BIOS, HPT 370 DRIVERS FOR KT7A-RAID

[SeaHarp]

I am about to plug my new system in, but before I do I would like to know how you find out if I have the latest bios and hpt 370 drivers?

Should I just get up and running and worry about that later? I just dont want to run into problems it seems so many have. Do I install these before I set up the raid 0 array? Before I install windows 2k? I kinda would like a step by step process link. I've been to Pauls faq but that just tells you more of what and not when. Appreciate any advise

 

[mastertech01]

I found a lot of helps with the FAQ.. I would follow it as a basic guideline.. Honestly I would set it all up and go with the bios on hand and then when you are comfortable with it flash the bios and it will include the latest bios for the Raid controller as well..and then download the latest driver for the controller from Abit, and the latest 4N1. The reason I suggest waiting is if the motherboard has problems, you can identify them and get an RMA.. if you go straight to a bios flash you wont know if the flash failed or the board is bad. IMHO

 

[boggsie]

I would use what came with the board on CD and if you run into a problem, research to find out if a BIOS update will resolve it.

Depending on what PCI devices you intend to use, these boards can be a treat or a real PITA.

 

[SeaHarp]

Thanks guys---couple quick questions.

As soon as I start up, do I change all 3 boot devices in bios to ata100 raid or do I set up my hpt 370 drivers first? When do I install windows 2k, before or after I set up the raid option?

 

[boggsie]

In the BIOS you would probably select boot options in this order:
1) Floppy
2) ATA100
3) CD-ROM

Then install the two hard drives on the separate RAID channels and setup your striped array.

In order to pull this off, I _believe_ that the RAID array must be the only available installation disk. I do not believe that you'll be able to install Win2K on the RAID array, if you have a separate IDE disk attached to IDE 1 or 2.

I'm certain that I'll be corrected if this is not good information.

 

[Pederv]

If your going to install win2k and you want to set up a raid and have win2k on that raid, then the following steps should get you up:
0.5) just to be safe remove power from the system and use the jumper on the motherboard to reset the cmos
1) only install your video card
2) connect your drives, as previously said, as master on ide3 and ide4
3) start your system and go into the bios and do bios defaults then select your boot sequence(the manual says if you use the raid to do it ataraid100 ataraid100 ataraid100, I have it floppy ataraid100 ataraid100), set your cpu speed in the softmenu3 and make sure your raid controller is enabled
4) when the system restarts and goes to the raid initilization press ctrl+H to enter the raid bios and set up your raid configuration
5) I can't remember if its F5 or F6 that you press while installing win2k that allows you to supply additional drivers, but you need to supply win2k the drivers while your installing. IMPORTANT!! make sure the raid bios and raid drivers have the same revision ID (if the raid bios is 103b1 then the drivers need to be 103b1)
6) after that it should be a normal install.

 

[SeaHarp]

Thanks alot

Though I don't think I should have to clear the cmos, because this is a total clean install of everything: mobo, case, cd-rom, ram everything brand new.

 

[tpetre4322]

like he said just make sure you got the right drivers, for the right bios, handy on a floppy, and press f6, and s, when it asks for mass storage controller drivers.if you use the wrong drivers, the first reboot will say inacsesable boot device. if you have a extra hard drive, it is much easier to setup win98, win2k,on it on ide#1 and get everything right, then ghost to the raid array, just my opinion. oh and sometimes pagefile.sys win2ks virtual memory, doesnt like being on the raid array, it may work fine for you.

 

[Pederv]

I mentioned the clearing cmos, because with the KT7 I know of a few instances of strange behavior, on a newly built machine, that were cleared up when the bios was reset.

 

[grendelkhan]

Something to be aware of, many of us have not had alot of success under Win2k until we disabled ACPI. I spent 7 hours watching Win2k die during install, simply because the HPT370 does not like ot share IRQ's.

The advice about installing with no cards is solid. I did my install with only my NIC and video, and then replaced the ACPI HAL with Standard PC, and all has been happy ever since.

 

[SeaHarp]

so I set up raid array. Then as windows starts to install, I hit f6 when prompted, then s when prompted. Then it says to insert disk into drive a"A" labeled "Manufacturer-supplied hardware support disk." This is where I'm hung up. All that I got with the mobo is the cd w/ drivers on it and some hot rod 100 disk (which I have no idea what it is for). I couldnt move the drivers from the cd to a floppy, I could only open up on the computer I tried to copy them on. So I downloaded and unzipped the drivers and inserted them, but nothing. It doesnt recognize anything on my floppy. What am I doing wrong?


sure would appreciate some input

 

[Pederv]

You probabably got the drivers that you need to run to install, not the inf files. Here's a link that is to the 103b drivers for win2k, when run the file will generate the following files:
370rea~1.txt
Hpt3xx2k.inf
Hpt3xx2k.sys
These should work for you.

 

[SeaHarp]

Thanks, but I have these drivers and I have a diskette that says hotrod 100 pro but Its like my floppy dont read these....In fact, I thought that my floppy was bad so I replaced it along w/ the cable , but still nothing. I noticed that my light on the floppy drive is always on and I dont hear it engage when I install the floppy disk.. So I thought, well, maybe the drivers took so I went ahead with the installation but windows said I dont have any hard drives installed even though they were recognized by name and model when I set up RAID.

Two days and I cant even get my operating system installed, this is getting frustrating.

 

[grendelkhan]

The "Hot Rod 100" disk is the drivers for Win2k.

Your best bet (if you can) is to snag the lstest drivers from Highpoint's Site.

When you unzip and slap onto a floppy, you should end up with two files (disk 1, and txtsetup.oem) and a folder named "2k" with the actual drivers and such.

Win2k will make sense of all this and should chug right along.

If your floppy light is always on, the cable is probably reversed. Turn it around see if that helps (I did the same thing!).