Does RAID 0 slow boot time (2011 Mini Server)?

donklaus · Nov 2, 2011, 11:17 AM

I have been setting up my new mini server over the past few days, including setting up RAID 0 before ever booting up from the boot drive for the first time (Carbon Copy cloned it before I even started).

Pretty disappointed. The boot time from a cold start is excruciatingly slow, far slower than the Santa Rosa C2D (2.4 ghz) MBP it replaces as my desktop machine. I installed 8 gigs of RAM before even powering it up.

What's the deal?

calderone · Nov 2, 2011, 11:20 AM

Steps to take to diagnose:

1. Test the throughput off the RAID, you may have a bum drive in the array.

2. If the results seem normal for a RAID 0 with the type of drives you have, use verbose mode to check the startup process for irregularities.

KScottMyers · Nov 2, 2011, 12:14 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by donklaus

I have been setting up my new mini server over the past few days, including setting up RAID 0 before ever booting up from the boot drive for the first time (Carbon Copy cloned it before I even started).

Pretty disappointed. The boot time from a cold start is excruciatingly slow, far slower than the Santa Rosa C2D (2.4 ghz) MBP it replaces as my desktop machine. I installed 8 gigs of RAM before even powering it up.

What's the deal?

Do you have the drive selected as the startup drive in Start Disk:System Preferences? Does it sit there for a while before you see the Apple logo on boot up?

RAID 0 should pretty much double your read and write speeds.

thankins · Nov 2, 2011, 12:19 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by donklaus

I have been setting up my new mini server over the past few days, including setting up RAID 0 before ever booting up from the boot drive for the first time (Carbon Copy cloned it before I even started).

Pretty disappointed. The boot time from a cold start is excruciatingly slow, far slower than the Santa Rosa C2D (2.4 ghz) MBP it replaces as my desktop machine. I installed 8 gigs of RAM before even powering it up.

What's the deal?

I have noticed the same thing with my 2011 mac mini server as well. Once I delete the RAID and install Lion on just one drive the boot time is cut in half.

I am thinking it has something to do with Lion and the Recovery paritions and what not.

I also noticed that when in the RAID - my mini will boot up spin a bit on the gray screen and then reboot again. This is resolved once i remove the RAID and just use one HD.

donklaus · Nov 2, 2011, 01:38 PM

I'll try those when I get home tonight and report back on any results.

powerbook911 · Nov 2, 2011, 01:56 PM

I'll test it tonight when I get my replacement mini server before I put it into RAID 0.

However, honestly, why not have the boot time hurt slightly if you gain everyday performance boost while using your computer when running?

I don't see the reason to be completely powering down a mini server very often.

shortcut3d · Nov 2, 2011, 02:43 PM

I have a 2011 Mac Mini Server using RAID 0 and have not noticed a difference in boot time. The install was performed using Internet Recovery. RAID 0 with hard drives will not improve boot time significantly like using a single SSD. Throughput does not account for much of OS load process. The large number of processes and files that need to be touched for booting is the issue, hence SSDs greatly improve performance because of higher IOPs and virtually no seek time. RAID will actually increase the seek time.

indg · Nov 2, 2011, 10:17 PM

something's wrong with your setup. it only takes mine about 35-40 seconds to boot up, from chime to desktop. and i have a lot of startup items, launchagents, and daemons. of course, i only reboot about once a month or whenever a software update requires it. otherwise i seriously would never reboot.

donklaus · Nov 3, 2011, 08:33 AM

Turns out my Time Machine disk, which I had used on my previous machine right up to the last day before I transferred everything to the new Mini, was the problem. Haven't determined if the problem is mechanical or not, but Disk Utility can't fix it. Disconnected it and the boot time is now pretty reasonable - I haven't timed it, but its on par with my MBP which boots in around 30 seconds. Thanks for the tips, all.

powerbook911 · Nov 3, 2011, 09:30 AM

Yep, external drives can cause all kind of hiccups. I have several attached. Every 1-2 years when I start to see something funny, I try to remember to look at my externals first.

chrfr · Nov 3, 2011, 10:30 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by calderone

Steps to take to diagnose:

1. Test the throughput off the RAID, you may have a bum drive in the array.

With RAID 0, if you have a "bum drive" you have no data.

calderone · Nov 3, 2011, 06:00 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by chrfr

With RAID 0, if you have a "bum drive" you have no data.

