OCZ 120gb Vertex + 2009 Mac Pro w/Apple RAID card

[dr. shdw]

I can't seem to get the Mac Pro (booting off a 640gb WD running 10.5.7) to boot with 1/+ any of the Vertex installed. They are running version 1.1 however just hang at the first grey screen forever. Anyone else running into any issues? Thanks.

 

[sboerup]

I'm on a 2008 MP, have a 120GB Vertex with v1.1, and its hooked up in the 2nd optical bay running a SATA cable to the additional SATA ports on the logic board.

It's fast, no problems here.

 

[dr. shdw]

I'm on a 2008 MP, have a 120GB Vertex with v1.1, and its hooked up in the 2nd optical bay running a SATA cable to the additional SATA ports on the logic board.

It's fast, no problems here.

Yeah I have a 2008 Mac Pro running 1275 and it works fine too.

 

[sparkie7]

I'm running MP 2008 with 250 Vertex V1199 FW. NO probs.

But are you trying to run two vertexs with the Apple RAID card?

 

[dr. shdw]

I'm running MP 2008 with 250 Vertex V1199 FW. NO probs.

But are you trying to run two vertexs with the Apple RAID card?

Trying to run 4 total.

 

[sparkie7]

Trying to run 4 total.

four 120 vertex's?

 

[dr. shdw]

four 120 vertex's?

Yeah, 2 RAID 1 arrays. Right now I'm just trying to get it to boot off the WD + any # of Vertex drives but it's not working

 

[sparkie7]

Yeah, 2 RAID 1 arrays. Right now I'm just trying to get it to boot off the WD + any # of Vertex drives but it's not working

have you tried posting your question in the OCZ forum?

 

[dr. shdw]

have you tried posting your question in the OCZ forum?

Yeah, hasn't done much. Also put in a support ticket but no response yet. Might just call Apple.

 

[sparkie7]

BTW how have you got them connected up, in the 4x drive bays or in the optical bay using 2/5" bay adpaters?

 

[dr. shdw]

BTW how have you got them connected up, in the 4x drive bays or in the optical bay using 2/5" bay adpaters?

Directly into the back pane on the motherboard. The 640gb WD is only there because I couldn't get the Vertex to boot alone onto any install CDs. I was going to clone over the current Leopard Server install off the 640gb WD onto 2 RAID 1 Vertex drives.

 

[madtown]

Directly into the back pane on the motherboard. The 640gb WD is only there because I couldn't get the Vertex to boot alone onto any install CDs. I was going to clone over the current Leopard Server install off the 640gb WD onto 2 RAID 1 Vertex drives.

If you want to use the drives with the RAID card they need to be connected to the RAID card not the motherboard.

 

[dr. shdw]

If you want to use the drives with the RAID card they need to be connected to the RAID card not the motherboard.

Nope, with the Apple RAID card there isn't a need to. Regardless they don't boot.

 

[sparkie7]

Directly into the back pane on the motherboard. The 640gb WD is only there because I couldn't get the Vertex to boot alone onto any install CDs. I was going to clone over the current Leopard Server install off the 640gb WD onto 2 RAID 1 Vertex drives.

I would try just getting 2 SSDs working in RAID first, then add the RAID element later

Just remember to format the Vertex's in GUID partition etc as per the OCZ forums notes

 

[madtown]

Nope, with the Apple RAID card there isn't a need to. Regardless they don't boot.

Sorry, you're right. I didn't notice you have a 2009 Mac Pro. On my 2008 they need to be connected directly to the card.

 

[dr. shdw]

I would try just getting 2 SSDs working in RAID first, then add the RAID element later

Just remember to format the Vertex's in GUID partition etc as per the OCZ forums notes

I can't even get it to boot if I plug in just 1 Vertex drive, can't reach the RAID utility at all yet. And yeah they're formatted in GUID already. I'm thinking the RAID controller is doing something funky.

Sorry, you're right. I didn't notice you have a 2009 Mac Pro. On my 2008 they need to be connected directly to the card.

Yeah Apple did some magic with the 2009 RAID cards.

 

[sparkie7]

I can't even get it to boot if I plug in just 1 Vertex drive, can't reach the RAID utility at all yet. And yeah they're formatted in GUID already. I'm thinking the RAID controller is doing something funky.

but the vertex's boot up without the RAID controller ( i assume its a removable card?)

 

[dr. shdw]

but the vertex's boot up without the RAID controller ( i assume its a removable card?)

Not sure. Haven't attempted to remove the card. It's kinda large and unwieldy.

 

[sparkie7]

Strange. does disk utility see the SSDs and you can format/partition them ok?

 

[dr. shdw]

Strange. does disk utility see the SSDs and you can format/partition them ok?

Yeah if I mount them through an ext. dock they mount/partition fine. I've contacted Apple about this and their engineers are working on it. We're thinking its some setting on the RAID card or so.

 

[sparkie7]

Yeah if I mount them through an ext. dock

whats "ext. dock" -- do you mean an external drive enclosure via say FW800?

 

[dr. shdw]

whats "ext. dock" -- do you mean an external drive enclosure via say FW800?

Yeah external enclosure via either USB or FW800.

 

[sparkie7]

hope u sort it out, b/c you shouldnt been having these probs with such a standard install, albeit being SSD tech. it should be as simple as plug and play

 

[dr. shdw]

hope u sort it out, b/c you shouldnt been having these probs with such a standard install, albeit being SSD tech. it should be as simple as plug and play

Yeah waiting for Apple to call back.

 

[Fuji2008]

Yeah waiting for Apple to call back.

Hi, have you sorted out this problem?
I have run into exactly the same issue.

At first, I could boot my macpro and get to RAID utility to create a RAID5 volume on OCZ vertex SSDs (4 of them).
I could even start installing MacOSX on the volume, but it failed in the middle.
After rebooting and trying re-installing, I started getting a gray hang-up screen all the time. Sometimes I can get to RAID utility, sometimes I get stuck before that. I think the RAID card is somehow flaky...