D901C - Can Not Monitor HD Temps???

Hi everyone, title says it all... I have just received my D901C what a great machine however I can not monitor my HD temps.

I have read through a number of relevant posts on the forum and downloaded and installed amongst other programs;

HD Tune
Riva Tuner
NHC - Notebook Hardware Control
HWMonitor

However when I run ALL of the programs they CAN NOT read / monitor my HD’s temps and do not list any HD's, even when I run HD Tune there is NO temp reading at the top of the screen near the symbol.

I have read the manual, looked on the Western Digital website and did a Google search and can not find a solution.

I am hoping other owners might be able to point me to some setting that needs to be toggled or adjusted?

Thanks in advance...

 

Hi Dark Ninja

using HD tune do you mean it doesnt show the temperature in the middle top of the screen. if so thats strange.

try this:
click (1) then (2) and finaly (3) and make sure number 3 is ticked.
this is just a guess and if it doesnt help hopefully someone else will be along to help out.

 

If you have your drives in raid 0, Hd Tune can't read the temperatures. I don't know, but it might be the same thing with raid 1 as you have.

Hd tune "see" your drives as one so it can't give you a correct reading.

 

RAID drives cannot usually get their HDDs monitored since WIndows thinks that they are one drive.

You must get software that can detect the RAID array and go low-level to see the individual HDDs in order to monitor the temps... usually the RAID utility that comes with a system can do that, but its rare to see in notebooks.

Try this though:
http://www.hdsentinel.com/compat.php

 

Hi guys thank you for the replies and information, Deodot and Gophn hit the nail on the head, it would appear when you use a RAID setup the S.M.A.R.T. values cannot be viewed by third party software utilities.

Hi MrDJ checked as described and whilst everything is set correct for the reasons provided by Deodot and Gophn and confirmed on Intel site I am unable to monitor the HD temps.

Hi Deodot thanks for the info you are 100% correct when you use any RAID setup you can not monitor HD temps.

Hi again Gophn mate you are a wealth of information, thanks again I looked at that link and at the bottom they also have a disclaimer that their software can not read S.M.A.R.T. values in RAID setups also after much searching on Intel I found this page http://support.intel.com/support/chipsets/imsm/sb/cs-015002.htm which confirms your advice.

I guess I will just have to hope I do not fry the HD’s although this notebook seems very good at keeping the temps down;

THMO - 47C
CPU Core 0 – 42C
CPU Core 1 – 40C
CPU Core 2 – 40C
CPU Core 3 – 40C
GPU – 39C

I would like to thank everyone and I will try to leave REPS

 

This is not all true. I know that every harddrive I have installed in My d900k in raid, I was able to read the temperatures.
For example:


K-TRON

 

Hi K-TON do you know how I can get this to work in my system and to be able to read the HD temps?

 

I dont know, I just downloaded and installed hdtune and it worked.
I guess hdtune can only pick up temperatures with certain raid controllers.
I think it is the harddrives you have which are not allowing you to read the harddrive temperature.
My friend has a d901c with three drives in it, and each drive is read in hdtune. He has them running independently of each other so that may be why. I have seen a few d901c hdtune raid benchmarks in the hdtune thread with temperature readings, so it is most likely the drives you have installed are not outputting the S.M.A.R.T. readings to your raid controller

I have a VIA raid controller in my laptop, so i guess hdtune works with it. You have an intel software raid controller, so chances are the software raid controller cannot read the temperatures of more than one drive at a time.
That can be a problem, cause you cant see your temperatures.

K-TRON

 

Thanks mate, I have lodged a support ticket with the Australian Vendor maybe they can help me out with the Intel RAID Controller issue, but it does not look good from what I have read on the Intel site...

 

In the Bios, do you ahve any settings for S.M.A.R.T. monitoring.

I dont know if your raid controller has any software with it.
I have a via hyperion raid manager program, which lets you see the information on the harddrives.
Did your system come with any intel software raid programs?
If it did, you may be able to read the temperatures in their.

Good luck, their is not much that the vendor is going to do for you, its not a system problem, its just that intels chipset may not be able to read all drives.

K-TRON

 

http://www.intel.com/support/chipsets/imsm/sb/cs-015002.htm

I guess Intel MSM is the cause....

 

our (K-Tron and mine) D900K with VIA RAID is old and considered a legacy RAID for VIA chipsets... so its not surprising that a updated program like HDTune can see and monitor them.