I meant "bum" in the sense of a drive not performing properly. Drive have more than two states you know. If i had said "dead" drive you would have a point, but alas...

Nov 2, 2011, 11:17 AM	#1
donklaus macrumors member Join Date: Mar 2011	Does RAID 0 slow boot time (2011 Mini Server)? I have been setting up my new mini server over the past few days, including setting up RAID 0 before ever booting up from the boot drive for the first time (Carbon Copy cloned it before I even started). Pretty disappointed. The boot time from a cold start is excruciatingly slow, far slower than the Santa Rosa C2D (2.4 ghz) MBP it replaces as my desktop machine. I installed 8 gigs of RAM before even powering it up. What's the deal?
	0

Nov 2, 2011, 11:20 AM	#2
calderone macrumors 68040 Join Date: Aug 2009 Location: Seattle	Steps to take to diagnose: 1. Test the throughput off the RAID, you may have a bum drive in the array. 2. If the results seem normal for a RAID 0 with the type of drives you have, use verbose mode to check the startup process for irregularities. __________________ ACSA, ACMT
	0

Nov 2, 2011, 01:38 PM	#5
donklaus Thread Starter macrumors member Join Date: Mar 2011	Thanks all I'll try those when I get home tonight and report back on any results.
	0

Nov 2, 2011, 01:56 PM	#6
powerbook911 macrumors 68030 Join Date: Mar 2005	I'll test it tonight when I get my replacement mini server before I put it into RAID 0. However, honestly, why not have the boot time hurt slightly if you gain everyday performance boost while using your computer when running? I don't see the reason to be completely powering down a mini server very often. __________________ 12in Powerbook G4 1.5ghz, 20in iMac 2.4 Core 2 Duo, Mac Mini (Early 09), Mini Server ('11), 11in Air (Late 10) 20in Cinema Display, AppleTV, iPhone 64GB; Airpot Extreme (2011) iPod 160GB
	0

Nov 2, 2011, 02:43 PM	#7
shortcut3d macrumors 6502a Join Date: Aug 2011	I have a 2011 Mac Mini Server using RAID 0 and have not noticed a difference in boot time. The install was performed using Internet Recovery. RAID 0 with hard drives will not improve boot time significantly like using a single SSD. Throughput does not account for much of OS load process. The large number of processes and files that need to be touched for booting is the issue, hence SSDs greatly improve performance because of higher IOPs and virtually no seek time. RAID will actually increase the seek time. __________________ 2010 27" iMac 2.93GHz i7\|32GB\|240GB OWC Pro 3G\|1TB WD Black 2011 15" MBP 2.3GHz i7\|16GB 1600MHz\|480GB OWC Pro 6G\|750GB WD Black 2011 Mini 2.7GHz i7\|8GB 1866MHz\|512GB Samsung 830\|2TB WD Green
	0

Nov 2, 2011, 10:17 PM	#8
indg macrumors 6502 Join Date: Feb 2007	something's wrong with your setup. it only takes mine about 35-40 seconds to boot up, from chime to desktop. and i have a lot of startup items, launchagents, and daemons. of course, i only reboot about once a month or whenever a software update requires it. otherwise i seriously would never reboot.
	0

Nov 3, 2011, 08:33 AM	#9
donklaus Thread Starter macrumors member Join Date: Mar 2011	Found the main problem at least Turns out my Time Machine disk, which I had used on my previous machine right up to the last day before I transferred everything to the new Mini, was the problem. Haven't determined if the problem is mechanical or not, but Disk Utility can't fix it. Disconnected it and the boot time is now pretty reasonable - I haven't timed it, but its on par with my MBP which boots in around 30 seconds. Thanks for the tips, all.
	1

Nov 3, 2011, 09:30 AM	#10
powerbook911 macrumors 68030 Join Date: Mar 2005	Yep, external drives can cause all kind of hiccups. I have several attached. Every 1-2 years when I start to see something funny, I try to remember to look at my externals first. __________________ 12in Powerbook G4 1.5ghz, 20in iMac 2.4 Core 2 Duo, Mac Mini (Early 09), Mini Server ('11), 11in Air (Late 10) 20in Cinema Display, AppleTV, iPhone 64GB; Airpot Extreme (2011) iPod 160GB
	0

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