SATA RAID: If HW is approved for RedHat, will it work for Linux?

[magnublm]

Hi, I'm just wondering if a certain piece of hardware is approved for "Redhat® Linux 7.3, 8.0 & AS 2.1", will it work on Fedora 4? I suppose the answer is "maybe". I've been reading the forums, but I'm not getting much for my prob. I want to buy a 3 or 4 port SATA controller for my SATA drives, but I want to make sure it works with Fedora 4.

I've been to this link (as suggested in another forum):

http://linux.yyz.us/sata/sata-status.html

It's a bit confusing, however. I don't know what "TCQ/NCQ" is and whether it's relevant to me. It doesn't say if the drivers are approved, either. Maybe it does and I just don't understand.

Anyone know of a clear list of approved SATA controllers or of SATA controllers that work with Fedora 4?

If the answers are in the link I provided, maybe someone could eh-spell it out to me. Thanks a lot.

[magnublm]

I found a link about TCQ/NCQ technology:

http://www.seagate.com/products/inte...ta/native.html

Posted the link 'cause it might help others, too. I'm not up to date on my hardware...obviously.

[sej7278]

not sure if ncq is implemented at all under linux yet.

i can recommend a controller based on the sil 3114 (or 3112) chipset as it works fine on my motherboard for fc4 and centos 4.1 (rhel4).

i think there are problems with the intel ichr5 and 6 chipsets.

i expect there are some via controllers that work, doubt if promise would.

[markkuk]

Originally Posted by magnublm

Hi, I'm just wondering if a certain piece of hardware is approved for "Redhat® Linux 7.3, 8.0 & AS 2.1"

All of those RHL versions use kernel 2.4, while Fedora Core 4 uses kernel 2.6. If it doesn't list any 2.6 based distros on the approval list, it's very unlikely to work on Fedora.

Originally Posted by magnublm

If the answers are in the link I provided, maybe someone could eh-spell it out to me. Thanks a lot.

See the "libata driver status" for each adapter chip listed. If it says "Production", then it will work. If it says "Beta", then it may work.

[CrystalCowboy]

NCQ (Native Command Queing) would have to be supported by both your drives and your RAID card t owork, it would not involve the motherboard or the Linux software. NCQ would improve the efficient performance of your drives, but they should still work without it.

Here's an article on RAID chipset support under Linux. Note the difference between harware RAID and fakeraid.

Will the RAID subsystem by your boot disk? That complicates things, so it's a bit easier if that is not the case.

[magnublm]

Originally Posted by CrystalCowboy

NCQ (Native Command Queing) would have to be supported by both your drives and your RAID card t owork, it would not involve the motherboard or the Linux software. NCQ would improve the efficient performance of your drives, but they should still work without it.

Here's an article on RAID chipset support under Linux. Note the difference between harware RAID and fakeraid.

Will the RAID subsystem by your boot disk? That complicates things, so it's a bit easier if that is not the case.

Thanks for the info; and that link is a much clearer list.

Originally Posted by markkuk

All of those RHL versions use kernel 2.4, while Fedora Core 4 uses kernel 2.6. If it doesn't list any 2.6 based distros on the approval list, it's very unlikely to work on Fedora.


See the "libata driver status" for each adapter chip listed. If it says "Production", then it will work. If it says "Beta", then it may work.

That's good to know. Thank you.


This has been a helpful post.

[magnublm]

Originally Posted by sej7278

not sure if ncq is implemented at all under linux yet.

i can recommend a controller based on the sil 3114 (or 3112) chipset as it works fine on my motherboard for fc4 and centos 4.1 (rhel4).

i think there are problems with the intel ichr5 and 6 chipsets.

i expect there are some via controllers that work, doubt if promise would.

I'm using that same chipset on my ASUS board, but I want real, hardware RAID.

[btk667]

SIS 760GX SATA does not work with ANY Distribution of Linux.