Solved How to use WDTLER and if I really have to?

[AirPower4ever]

So I have a Windows 7 Pro machine, 64-bit. I have in my possession 4 x 500GB western digital black drives that I want to use in RAID5. But I have been reading about the possible error that can occur and that using WDTLER will solve that. So I am not sure if I need to do this or if I should just install and move on.

The drives are all wd5001aals with firmware 05.01D05 on all of them

I guess the first step is, do I need to check if TLER is enabled or not on these drives? How do I do this?

 

[essenbe]

This article from Wikipedia seems to indicate that it should be used in a raid environment depending on the raid controller. Read it and see which portion applies to your situation. Hope this helps.

 

[AirPower4ever]

Okay, I fall in to the RAID5 category. Mobo is Asus P7P55D Deluxe, up to date with BIOS and drivers. I will be installing the Intel Rapid Storage 10.0.6.1002 once the drives are hooked up and then creating all 4 drives in to a RAID5.

The link states that this is for the SE, SE16 and GP models for desktops. I just checked the label on all 4 hard drives and they do not mention anywhere that they are WD Black SE variants or GP. It just says WD Black so I guess I am in the clear with these 4 drives.

Once I get these in RAID5, should I still check to verify if TLER is off on these 4 drives?

 

[essenbe]

Hopefully, someone with more experience with raid and WD drives can help. From what I am able to read by doing a search, only Enterprise (RE) drives from WD are suitable for raid, Although some have done it with retail versions. WD supposedly does not offer the TLER fix any longer and supposedly fixed the retail drives to not accept it. But, strangely enough, some of their own external hard drives are WD green drives in a raid array. You may draw you own conclusions from that. Sorry I can't be more help more.

 

[AirPower4ever]

Thanks a lot E, you pointed me to research and learn more and that's great for starters. Also, by sharing this information just makes this forum better than others, at least IMO. That's why I come here when I have questions or issues and if I can lend a hand.

I got the drives set up in RAID5, I lost 500GB+, but I expected that based on a website calculations on what I should get.

I agree with you, they may have fixed the issue, but you still have to be able to confirm.

Thanks for your help E and I await for the pros to get me to the next step, how do I now confirm that TLER is on or off in my set up?

 

[essenbe]

Perhaps I didn't explain it correctly. What I meant to say was that WD fixed the newer retail versions so that you cannot enable TLER on them. The only way I am aware of checking is the WDTLER.zip file itself.

 

[essenbe]

I have asked one of our resident experts to see if they can help. It may be later this evening before he gets online. Best of luck.

 

[AirPower4ever]

Okay, thanks again

 

[Ivan the SoSo]

According to thisWestern Digital Time-Limited Error Recovery (TLER) with RAID and SE, SE16, GP Models - Page 6 - [H]ard|Forum Post 102 tler works on the drives....

Now wdtler is a DOS program, and DOS has problems using modern optical drives, might have to break out the old floppy drive for this or possibly use a extra hard drive to run the program....after it's set the firmware you can activate or disable with a 7 second delay or set the desired delay your selfRAID gets Revisited (TLER and the WDTLER utility) « Init The mirror seems to be working...(Init blog) at bottom

TLER is off by default on consumer drives....And TLER is transparent to the OS....Windows can not access the Hard Drives firmware

A bit more information http://www.evga.com/forums/tm.aspx?m=226794&mpage=1

 

[AirPower4ever]

Awesome information. So since this is "Greek" to me how to do DOS, step by step for me is a must. I guess another question is should I check if TLER is enabled while I have my 4 drives running in RAID5 or do I have to check for this per drive, just using the drives as just a single individual drive in a non RAID environment?

First, are these the steps I must take to check then?

* Find an old machine, my P6T Deluxe v2 has no floppy connector to use a floppy
* Using the floppy, make a boot disc. Then unzip the files to the same floppy
* Disconnect my RAID5 I did yesterday, take one drive and connect it to the old machine
Reboot and boot from the floppy

Is that pretty much it in broad strokes?

And I just want to say thank you to everyone up to this point. Thank you for your information and help.

