HELP!! Can't get XP Pro to install w/on-board RAID.

[ArvinC]

Hello everyone!

First off, here are my rig's specs:

- AMD Athlon 2000XP (1.65MHz)
- Soyo K7-V DRAGON Plus
- Nanya PC2100 DDR RAM (512)
- Abit Saluro GeForce 3 Ti-200
- (2) Western Digital WD400BB 40 Gig HD's 7200 rpm
- Lite-On LTD-163 DVD (Black)
- Lite-On LTR 24102B CDR/CDRW (Black)
- Mitsumi Floppy (Black)
- Thermaltake Volcano 6+ Cu
- Arctic Silver Alumina
- Lian-Li PC-65 Case
- Raidmax PMS-400 Aluminum 400 watt powersupply

Not bad, eh? Only problem is, I'm trying to install M/S Windows XP Professional and it won't read my drives when I have them set up in a striped (RAID-0) array. I'm using the on-board Promise RAID controller on my m/b.

Here's what I have done and tried: First, I made sure I had the jumper comfigured properly. Then, in the BIOS utility, I made sure to enable the on-board RAID. Second, I made sure to enable the CDR/CDRW as the boot drive.

When I re-booted, I went into the "Fastdisc" utility, so I could set-up the RAID array. Set it up fine. It confirmed that it was a functioning, bootable array and listed both my hd's as being on the array. Re-booted again, this time with the XP Pro disc in. It loaded up some drivers, then when it went to "Start Windows," I got a screen saying "Windows could not detect any hard drives on your system." Tried this several times, still same problem.

So I tried it without the drives in a RAID configuration, and XP read them fine and asked me which drive I wanted to install on. What gives? Did I miss a step? Or was there a something I should have done differently or not at all?

Any help or advice would be great!

ArvinC

 

[Ausm]

this is what you have to do....

Boot from the cd-rom and when it is installing there will be a message like "hit F6 to instal SCSi Drivers" well anyway hit F6 slap in the drivers disk and load them/ Win2K should properly see you drives then. Oh BTW excellent system


Ausm

 

[Ausm]

Oh if the drivers are not on a floppy I would copy them to one makes the job a little easier not having to swap out the CD


Ausm

 

[cleverhandle]

<< Oh if the drivers are not on a floppy I would copy them to one makes the job a little easier not having to swap out the CD


Ausm >>



And make sure you read the manual while you're doing that - XP will need the files in the XP-specific folder as well as some general files in the top-level folder.

 

[aka1nas]

I had the same prob when I first got my Soyo Dragon. The trick is to make a floppy disk that has all the RAID driver files from the CD. You do need to preserve the same directory structure that is on the CD. I can't remember exactly at which point you need to copy, but It should probably contain all the RAID drivers for all the OSes available on CD(I.E setup will look for something like: .../FastTrack/WindowsXP/nameOfDriver.inf). Then you tap F6 when prompted as soemone above mentioned.

 

[aka1nas]

Also, make sure that you update the RAID drivers ASAP once you get XP up. Also, stay away from the smartGuardian Hardware monitor they give you on the CD. Even the newest version still loads your CPU at 100% when you run it(its just supposed to tell you the CPU temp and the speed of your fans in your box.)