Write caches for disks and disk arrays improves disk performance, but the cached data may be lost in an unplanned disk shutdown. In general, Veritas recommends that write caches be disabled to avoid any possible data loss. However, write caches may be enabled for disks and disk arrays that have an emergency backup power source for their caches.

Refer to your hardware documentation for additional information about disabling the write cache. Also refer to Microsoft knowledge base article #811392 (http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx/kb/811392) for additional information to configure the write cache.

If you choose to have the write cache enabled, the warning message about write cache enabled disks is displayed during startup. This message can be turned off by clearing the check box for Show write cache enabled information in the Storage Foundation General tab of the Preferences GUI.

More information about turning off the message is available.

It may be possible to disable the write cache for a disk by using the Windows Computer Management GUI as shown in the following steps.