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Raid Card dual boot problem!

W

Winglam

macrumors newbie
Original poster
Mar 29, 2010
18
0
Hi,

here is my spec,
Mac Pro 2009,
Snow Leopard,
Areca ARC-1680ix-16: Mac OS raid array
& Scratch Disk raid array
latest EFI firmware

I just got a new raid controller, Highpoint Rocketraid eSATA for Mac.
I would like to know is it possible to use a PC Bio for this card,
so I can dual boot a windows raid array through this Highpoint card?
I am having a trouble to follow the menu of Highpoint card,
the OSX doesn't allow me to create a boot camp

1. Does the machine carry the firmware (EFI/ BIO) or the controller itself?

2. If I update the a PC bio on the Highpoint Rocketraid eSATA for Mac,
is it going to affect my Areca controller since the Areca is using EFI firmware to boot OSX.

Thank you!
 
N

nanofrog

macrumors G4
May 6, 2008
11,719
3
Winglam said:
I just got a new raid controller, Highpoint Rocketraid eSATA for Mac.
I would like to know is it possible to use a PC Bio for this card,
so I can dual boot a windows raid array through this Highpoint card?
Click to expand...
No.

They only have EBC firmware for that card, which allows it to boot in either EFI32 or EFI64 systems. There's no BIOS code for it at all. :(

If you want to be able to boot Windows or Linux on eSATA, you'd need a different card.

Winglam said:
I am having a trouble to follow the menu of Highpoint card,
the OSX doesn't allow me to create a boot camp
Click to expand...
You'd need to use an internal disk for Boot Camp (shared with the OS X boot drive), or just run a separate disk on one of the internal SATA ports for Windows (no need for BC, but you will have to run the driver installation on the OS X disk).

Winglam said:
1. Does the machine carry the firmware (EFI/ BIO) or the controller itself?
Click to expand...
No, separate cards will carry their own firmware via a ROM on the card.

Winglam said:
2. If I update the a PC bio on the Highpoint Rocketraid eSATA for Mac,
is it going to affect my Areca controller since the Areca is using EFI firmware to boot OSX.
Click to expand...
You won't be able to update the eSATA card's firmware, as Highpoint's not offered a BIOS version. It was made specifically to boot OS X, and they have other products that will boot Windows, such as the Highpoint 622 (no OS X drivers last I checked, though it was supposed to get them). AFAIK, the BIOS emulation portion of the system's EFI firmware, only works on the systems's hardware (what's on the board and graphics card), not on all the PCIe slots.

There are other cards that will work for Windows or Linux ONLY though, and work just fine. They're also inexpensive, as in under $15USD (here).

Is there a specific reason you need to boot Windows from an external (i.e. all internal SATA ports occupied)?

Are you intending to run a RAID off of the eSATA card, assuming you actually need it?

I ask, as it can help narrow down a solution that will do exactly what you need, and hopefully won't cost an arm + leg + first born child. :eek: :p
 
W

Winglam

macrumors newbie
Original poster
Mar 29, 2010
18
0
I thought the highpoint rocketraid eSATA for mac is able to boot a windows, the menu claim that the card has a PC bios which is the

RReSATA-PC BIOS-v10-091215: rresata.v10 <--- Bios

I have 3 bays occupied, & I have 1 bay left?
I have installed a windows 7 on a black drive.
it is bootable; but it is a bit slow for editing,
and some programs can only run in windows.

so I want to run a Raid off of a eSATA card?
not necessary a eSATA card,
whatever card that is able to boot to a windows.
what is a better solution for me?


Thank you!


nanofrog said:
No.

They only have EBC firmware for that card, which allows it to boot in either EFI32 or EFI64 systems. There's no BIOS code for it at all. :(

If you want to be able to boot Windows or Linux on eSATA, you'd need a different card.


You'd need to use an internal disk for Boot Camp (shared with the OS X boot drive), or just run a separate disk on one of the internal SATA ports for Windows (no need for BC, but you will have to run the driver installation on the OS X disk).


No, separate cards will carry their own firmware via a ROM on the card.


You won't be able to update the eSATA card's firmware, as Highpoint's not offered a BIOS version. It was made specifically to boot OS X, and they have other products that will boot Windows, such as the Highpoint 622 (no OS X drivers last I checked, though it was supposed to get them). AFAIK, the BIOS emulation portion of the system's EFI firmware, only works on the systems's hardware (what's on the board and graphics card), not on all the PCIe slots.

There are other cards that will work for Windows or Linux ONLY though, and work just fine. They're also inexpensive, as in under $15USD (here).

Is there a specific reason you need to boot Windows from an external (i.e. all internal SATA ports occupied)?

Are you intending to run a RAID off of the eSATA card, assuming you actually need it?

I ask, as it can help narrow down a solution that will do exactly what you need, and hopefully won't cost an arm + leg + first born child. :eek: :p
Click to expand...
 
N

nanofrog

macrumors G4
May 6, 2008
11,719
3
Winglam said:
I thought the highpoint rocketraid eSATA for mac is able to boot a windows, the menu claim that the card has a PC bios which is the

RReSATA-PC BIOS-v10-091215: rresata.v10 <--- Bios
Click to expand...
I just took a look at Highpoint's site (including the support area), and there's NO indication of BIOS or that the system's BIOS emulation will work with this card, which I tried to explain.

There is a listing that there are new drivers and EFI firmware for it, but nothing for Windows or Linux.

Winglam said:
I have 3 bays occupied, & I have 1 bay left?
I have installed a windows 7 on a black drive.
it is bootable; but it is a bit slow for editing,
and some programs can only run in windows.
Click to expand...
That leaves you with 2x SATA ports inside the MP; the empty HDD bay and the empty ODD bay (has it's own cable in the '09 systems that contains both power and data).

The latter would be an ideal location for the Windows disk IMO, as that leaves the HDD bay open for future expansion or for a backup disk.

Winglam said:
so I want to run a Raid off of a eSATA card?
not necessary a eSATA card,
whatever card that is able to boot to a windows.
what is a better solution for me?
Click to expand...
You've 2 basic options:
1. Run it off of one of the internal SATA ports remaining in the MP (preferable IMO).
2. Run the eSATA card I linked in previous post.
 
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