Freezes during install, Win98SE on a RAID 0 array -- out of ideas, please help!

davidf

Junior Member
Feb 26, 2001
20
0
0
I am trying to do a clean installation of Win98SE onto a RAID setup of 2 x 30GB Deskstars. system info below:

Iwill KK266-R
T-bird 1 Ghz
2 30GB IBM 75Gxp's -- both set as masters and attached to seperate RAID controllers
Radeon AIW
etc..

The problem: I boot to a DOS prompt, run setup from the Win CD, it starts, goes through the disk check, goes to the install screen, brings up the usual window that says something about the installation wizard is preparing your system for installation, runs the progress bar up to 100%, sits for a few seconds, then freezes. When it freezes, it emits a continuous tone, and a dos-style dialog box is shown on the screen asking "Attempt Writing Boot Sector! Proceed writing (Y/N)?", and the screen gets a few artifacts as normal when Windows freezes. The dos-style dialog box and the question it asks are exactly like what fdisk does when the first partition is created, except when it comes up as the computer freezes, it is only partially completed -- all the text is there, but the colors do not show properly (it is normally red with flashing white lettering, but when the computer freezes, the box is just blakc with normal white lettering.)

I had no trouble configuring the RAID array; partitioned and formatted the drive, and I even copied a system disk onto it. I had no problems booting to a DOS prompt from the HDD. On my most recent attempt, I followed the procedure given on icronic (on this page) -- to the letter, with the exception of using a 32 kb stripe size (and adjusting the format statement accordingly). It doesn't help. The problem occurs every time I try to install.
It never freezes in fdisk when that dialog box appears.

Does anyone have any ideas for how to correct this?

David
 

rmblam

Golden Member
Aug 24, 2000
1,237
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There is another setting in that bios you might want to disable. something about boot sector warning. With that and the virus protection on it may be write protecting the boot sector and keeping you from installing.

I recently set up the same board with RAID-1 for a friend. Nice system...
 

tboo

Diamond Member
Jun 25, 2000
7,626
1
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Is that the one with the Ali chipset? because I thought the new Iwill mobos with that chipset have a major problem with Radeons. If not are you overclocking you chip? I find that when I reformat & reinstall I have to set my chip speed back to its spec when I install or I get problems. After installation I then kick the speed back up.
 

davidf

Junior Member
Feb 26, 2001
20
0
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This isn't the ALI chipset. Its a KT-133A, and it isn't overclocked. I tried three Win98 CDs and none of them worked.
I did disable the virus protection, but I think I may have overlooked the boot sector warning setting mentioned a couple of responses up.
The machine does ask for confirmation before Fdisk writes to the boot sector, which I suspect might be this boot sector warning setting sector (running fdisk from a DOS prompt). I'll hunt around for this setting as my next step. Thanks for the tip rmblam.

So now the question now is: can anyone tell me why this same problem doesn't happen when I install Win2k? That install went fine. My guess is just that Win98 sends some spurious command when the BIOS looks for a response whereas Win2k actually answers the BIOS before continuing?