Thinkpads Forum

Since W700 has a built-in RAID controller, I was wondering if this controller can be configured with a third HD in the ultrabay for a RAID 5. Also, does anyone know what kind of controller it is, is it soldered to the mobo or just attached to some specific interface?

Thanks

Marin

Marin85 wrote:Since W700 has a built-in RAID controller, I was wondering if this controller can be configured with a third HD in the ultrabay for a RAID 5. Also, does anyone know what kind of controller it is, is it soldered to the mobo or just attached to some specific interface?

Thanks

Marin

Marin, I know that RAID 5 is supported. The computer has four eSATA ports: 0 and 1 built in to the main body of the laptop, port 2 on the ultrabay slim and port 3 on the back. I have not tried it but the documentation specifically says,

"Intel Matrix RAID Technology supports the following RAID level combinations as long as the same number of hard drives is used for both volumes:
2-drive RAID 1 and RAID 0
3-6 drive RAID 0 and RAID 5
4-drive RAID 0 and RAID 10
4-drive RAID 5 and RAID 10
"

By the way, I've been using my replacement W700 with RAID 1 for a month now with no problems using the Seagate 7200 rpm 320GB drives with self parking head.

I´m glad you don´t experience any more problems with your W700. It really seems to be powerful machine Thanks for the reply, I didn´t know that, it actually sounds great...

Marin

I had tried RAID0 with one of the internal bays combined with an identical drive in the Ultrabay, and the integrated Intel RAID controller on the W700 wouldn't let me, saying something to the effect that one of the bays is external.

So I would guess that RAID5 also wouldn't not be allowed. But that was back in October, and not sure if firmware updates since then could have changed this behavior..

Well, then that would be definitely something interesting to check out. Thanks for pointing this out!

Marin

tinkererguy wrote:I had tried RAID0 with one of the internal bays combined with an identical drive in the Ultrabay, and the integrated Intel RAID controller on the W700 wouldn't let me, saying something to the effect that one of the bays is external.

So I would guess that RAID5 also wouldn't not be allowed. But that was back in October, and not sure if firmware updates since then could have changed this behavior..

or you could just use an actual software raid controller. The integrated controller is essentially software as well (it uses cpu), but is just invisible to the OS

whakojacko wrote:or you could just use an actual software raid controller. The integrated controller is essentially software as well (it uses cpu), but is just invisible to the OS

I thought it´s an actual hardware RAID... I have never tried this, but theoretically I can set up software RAID even on a T60 using the ultrabay... (though the difference will be certainly noticeable due to the absence of a dedicated controller).

Marin85 wrote:I thought it´s an actual hardware RAID... I have never tried this, but theoretically I can set up software RAID even on a T60 using the ultrabay... (though the difference will be certainly noticeable due to the absence of a dedicated controller).

Thats what I was saying (to get around the ultrabay limitation). I HIGHLY doubt the t60 mobo has a real dedicated raid controller. Pretty much every mobo-raid implementation (except for high end server boards) is essentially software raid, just made invisible to the OS.

Ah, ok, I got your point. And no, T60 doesn´t have a dedicated RAID controller. The only doable thing on a T60 is pure software RAID with only 2 HDs (no RAID 5).

Thanks,

Marin