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    M17x raid chipset question

    Discussion in 'Alienware' started by desu, Dec 4, 2009.

  1. desu

    desu Notebook Evangelist

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    A while back i had wanted to raid a couple of drives using my motherboards built in chipset on desktop. So i went out searching the interwebs for instructions and came across a web page talking about how motherboard raid chipset where low quality not worth using. Cause major headaches by not being able to keep drives raided properly. When I get my m17x i want to get the solid state drives in raid. the question is does the m17x have any problems with keepin the drives working properly in raid? Is there anything else i should be aware of?
     
    desu, Dec 4, 2009
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  2. Mandrake

    Mandrake Notebook Nobel Laureate NBR Reviewer

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    Yes there are many different levels of raid controllers. Integrated on a notebook PC is about as low on the totem poll as it gets but it works well enough for some.

    Which SSDs do you plan on getting?
     
    Mandrake, Dec 4, 2009
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  3. desu

    desu Notebook Evangelist

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    2x 256GB Solid State Drive - RAID 0
    don't know who makes them but probably the ones that are configurable from dell.
     
    desu, Dec 4, 2009
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  4. Mandrake

    Mandrake Notebook Nobel Laureate NBR Reviewer

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    ah, I would just say check the version of the firmware when you get them. If they are old complain to Dell for newer ones.
     
    Mandrake, Dec 4, 2009
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  5. desu

    desu Notebook Evangelist

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    do i have to open up them m17x to find out the drives firmware and how do i find out what the newest firmware is?
     
    desu, Dec 4, 2009
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  6. Mandrake

    Mandrake Notebook Nobel Laureate NBR Reviewer

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    It would be printed on the hard drive but you can also find it in device manager under hardware IDs of the drives themselves. Dell ships out the Samsung PB22-J 256GB SSD with their systems and you need to have version 18C1Q (or later) to support garbage collection. Without it you will lose performance over time.
     
    Mandrake, Dec 4, 2009
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  7. desu

    desu Notebook Evangelist

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    Yikes! don't want that. Thanks for that little nugget of info. actually thanks for all info but especially about which which firmware and why
     
    desu, Dec 4, 2009
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  8. Ardbeg

    Ardbeg Notebook Enthusiast

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    Hey Mate,

    I have ordered the same SSD's as you, and I am also hoping the SSD's are the newer versions and not older off the shelf stock. The info is here, the two pieces are very long and take a while to absorb the info, but this page explains the Samsung issue.

    http://www.anandtech.com/storage/showdoc.aspx?i=3631&p=19

    The firmaware is not upgradable, so if your drive is the firmware that is not supporting Garbage clean/Wiper program then you will really need to return the drives for current firmware models.
     
    Ardbeg, Dec 4, 2009
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  9. Mandrake

    Mandrake Notebook Nobel Laureate NBR Reviewer

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    Yes, that anandtech article is very good.
     
    Mandrake, Dec 4, 2009
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  10. desu

    desu Notebook Evangelist

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    Wow! I'm stunned.
     
    desu, Dec 4, 2009
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  11. Mandrake

    Mandrake Notebook Nobel Laureate NBR Reviewer

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    Makes you not want to buy Samsung, huh ;)
     
    Mandrake, Dec 4, 2009
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  12. desu

    desu Notebook Evangelist

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    yeah, I'm definably not getting Samsung. Not after seeing that. i think i will just get the cheapest drive and put in ssd later. :)
     
    desu, Dec 4, 2009
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  13. Mihos

    Mihos Notebook Consultant

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    If you are in RAID, you will have to take the drives out to see what firmware you are running. Windows will only show it as an NVidia Stripe.

    Bad news is the label is on the underside of the case, so you have to take it out of the carriage also.

    The ones I recieved from on order placed on Oct 23rd was well above the minimum firmware revision.
     
    Mihos, Dec 4, 2009
    #13