User Guide144www.nec-computers.comInstalling and Removing an Expansion CardYour computer's motherboard features several expansion slots that can accommodateaccessory expansion cards, such as a SCSI board or a RAID board.Specific RecommendationsRAID ControllerTake the following into consideration when installing either a S-ATA Disk arraycontroller or a SCSI Disk array controller.Refer to the manual that comes with the RAID controller for more details.■ Prepare the hard disk drives and cables corresponding to the RAID controller to beinstalled.■ Configure the Logical Settings of the hard disk drive.■ Prepare the number of hard disk drives required for the desired RAID (RedundantArray of Inexpensive [Independent] Disks) level. See “Configuring RAID” onpage 92.■ Installing hard disks in the disk array configuration or changing the RAID levelinitializes hard disks. Make sure to backup any valuable data that may be presenton the hard disk drive before installing the disk mirroring controller board andconfiguring the array.■ Use hard disks of the same capacity and revolution for each pack to configure themin the array.■ The disk array configuration improves the disk reliability. On the other hand, thedisk capacity is reduced (not equal to the sum of the array’s hard disks totalcapacity).■ Use an appropriate RAID configuration utility to configure the RAID.■ When the disk array controller board is replaced, restore the disk arrayconfiguration information to the new disk array controller board. Use theconfiguration utility for the restoration. Refer to the RAID configuration utilityspecific to your card for more details.SCSI ControllerTake the following into consideration either when installing an SCSI controller or whenusing SCSI hard disk drives as internal hard disk drives.Refer to the manual that comes with the SCSI controller for details.■ Prepare the hard disk drives (up to 4 drives) and cables appropriate to SCSIcontroller to be installed.■ Configure the Logical Settings of hard disk drive.■ When the controller is chosen to boot on OS, install the hard disk controller in thehighest priority PCI slot, i.e. in the smallest PCI slot number.
