JayMein
asked on
Write Cache Enabled resolution
I keep getting this event in my system log. Is this something I should be worried about, and how do I rectify the problem? I have searched about on google and seen lots of conflicting advice; Some people saying leave it, some people saying it only applies to removable devices etc...
I can see the checkbox in properties -> policies for this disk is checked to enable it. Howeve the note below it says "This device does not allow its write cache setting to be modified" But I can still uncheck. This drive holds my exchange database and sharepoint database, will it affect these if I turn write cache off?
Event Type: Warning
Event Source: Disk
Event Category: None
Event ID: 32
Date: 25/05/2007
Time: 11:09:15
User: N/A
Computer:
Description: The driver detected that the device \Device\Harddisk1\DR1 has its write cache enabled. Data corruption may occur.
Running:
MS SBS 2003 R2
HP ML150 G3
2GB RAM
4 x 146GB SAS
2 x 72GB SAS
Latest crtitcal updates applied to date.
I can see the checkbox in properties -> policies for this disk is checked to enable it. Howeve the note below it says "This device does not allow its write cache setting to be modified" But I can still uncheck. This drive holds my exchange database and sharepoint database, will it affect these if I turn write cache off?
Event Type: Warning
Event Source: Disk
Event Category: None
Event ID: 32
Date: 25/05/2007
Time: 11:09:15
User: N/A
Computer:
Description: The driver detected that the device \Device\Harddisk1\DR1 has its write cache enabled. Data corruption may occur.
Running:
MS SBS 2003 R2
HP ML150 G3
2GB RAM
4 x 146GB SAS
2 x 72GB SAS
Latest crtitcal updates applied to date.
ASKER
So I should manually remove the check from the box?
And removing write cache will not affect the data already stored on the drive?
And removing write cache will not affect the data already stored on the drive?
Ideally yes, remove the check box. This will not affect anything on the drive, it just makes sure that in future when Windows writes data to the disk, it goes straight to the disk and is not held in a memory cache pending a delayed write. There may be some minor but normally inperceptable loss in perfomance when writing data.
ASKER
The problem was the LSI Raid controller.
I had to update the bios on the board to allow it to sit ahead of the USB in the queue and stay there.
I had to update the bios on the board to allow it to sit ahead of the USB in the queue and stay there.
ASKER CERTIFIED SOLUTION
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If write caching in enable and it is not battery backed, then windows attempts to disable write caching on the drives that hold AD, Exchange, SQL etc databases, because in the event of a power failure the disk write cache may hold data that the system thinks has been committed to the disk and that data could be lost. Switching off write caching prevents this risk.
What has happened in your case is that Windows has attempted to disable write caching but has been unable to. The risk of data loss/corruption is very small, but to be safe, If possible you should turn off write caching manually in order to protect your data. There will be a slight loss of perfomance when writing data as a result, reading will be unaffected.