KT7A-RAID + Windows XP Please read, please help.

[redfive19]

Well I had Windows XP running fine on this machine. I decided, after a few annoyances within Windows XP, to reinstall. I backed up all my data and decided this would be a good time to update the BIOS. I updated the BIOS and Highpoint BIOS to the newest official versions (64 & 2.0.1019 respectively) from 3R & 1.11.0402. I setup my RAID-0 config again. Reinstalled Windows XP Pro. From the first time running it, it just didn't seem right. Random lockups. I figured maybe it was just a bad setup. Went back, reformatted, re-RAID'd, tried to install. Now it hangs on the partitioning part of setup. I tried creating a partition with Partition Magic. Still the same thing. I went in via DOS and did a fdisk /mbr to delete the Master Boot Record figuring maybe some crap from the last installation remained in the boot record. Still no good. I have gone through this an untold amount of times. I finally rolled back the BIOS to 4A and 2.0.1019 (HighPoint). Still no good. I then rolled it back to original BIOS 3R and Highpoint BIOS 1.11.0402. Still no good.

A bit more info on the freezing. Windows XP Pro partitions the disk for you and does quite a nice job. Well, when I create a partition, it sits there "Checking Disk" finally checks it after a nice long wait (which also never happened before). When I go to install it takes forever to recheck this disk and then fails saying that WinXP is unable to update the disk. I almost sure this has to do with the RAID controller and not the disks. I haven't tried installing without the RAID yet (which I will try tonite). I am so tempted to go out and get a Promise RAID card and be done with it.

Also, when I did have WinXP reinstalled for that brief hour, it wouldn't shutdown properly. It would say "It Is Now Safe To Turn Off Your Computer" but not shut it down automatically. Sounds like Advanced Power Management to me but I played with the settings and it was just no good.

Right now, I just wish I never touched it. If it was running properly (besides for some small annoyances), I should have just left it. This always happens to me. I get too greedy with the tweaking and updating. Anyway, if anyone else can shed some light on this, it'd make my Christmas since right now I have no PC (I am writing this on someone else's PC). Thanks.

red five
redfive19@hotmail.com

System Specs:
1.4 GHZ Athlon
768 MB PC 150 RAM
2 - IBM 40GB 60GXP
Abit KT7A-RAID
Rev. 1.1


ps- The Raid is set to RAID-0 16K bits.

 

[BlackAspic]

Here are my suggestions. I'm currently running an XP/KT7A-RAID rig myself, and it has been great:

1. Underclock your CPU during partitioning/installation. I can't explain why, but I wasn't able to install XP until i took my then 1.2ghz and put it to 1.0.
2. Is there a PCI card in slot 5? 5 shares an IRQ with the Highpoint RAID controller. Try moving it.
3. Pull out all but one stick of RAM and try to install again.
4. Switch the disks on the Highpoint controller...put the one that has been on the Primary Channel onto the Secondary and visa versa.
5. In the BIOS, change PNP OS to Yes or No. Just change it to whatever it isn't right now. Sometimes it can help.
6. If you are using a modded BIOS that allows you to change it, set ACPI to Enabled
7. Borrow a buddy's mobo and try to format the disks with it if you still can't, then you have a disk failure.
8. Try a different stripe size.
9. Clear the CMOS a few times (hey, you never know!)

Don't feel bad man. Just today I fried my PSU whilst tweaking (homemade rheostat). Lots of fun...

 

[redfive19]

Hey man you are a gentlemen and a scholar. I will try all your suggestions in a little while. I am running some of the IBM tests via their Drive Fitness Test. I am erasing the boot sector and doing a low level format on the disks separately. Hopefully that will help. After that I am for sure doing each and every single one of your great suggestions, some of which I should have thought of but sometimes the haze of anger overshadows logical thought. Thanks again!

-red five

p.s. - I had XP running on this board fine since about August. Legal corporate version too. Was working OK besides for some annoyances. I decided to do a reinstall, it worked the first time but not the 2nd. Oh well...