Windows 7 64 bit RAID size limit?

[IVB]

Google is utterly useless here, trying to figure out if I can build a 5x2TB RAID5 array for holding video files using onboard RAID chipsets with Windows 7 64bit. (I'd have a 200GB boot disk, this is purely for holding video files).

I'm currently using a RocketRAID 3540 in a 5x1TB RAID5 on WHS v1, but that requires a server-class mobo. I got it years ago when 1TB was the max, was a little touchy to set up, and would just as soon KISS.

[BobPhoenix]

Here is a knowledge base article on GPT partitions. Looks like they can be 2^64 logical blocks (512 bytes most commonly) in size. A 2TB partition is 2^42 if my math is correct.

[IVB]

Well 512^64 is 2.4e173, which is a # I don't understand so I guess thats good :-)

Man that thing reads like stereo instructions, gives me nightmares about UNIX classes in college 20+ years ago :-)

If I understand correctly, this is the most salient bit:

"Windows file systems currently are limited to 256 terabytes each."

[vexhold]

Your limitation wont be with Windows file system (64 bit or other), it will be with the motherboard.

[IVB]

Meaning, it won't be able to physically hold enough disks to hit that limit?

[BobPhoenix]

Originally Posted by vexhold

Your limitation wont be with Windows file system (64 bit or other), it will be with the motherboard.

Only on the MB connectors. Your limit will also be with any add in cards as well. Most now support > 2TB drives in non-BOOT capacity already. If the BIOS is UEFI then you can BOOT from a > 2TB drive.

[BobPhoenix]

Originally Posted by IVB

Meaning, it won't be able to physically hold enough disks to hit that limit?

60TB drives may be available by 2016 so you might get closer to the current limit quicker that you think.

[Skirge01]

Since you mentioned "onboard RAID chipsets", I think that's what people are referring to. Most mobos won't have enough ports to build the array you're describing.

Also, why do you say the RocketRAID 3540 requires a server class mobo?

[Taddeusz]

Originally Posted by Skirge01

Since you mentioned "onboard RAID chipsets", I think that's what people are referring to. Most mobos won't have enough ports to build the array you're describing.

Also, why do you say the RocketRAID 3540 requires a server class mobo?

Probably because it's an x8 card. Although it could go in an x16 slot with no problem.

[IVB]

Originally Posted by Taddeusz

Probably because it's an x8 card. Although it could go in an x16 slot with no problem.

Actually I tried 3 different desktop mobo's in the x8 when I first bought it,can't recall specific issues but couldn't get any to work. Their customer support was top-notch, but the guy finally said "can you please try a server level mobo", and et voila, the first one I tried worked perfectly. Something about recognizing the existence of the card, and the x8 in desktop mobo's typically being used for graphics cards.

[panteragstk]

Originally Posted by IVB

Actually I tried 3 different desktop mobo's in the x8 when I first bought it,can't recall specific issues but couldn't get any to work. Their customer support was top-notch, but the guy finally said "can you please try a server level mobo", and et voila, the first one I tried worked perfectly. Something about recognizing the existence of the card, and the x8 in desktop mobo's typically being used for graphics cards.

Lots of boards have 16x physical slots that are electrically 4x. I wonder if that could have been it? Server boards aren't going to do stuff like that. If it is 4x electrically, you get a 4x connector.

[BobPhoenix]

Originally Posted by panteragstk

Lots of boards have 16x physical slots that are electrically 4x. I wonder if that could have been it? Server boards aren't going to do stuff like that. If it is 4x electrically, you get a 4x connector.

I've got a SuperMicro X9SCM-F server class MB with all x8 physical slots - two of which are x4 electrically. So I don't think that is completely true. You usually don't get multiple x16 slots with SLI on a server class. Some like my X9SCM don't even have a "Graphics" slot.

[drewg]

Originally Posted by IVB

Actually I tried 3 different desktop mobo's in the x8 when I first bought it,can't recall specific issues but couldn't get any to work. Their customer support was top-notch, but the guy finally said "can you please try a server level mobo", and et voila, the first one I tried worked perfectly. Something about recognizing the existence of the card, and the x8 in desktop mobo's typically being used for graphics cards.

They may only Q/A against server chipsets / BIOSes. I do 10GbE NIC drivers, and we can't test with every consumer chipset, but we do try to have coverage with all the server grade parts.

That's not saying that the "server grade" stuff is any better. I remember one early server grade PCIe chipset that included in many big name servers that was total rubbish; a competitor's "consumer grade" chips wiped the floor with it in terms of PCIe & 10GbE performance.

Also, some BIOSes have problems with things they don't expect to see in consumer grade boxes, and don't Q/A well enough. For example, we had a problem on a multi-port card with an embedded PCIe switch where some whitebox BIOSes would set a PCI parameter only as far as the upstream PCIe port, and leave things below unconfigured. This is a parameter that needs to match throughout the hiearchy. There are also BIOSes which cannot properly configure 64-bit prefetchable BARs. I could go on..

Drew