CDRW Controller Question

[dforion]

I am considering a new Motherboard with an onboard Raid (HTP372 or Promise PDC20276) controller in addition to the standard 2-channel controller.

I was wondering if I could attach a CDRW to the additional controller in NON-raid mode? I know what Raid is and don't intend on using Raid , I.E. turning Raid OFF in the BIOS and setting the controller to ATA mode NOT Raid (Raid mode only works for hard disks).

I would like to know if it is possible to do this or if the additional (Raid) controller *only* supports hard disks?

Thanks!

Dave

[cfitz]

Just curious, but why not put your hard drive on the RAID controller and leave the standard controller for the CD-RW drive? How many and what types of drives (hard drives and optical drives and other) do you intended to attach to the system?

cfitz

[NeilPeart]

Cfitz is right. Why not connect your hard drives to the RAID controller. You don't have to use the RAID implementation; you can just use the connectors as "JBOD," or "just a bunch of disks." That way you can have up to 4 different hard drives on that controller and up to 4 optical drives on the regular IDE controller. Besides, RAID controllers don't accept optical drives - they will only work with hard drives.

[lightningbaron]

As others have stated, RAID controllers will not support ATAPI devices (that is optical drives) and can be set to run in RAID or ATA 133 controller (non RAID). I presently attach the 3 optical drives to the regular IDE channels and attach the hard drive to the RAID channel (but functioning as ATA 133 controller). My motherboard is presently a Gigabyte GA-8IEXP.

[sonyman]

I have a SYBA ATA133 RAID controller card that supports ATAPI devices. I currently have a LITE-ON LTR-48125W connected to the primary channel and a LITE-ON LTR-52246S connected to the secondary channel. I have had no problems whatsoever thus far.

-Scott

[dforion]

My research has revealed the High Point HTP372 RAID controller only supports HardDisks. However, the Promise PDC 20276 RAID controller supports CDROM/CDRW in ATA133 mode (see http://tw.giga-byte.com/home/raid_ata133.htm).

Although I could put the HDs on the RAID controller and the optical drives on the Primary controller, the Promise controller offers greater flexibility, Especially in the event the Primary controller should fail. Any comments?

[BuddhaTB]

The best idea would be to place each Hard Drive and Optical Drive on its own IDE channel.

[sonyman]

My research has revealed the High Point HTP372 RAID controller only supports HardDisks. However, the Promise PDC 20276 RAID controller supports CDROM/CDRW in ATA133 mode (see http://tw.giga-byte.com/home/raid_ata133.htm).

Although I could put the HDs on the RAID controller and the optical drives on the Primary controller, the Promise controller offers greater flexibility, Especially in the event the Primary controller should fail. Any comments?

I didn't even have to use different drivers with my card. It just worked from the start with the RAID drivers.

-Scott