Am considering again using some P4 MBs to install as a linux file server. These days, it's more cost effective to use SATA HDs. The newest MBs come with builtin SATA controller that install seamlessly with those SATA HDs.
I have tried in the past to install an external SATA Raid controller card(fakeraid) with a P4 MB board some 3 years ago running FC5/6 but without success. Somehow, FC didn't bootup correctly or if I did bypass the external controller bios, it wasn't recognized later in the FC UI.

I like to seek some recommendation what is a cost effective workable external SATA controller card these days that will work, easy to install with P4 MB using the latest FC10? I intend to install FC on a primary IDE, and do mount for SATA HDs to be configured as SW raid.

From a cost prospective, it make more sense to spend $30-$50 on a SATA card then to buy a brand new MB+ram+uP up to $600, giving cost of SATA HD the same in both proposition.

My number 1 obstacle is I have so far not been successful in getting an external SATA raid card to work.


Appreciate any advise.

I am using a cheap Promise sata 300 TX4 controller and works great - using in-kernel drivers and no special boot options nor parameters.

What distro are you running on with it?
Did you reinstall the whole system with the card from ground up,
or
as a later addition to your existing system?

thanks,
--kmhui

I am using Gentoo - if I am not wrong it describes itself as a metadata-distro. The difference with Fedora, Suse & Co. is that at the beginning of the installation you tell the system in a config file which architecture and processor you have and which functionalities you want to have and afterwards the packet manager, instead of downloading already precompiled executables, it downloads the source code of the apps you want to have and compiles it on-the-fly.
Example:
at the beginning you write in a config file that you are on AMD64 (the Intel 64bit architexture) and that the compiler should compile software for e.g. Core 2 CPU (these are the so-called CFLAGS). Additionally you say that you want to have e.g. x264, dbus, mp3, alsa, etc... functionalities.
Afterwards when you e.g. tell the packet manager that you want to have let's say Gnome, it will download the source code of all Gnome-dependencies (e.g. X, gnome-libraries, whatever) (in the case that you don't have them yet) and compile them activating in the software which does support them the functionalities to handle e.g. mp3, alsa sound manager, etc... .

The kernel I have I set it up and compiled on my own, but it's a more or less standard kernel (with some Gentoo-specific patches applied to it).
The difference in this case is that while I have a kernel which supports only what I have (because I chose so when I configured it), Suse, Fedora & Co. have everything active.
Therefore, if it works for me, it should work for you too. And you shouldn't need any compilation - just stick in the card, boot the PC and your kernel should automatically load the modules and the card should be ready to be used.
I currently have kernel 2.6.28, but I think I was already using the card when I was still on 2.6.26.
To answer to your specific question, I added the card long time after having built the PC.
Greetings.

I just had a look.
The promise controller used to work already with kernel 2.6.25 and the kernel driver (I compiled it as a module) is called "sata_promise".

Sounds great, am going to look for this Promise Card.
If I run into trouble, will consult you guys again.
Thanks so much, you have been of great help.

regards,
--meng

Cool