[CentOS] Re: OT raid controller -- IT8212 = embedded core + 32KB SRAM (SCSI block driver)

[Bryan J. Smith]

On Sun, 2005-06-19 at 21:26 -0500, Bryan J. Smith wrote:
> There is both a "dumb" SCSI block driver (most true hardware RAID cards
> are "dumb" drivers because all the intelligence is on-board) that can
> drive the "intelligent" mode.

Okay, after further investigation, I discovered that they are a number
of different firmwares available for this IC.  Most specifically, it
seems the ATAPI and RAID firmwares are _mutually_exclusive_.  I.e., if
you flash the ATAPI firmware, or your mainboard comes with it, it
doesn't have the RAID functionality, and vice-versa.  And there's no
standard/guaranteed way to flash unless you get the PCI card version --
mainboard manufacturers might have changed things.

But assuming you do have the RAID firmware loaded in your mainboard's
version, here is where you can download the _SCSI_ driver version:  
http://www.ite.com.tw/software_download/software_download2.asp  

Source is provided for both 2.4.x and 2.6.x.

>From what I've seen, people are recommending this driver _only_ when you
use the intelligent RAID support, and not for regular ATA devices (let
alone ATAPI devices).  So you'll need to load the SCSI subsystem
(scsi_mod) and SCSI disk support (sd_mod) as well as this iteraid
driver, so make an initrd that does so.


-- 
Bryan J. Smith                                     b.j.smith at ieee.org 
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