I-5
SMART-2DH Array Controller Reference Guide
Writer: Pamela King Project: SMART-2DH Array Controller Reference Guide Comments: 295469-002
File Name: P-APPI.DOC Last Saved On: 2/27/98 12:13 PM
COMPAQ CONFIDENTIAL - NEED TO KNOW REQUIRED
Q. What must I do if I do not understand the POST error message referring
to the SMART-2DH Controller?
A. First, copy down the POST error message for later reference. Refer to
Appendix H , “POST Error Messages,” for information on each POST error
message. If you still do not know what to do, run the Drive Array Advanced
Diagnostics utility.
Q. Can I use third-party (not Compaq) drives on the SMART-2DH
Controller?
A. Although you can use third-party drives, experience in Compaq testing
laboratories reveals that you might have problems such as time-outs, data
corruption, and so on. The SMART-2DH Controller takes full advantage of
SCSI-2 tagged-command queuing, something that can be a problem in the
firmware of many third-party drives. Also, Compaq drives feature a unique
Pre-failure Warranty. Contact your dealer for more information on Compaq
Pre-failure Warranty.
Q. Why do the drive activity lights light up on some drives when my system
is idle?
A. The SMART-2DH Controller performs several different background activities
on the drives when the controller is otherwise idle. For example, the Auto
Reliability Monitoring task scans fault-tolerant volumes for defects and
verifies the consistency of parity data. The Drive Parameter Tracking task
periodically checks the performance of all drives on the controller, normally
on an
hourly basis.