 

[Ivan the SoSo]

All TLER really does is give a drive a little more time to respond before the RAID controller declarers it unresponsive and kicks it off the array.....

Before using the old machine method, I would try burning it to a CD as a iso and try to boot from that....if it works great! Western Digital Drives - TLER Setting Help [Text View] - AVS Forum also with pictures and a alternative methodTLER and MD Arrays » Ethertubes.com

As a side question exactly why are you doing this?

 

[essenbe]

I'm not sure about this site, but did find some instructions here on how to enable.

 

[pooch]

Ivan has got this pretty much covered, The only thing I have to add is that when you get the array up and running you will still need to make good backups. RAID arrays are still very prone to crashing and data loss

 

[AirPower4ever]

To ISS - I was reading that this becomes an issue when using drives in RAID so I started to read more and more. Then I thought, "how does one know?" so I came here and asked. I mean, I was sent links to read more and everywhere said "should be" so I want to know how to find out if TLER is really on or off? It is just to satisfy my need for information, I never just take someone's word. I like proof, confirmation, etc. just my quirkiness. Thanks for the links and especially the pics. Since I am using RAID5 then the question would be should I even try to turn on TLER or not?

E - Again thanks, will read today.

P - I have 4 drives in RAID 5, I plan on using these as back up drives. Yes, and I am there with you about the RAID, but it seems that RAID5 is somewhat good. Had a customer tell me that one day his array failed, Intel RST told him, then rebuilt the array or something like that. Took 2-3 hours, but all his data was still there. He was able to access all the files from what he said. He was happy. But I understand too that RAID 5 is not fool proof either. He mentioned that the Intel RST main menu showed the array going through and rebuilding something, what I don't know and he did not either. Just that it showed some percentage starting at 0 and going up till it hit 100% took a long time. But, at the end of the day, whatever it did, it fixed it and now is still running. Whether that is tied to this TLER thing or not, not sure. Just that RST fixed something for his RAID5.

I guess at the end of the day, it does not matter what can be done just that only some day our drives will fail. Again thanks to everyone! Will be reading more.

 

[Ivan the SoSo]

Since you have gone through the trouble of setting up the array might as well go through a little more, and make sure it's turned on....could save you from lot's more later....

 

[pooch]

Since you have gone through the trouble of setting up the array might as well go through a little more, and make sure it's turned on....could save you from lot's more later....

+1 I agree this may just save you alignment problms.

I also use one seperate drive per RAID drive for data backups and I also make an image of windows then should the worst happen and your data is lost you set up the raid new, install the image and then your data. This is by no means foolproof but it does give you some added security.

 

[AirPower4ever]

Sorry, been away.

Umm, ok.

ISS - So since I got my array up and by the words in your response to turn them on, how is this done then. I read it is in DOS and I am not DOS savy at all. Can you walk me through it?

P - What program do you use for imaging? I saw some video about Macrium, but never had the time to try it out.

 

[pooch]

Sorry, been away.

Umm, ok.

ISS - So since I got my array up and by the words in your response to turn them on, how is this done then. I read it is in DOS and I am not DOS savy at all. Can you walk me through it?

P - What program do you use for imaging? I saw some video about Macrium, but never had the time to try it out.

I may have found a different fix for you that doesn't need tler or Dos, Its called Intel rapid storage technology.
Have a look here; WD Black TLER confusion You need to read almost to the bottom of the page.

and download it here; http://downloadcenter.intel.com/Detail_Desc.aspx?lang=eng&changeLang=true&DwnldId=19607

I use the inbuilt Windows backup myself, but I have heard that Macrium is also very good

 

[AirPower4ever]

I guess we are now at the parts listing part.

mobo - Asus P7P55D Deluxe
IMSM version - 8.9.0.1023
IRST version - 10.0.6.1002

So reading that, does the Intel Matrix and Rapid Storage take care of the TLER? I mean it reads that way, just want to be sure.

And again, if it does, how can check if TLER is on?

Thanks P.

 

[Ivan the SoSo]

DOS is a command line system similar to the CMD in windows 7....basically just set up the BIOS to boot from the cd, and follow the prompts WD TLER for Green drives in Raid - [H]ard|Forum