though this is for the PCI card I thought I'd give it ago)
I extracted the BIOS from the 7n400 Pro 2 BIOS for the chipset and tried that
I look for another Award BIOS mobo from a different manufacturer and used the BIOS from that

I have also tried entering the IT8212's BIOS and changed the auto rebuild setting to 'disable' and attempted to exit and save. The PC then locks up for ages and finally comes back with 'Array setup failed...'

HELP HELP HELP.

I really want to use RAID and can't. I'm stuck, I have no idea!

If anyone can help I would be really grateful and hopefully help others too!

Thank you,

Tim

Joker

I decided that as I hadn't recieved any posts...as yet?? I would speak to Gigabyte themselves.

Not the most helpful. If anyone has any ideas then please help, if not the £10 charge for shipping and repair direct back to Gigabyte is looking good value for money!

Here is the conv. in reverse order:

Answer : Hi,

If that the case sorry but we suggest please send back the board to the shop or dealer for pyhsical check or RMA.

Sorry for the inconvenience caused.
Question - 359946
From : Tim Bailey [ tdb@thebaileys.freeserve.co.uk ]
Sent : 2006/5/24 23:20
Question : I have tried different RAID settings but both give that same error.

The 2 x 40GBs are fine and identical and I also swapped tested each 40GB drive with a different make 40GB just incase. I have also tried 2 x 250GB HDDs as well.

Its actually 1GB RAM I have but have tried different combinations and also 1 stick on its own as well as a completely seperate stick of 256Mb.

Still no joy.
Answer - 359937
Answer : Hi,

Which RAID array you have set? Have you try both RAID 1 and RAID 0?

Can you double confirm the HDD are in working condition? Please try to install the OS on each HDD to eliminate the caused.

Also can please set up the RAID array with single stick of memory (if you have two).
Question - 359937
From : Tim Bailey [ tdb@thebaileys.freeserve.co.uk ]
Sent : 2006/5/24 22:55
Question : I've never tried to use the RAID feature before. I have reset the BIOS to 'Optimised Defaults' as well as flashing the BIOS to the latest release, F17 with v1.41 of the IT8212F BIOS included.

The BIOS settings include:
SATA controller is disabled
GigaRAID is enabled and set to RAID

I have tried all diffiferent combinations of cabling including your suggestion. The harddiscs are detected in the GigaRAID status screen.

Again I can get into the GigaRAID BIOS but then if I try to setup an array or just exit and save changes the PC locks up for about 5 minutes and then returns 'Array Setup Failed...'

Thank you,

Tim
Answer - 359878
Answer : Hi,

Is this problem occurs recently? What are the GigaRAID setting in the BIOS? Are the HDD correctly detected in the RAID BIOS? Please set both HDD to master.

Could you please try to set the "Load Optimsed Default" in the main BIOS?
Question - 359878
From : Tim Bailey [ tdb@thebaileys.freeserve.co.uk ]
Sent : 2006/5/24 19:49
Question : These downloads all relate to the OS drivers but I am having problems in the IT8212F BIOS before I can even attemp to install an OS. Everytime I try and do anything in the IT8212F BIOS it just tells me 'Array Setup Failed...' even if I have no disks plugged in and I'm simply exiting and saving changes.

Tim
Answer - 359855
Answer : Hi,

Please go to our website to downlaod the latest RAID driver: http://tw.giga-byte.com/Motherboard/Support/Driver/Driver_RAID.htm and extract it to your hard disk later. After that, please prepare a blank floopy disk and copy the files and specific OS folder in directory that you saved the drivers to A:\. Please kindly also refer to the user manual for the details.
Question - 359855
From : Tim Bailey [ tdb@thebaileys.freeserve.co.uk ]
Sent : 2006/5/24 18:44
Question : I wanted to run 2x40gb hard discs in RAID stripe on IDE channels 3 or 4 using the ITE IT8212F chipset. Unfortunately no matter what I do, the BIOS (for the GigaRAID) just doesn't work!

At first I tried connecting the drives in all manner of combinations:
Master/Slave IDE 3
Cable Select IDE 3
Master ID3 Slave IDE4
etc.
no joy. So I thought, old drives, I'll try some new ones and connected up 2x250gbs. The same.

I have also tried entering the IT8212's BIOS and changed the auto rebuild setting to 'disable' and attempted to exit and save without any harddiscs attached. The PC then locks up for ages and finally comes back with 'Array setup failed...'

Please help, I really want to use RAID and can't. I'm stuck, I have no idea!

Thank you,

Tim