ASUS P4C800 DELUXE-UAY RAID 0 SATA HDD Detection Problem

[marccunn]

I am trying to configure a RAID 0 array for my new ASUS P4C800 DELUXE - UAY Motherboard.

I have two (2) new Maxtor DiamondMax Plus9 160GB SATA 6Y160MO hard drives connected to Serial Connectors SATA1 and SATA2, as shown in Paragraph 3. at the top of page 2-23 of the P4C800 User Guide.

The only other devices I have hooked up to the P4C800 now are a new TEAC Floppy drive (which is shown as being detected in the BIOS Setup Utility Main Screen as "Legacy Diskette A [1.44M, 3.5 in.]") and a new Plextor PlexWriter CD-R, which I have hooked up as the Secondary IDE Master, and which is shown as being detected in the BIOS Setup Utility Main Screen as "[Plextor CD-R Pre]".

I followed steps 1., 2. and 3. on page 5-28 of the User Guide to create a RAID 0 array using the two (2) Maxtor HDDs.

As indicated in step 4., when I rebooted, the MBFastTrack378 BIOS indicated that the array was functional.

However, step 5. on page 5-28 states:
5. Once the array is created, use the FDISK utility to format
the array as a single hard drive.

The User Guide does NOT give any indication how to get to FDISK !!!!!!!

I cannot find any key to use from within the ASUS FastBuild Utility to get to FDISK, and I do not know how I can stop the boot sequence to get into DOS, to use FDISK. Also, since there is no operating system installed yet on the Maxtors, how exactly can I get into DOS, so I could then get to FDISK ?

I then tried to install the W2000 Advanced Server OS without having first used FDISK. I changed the boot drive sequence to boot from the PlexWriter CD-R. I restarted and booted with the W2000 Advanced Server CD already in the PlexWriter CD-R drive. I thought I could try to use F10 when it got to the Welcome Screen, to get into the Recovery Console, so I could format and partition the Maxtors from there.

However, once Setup had detected my configuration and had loaded all the W2000 drivers, I got a message stating that no hard drives were detected, so Setup could not continue. Also, the computer emitted a continuous high-pitched scream while this message was displayed.

I then changed the boot sequence back to the default settings: Floppy first; array second; and, PlexWriter CD-R third. Thus, the Boot Device Priority Screen of the BIOS Setup Utility indicates the "1st Boot Device" as "[1st Floppy Drive]", the "2nd Boot Device" as "[FT 378 Ary 1]", and the "3rd Boot Device" as "[SM-Plextor CD-R]".

I think that "[FT 378 Ary 1]" must be the RAID 0 array, so the BIOS seems to know that there are two (2) HDDs installed (otherwise, it would not detect the array).

Currently, the Main Screen of the BIOS Setup Utility indicates that both the Primary IDE Master is "[Not Detected]" and the Secondary IDE Master is "[Not Detected]".

The Main Screen does NOT indicate anywhere that there is a RAID 0 array.

The IDE Configuration Screen of the BIOS Setup Utility Main Screen indicates:
Onboard IDE Operate Mode [Enhanced Mode]
Enhanced Mode Support On [S-ATA]
IDE Detect Time Out (Sec.) [35]

Questions:

1. Exactly how can I get to FDISK, so that I can I format and partition the Maxtors as one RAID 0 array (but I thought the BIOS already knows there is one RAID 0 array, so why do I have to do the partitioning through the BIOS, rather than through the Windows 2000 Advanced Server Setup?) ?

2. If I manage to format and partition the Maxtors as one RAID 0 array using FDISK, will the BIOS and Windows 2000 Advanced Server detect that there is a "hard drive" or hard drives installed, so the W2000 Advanced Server Setup will then continue ?

Please respond with advice as soon as possible.

Thank you very much.

Marc

 

[shootinyou]

Hi marccunn, welcome to the forums.

I downloaded the P4C800 deluxe manual, and if the pages match between your manual and the one I'm viewing.
It looks to me like your setting up IDE raid, when you need to set SATA raid which is covered in the manual
starting on page 5-34.

Q #1: As I remember you should be able to format your drives after creating the SATA array.
and once again when loading OS, you'll be able to set any partitions needed as well.

Q #2: First post screen (screen where drives, ect. are detected)won't show your raid array, the array
will show up at Raid bios screen (2nd sceen). Windows will see your drives as one 320gig rather than
2 160's, depending ofcoarse on partitions.

Hope this helps...

 

[marccunn]

Yes, I think our manuals do match!

However, you say in response to my Question 1. that there is a way to format the two HDDs in the RAID array, after the array is created. I think you must be right, since that is indeed consistent with the step 5. I quoted above from the manual.

I just can't figure out how to get to FDISK from within either the RAID creation utility or from the BIOS, and the manual doesn't explain it (what I quoted in my original message is all there is in the manual about that issue!). Those are the only two options I have, since the HDDs are new. The RAID creation utility doen't seem to have any command to activate FDISK.

There must be some very simple way to get to FDISK, since the manual say it, and you also believe it is possible, but it's just not apparent to me yet!

I agree with you, that if I can just format the two HDDs in the array (with NTFS), then I could probably partition them ("it" actually - since they would read as one drive) when I get past the Welcome screen in Setup.

Do you know the steps to activate FDISK from within either the RAID creation utility or the BIOS? Can I copy FDISK onto a floppy and then boot the ASUS directly to that floppy?

Thanks again fir your support!

Marc

 

[shootinyou]

Originally posted by: marccunn
Yes, I think our manuals do match

However, you say in response to my Question 1. that there is a way to format the two HDDs in the RAID array, after the array is created. I think you must be right, since that is indeed consistent with the step 5. I quoted above from the manual.

I just can't figure out how to get to FDISK from within either the RAID creation utility or from the BIOS, and the manual doesn't explain it (what I quoted in my original message is all there is in the manual about that issue!). Those are the only two options I have, since the HDDs are new. The RAID creation utility doen't seem to have any command to activate FDISK.

There must be some very simple way to get to FDISK, since the manual say it, and you also believe it is possible, but it's just not apparent to me yet!

I agree with you, that if I can just format the two HDDs in the array (with NTFS), then I could probably partition them ("it" actually - since they would read as one drive) when I get past the Welcome screen in Setup.

Do you know the steps to activate FDISK from within either the RAID creation utility or the BIOS? Can I copy FDISK onto a floppy and then boot the ASUS directly to that floppy?

Thanks again fir your support!

Marc

The first thing we need to figure out before we worry about FDisk, is which Raid setup you want to use
IDE (looks as though you are trying to configure) or SATA (which you stated you have HDD's connected to).
These won't mix! The IDE uses a VIA VT6410 raid controller, while SATA uses the Intel ICH5R raid controller.

I beleave once we have this staightened out, your formatting problems will be waaaay easier to solve.