 

Thanks mate for the points to consider, I would say that the Intel page http://support.intel.com/support/chi.../cs-015002.htm is conclusive I will not be able to read the HD temps in RAID 1 setup, but in answer to your points;

Yes a Control Panel with no options to monitor HD temps or other info other than status of the RAID aray.

I would like to thank everyone for their ideas and info but I think the problem is because of the Intel RAID Controller program, which I am stuck with unless Intel develope a patch to fix the problem.

 

Intel may never create a patch for it. This so-called bug has been around for the past 4 years.

 

Andy do you know if I can change RAID Controller software now without loosing my data on the primary drive, and if yes what RAID Controller software is the best to use?

 

For Intel ICH8-R, you can only use MSM. Don't worry about the temps. Just run diagnostics and view the SMART data regularly.

 

Thanks mate, but thats the problems the SMART info can not be read by any third party program that I have tried because of the Intel bug, I have tried;

HD Tune
Riva Tuner
NHC - Notebook Hardware Control
HWMonitor
Everest
SIW - System Info For Windows

I guess you can only do so much with a $3,800 AUD notebook, but thanks for the help and pointers...

 

Well, you could figure out how to use the 'tray alert'.

Or you could install a 3rd HDD separately, not in a Array, and its temp should be somewhat similar to the other 2, RAID 1 HDDs.

You could also find out a software, that reads the motherboard temps. But the motherboard temp readings will depend upon where the temp sensor is located.

Also checkout this link, though it states only ATA-3 to 7, it probably might work. (Not Sure !!)

 

Well Andy I am at a loss and think I will just leave well alone.... I have looked at the Intel MSM Panel and help files there is no link / option to access the "tray alert" settings / options and the tray alert icon does not remain in the tray after boot up.

I have downloaded the Western Digital Diagnostic Program http://support.wdc.com/product/download.asp?groupid=703&sid=3&lang=en which also FAILED to read the SMART info.

I have no problems reading the motherborad / CPU / GPU temps with any of the above programs, that info is available.

Anyway thanks for the help...

 

I would not worry about the HDD temps in that system, it should be fine.

I have been running RAID-1 in my D900K for years now, no issues with temps.

 

Thanks Gophn I guess I was just being careful as the only part of the notebook that gets warm / hot is above the HD's where the mouse pad is, but apart from that area the notebook runs cool as

 

that area is warm on my notebook as well... but I don't notice it much since I usually use a USB mouse.

 

That's basically the exact same config for 9262 incl Raid 1 I'm looking at for 'starters'
Now this OCZ monster has captured my attention, for a bit anyways....

 

Yeah I am using an external Razer Mouse also, I guess because its a new toy and I spent so much time researching and deciding on components and options I am just looking / watching everything, maybe too much hehee

Hi theZoid mate you will not be disappointed with this machine it is great, I have only run into two issues being;

1. Temp monitoring when using Intel RAID Controller as discussed here

2. Using two external monitors, the machine comes with 1 x DVI-D and 1 x VGA ports so do not think as I did (even asking on this forum) that you can use an adaptor on the DVI port to run 2 x external VGA monitors as the DVI-D is Digital Singnal ONLY.

You need either 1 x DVI monitor and 1 x VGA monitor or use the Matrox DualHead2Go

But apart from these two issues it is a great machine with plenty of upgrade options, I have already ordered a 2nd 9800M GT for SLi

 

you may want to just feel your notebook every once and a a whil to see if it is getting too hot.
When gophn says his raid array doesnt get hot, its a bit different on our d900k, cause we have active harddrive cooling via the memoy bay fan.
The D901c does not have any airflow moving over the harddrives, so they will run hotter in the system.

Maybe send a email to the guys who write hdtune, they can probably make a workaround for your intel controller.

K-TRON

 

Thanks K-TRON great advise I have sent an email today, lets see if the guys at HDTune can help will keep everyone informed...

 

DualHead2Go and I'm good for two monitors? Thanks for the encouragement....there's something about that beast that won't let go of me....I'm a strategy gamer much of the time, and would love to have the quad.

 

@ At Dark Ninja. good to see another fellow aussie with the Sagers!!

 

Yeah make sure you get the digital unit its a few extra $$$ but you can connect either 2 x DVI or 2 x VGA or 1 x DVI & 1 x VGA monitors cant go wrong then...

Hi dazzyd, yeah mate this machine is great