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TowerRAID TR8M+B w/ RocketRAID 622 - no SMART despite UnsafeDirectIo


thinkhead

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Hi,

 

I got my hand on a TowerRAID TR8M+B w/ RocketRAID 622 a few days ago (After my tower Mediasonic ProBox H82-SU3S2 w/ HP1-SS3 eSATA die on me...taking 4 disk with it).

 

I can't get the SMART working at all. I can see SMART info it the web interface of the RAID card without problem. I alors tried the files that was given in the forum:

https://www.dropbox.com/s/0krodbweqz1rrc4/Scanner.Service.exe.config

 

Any suggestion? Sorry for my bad english, not my language at all.

 

Alex

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Hi,

 

I test my HDDs with the DirectIoTest application (very nyce btw!) and it gave me green on Direct I/O SMART Attributes, Error Log and Tresholds.

Using method : ScsiPasstrough,ScsiPasstrough48

 

I don't know if it help or not. But, I can see all the SMART info on the RAID Managment web page for my box. Could it be the PCIe RAID card? I read it's a very chead and crappy one (after buying it...shame on me!)

 

Alex

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Well, RocketRAID isn't bad, to be honest. It's "cheap" for enterprise grade stuff. It's the low end for that. Super low end.

 

But the cards to work well enough for home use.

However, normally the "unsafeDirectIo" setting allows for SMART data to be passed through on the RocketRAID cards.

 

In the RocketRAID web management, it should indicate that the disks are in "legacy" mode, IIRC. If they aren't, then that may be the issue. But you said that the DirectIoTest app was showing SMART data properly. (the tool is built in house, using the same code that StableBit Scanner uses, actually).

 

If you're using the newest version of StableBit Scanner, could you enable the UnsafeDirectIo setting? We've recently migrated the advanced settings, so it should be much more simple now.

Open the Scanner Settings (in the UI, click on "Settings), and find the "Show advanced settings" checkbox. Check it, and hit "Ok".

Then open the "Settings" menu, and you should be greeted with a new "advanced settings and information" entry. Click on that.

Now, open the second tab, the confguration tab. Find the "DirectIo" section, and the "Unsafe" entry there. Check the option and hit "Ok".

Once you've done that, reboot the system or restart the StableBit Scanner Service (run "services.msc" to find it and restart the service).

 

After doing this, it *should* display the SMART data.

 

 

 

Alternatively, if you really want to replace this card, we highly recommend any card that uses the "ASMedia AMS1061" chipset. Alex (the developer) has done a lot of testing, and this chipset seems to be the most stable consumer chipset that we've found.

Such as this card:

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16816150032

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Well, RocketRAID isn't bad, to be honest. It's "cheap" for enterprise grade stuff. It's the low end for that. Super low end.

 

But the cards to work well enough for home use.

However, normally the "unsafeDirectIo" setting allows for SMART data to be passed through on the RocketRAID cards.

 

In the RocketRAID web management, it should indicate that the disks are in "legacy" mode, IIRC. If they aren't, then that may be the issue. But you said that the DirectIoTest app was showing SMART data properly. (the tool is built in house, using the same code that StableBit Scanner uses, actually).

 

If you're using the newest version of StableBit Scanner, could you enable the UnsafeDirectIo setting? We've recently migrated the advanced settings, so it should be much more simple now.

Open the Scanner Settings (in the UI, click on "Settings), and find the "Show advanced settings" checkbox. Check it, and hit "Ok".

Then open the "Settings" menu, and you should be greeted with a new "advanced settings and information" entry. Click on that.

Now, open the second tab, the confguration tab. Find the "DirectIo" section, and the "Unsafe" entry there. Check the option and hit "Ok".

Once you've done that, reboot the system or restart the StableBit Scanner Service (run "services.msc" to find it and restart the service).

 

After doing this, it *should* display the SMART data.

 

 

 

Alternatively, if you really want to replace this card, we highly recommend any card that uses the "ASMedia AMS1061" chipset. Alex (the developer) has done a lot of testing, and this chipset seems to be the most stable consumer chipset that we've found.

Such as this card:

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16816150032

 

Hi,

 

I'd already tried to activate the unsafeDirectIo via the config files, but it didn't work at all. So I update my Scanner and got the new option (a lot more easy!) I checked the "unsafe" option in the DirectIO section, but it didn't work...Dam...

Any other idea?

 

As for the card, I don't really mind changing it, after reading all the review online. Is changing it, will help with the SMART problem? If that's the case, the one that you recommended, unfortunately I don't think it will work. The official company website specify that it only work with 7 HDD. My tower is for 8 HDD, any othe models?

 

Is changing the card will help with the SMART problem? I don't really mind changing it, after reading all the review online and your comments. As for the model you showed, I don't it going to work. On the official website of the compagny, it's specify that it only work with 7 HDD. My tower is for 8 HDD, any othe models or will it work with 8?

http://www.siig.com/it-products/controllers-storage/serialata/pcie/dp-esata-6gb-s-2-port-pcie.html

 

Thanks for the help!

Alex

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Reboot the system after setting the new setting. Not all of these apply right away, and some require the service being restarted to take affect. The "unsafe" option is one of them.

 

Alternatively, if you run "services.msc", find the "StableBit Scanner Service", you can restart it there, without rebooting the system.

 

 

ALso, are these disks in "legacy" mode according to the web management UI? If not, then that may be part of the problem (as the controller does not pass on SMART data when it's part of an array or JBOD).

 

 

 

And if the DirectIoTest app is showing a "green light" for the DirectIo section, then it should be getting SMART data from it.

What version of Stablebit Scanner are you using?

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Hi,
 
Sorry I foget to mention that I already rebooted the server, twice (just to be really shure)
 
I check on the web management UI and all the drive are in "legacy mode"
 
I check the DirectIoTest again, and I do get green light (when I check UnsafeDirect I/O) for Attributes, Tresholds and Error Log.
I used the version: v2.5.1.3062
 
Any tought on the card?
Thanks!

 

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Could you submit to BitFlock? Open the UI, select one of the drives that are getting SMART data, and open that page. At the bottom there should be a "Submit to BitFlock" option. Check it and give it a few minutes, and it should generate an 8 digit ID, Post that ID here.

 

Additionally, since the "Advanced" settings are already enabled, could you go to the logging page and find the "SmartDiskInfo" entry. Select it, set it to "Verbose" and let it run for a while.

Then grab the logs from "C:\ProgramData\StableBit Scanner\Service\" and upload them to us? (open a ticket at https://stablebit.com/Contact)

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Hi,
 
So I finaly make it work...ish! I had to completly removed StableBit Scanner (I used revo uninstaller to make shure nothing was left). Reboot, reinstall, reboot, actiavted Unsafe Directed IO, reboot! This is very abnormal... but it worked.
 
With that, now I have SMART information, but I think that they are wrong. Every Seagate HDD gave me a SMART error on temperature - 30C (0, 0 , 20 ,0). And the model/Serial number are all wrong. IE:
Model: 6<?2c?cdd2dd - Real: ST4000VN000
 
But the Western Digital are all working fine. 
I submit to bitFolk that drive: NZUOPFZV
 
For the log, I did'nt have the time this weekend. I'll take care of that tonight.

 

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