NF7-S: Possible to use 2 raptors without raid?

[brianp34]

I have 2 36 gig raptors that I'd like to configure independantly of one another using the onboard controller. Is it possible to do this or will the conroller only allow two drives to function as part of a single array?

 

[Megatomic]

Yes, they can act as independent drives or they can be configured in an array. It's your choice.

 

[MichaelD]

Originally posted by: Megatomic
Yes, they can act as independent drives or they can be configured in an array. It's your choice.

What he said.

Now, to expand on that.

Are you looking to have your OS on one of the two Raptors? If so, you'll need to DL the latest SATA drivers for your board and put them on a floppy. You'll need to hit F6 immediately after booting from the CD in order to load the drivers for your SATA chipset off of said floppy.

The reason is that you're telling Windows you want to use "this drive here" to put your OS on. Windows says "What drive? I don't see any drive!" By default, Windows only sees the IDE controllers (Primary and Secondary) and the drives attached to them. Windows Setup will NOT see IDE/SATA RAID chips unless you hit F6 and load the drivers.

By loading the drivers off the floppy, you are essentially telling Windows where and how to look for the drive. Good luck.

 

[brianp34]

thanks for the help. i believe the problem was that the controller had already configured the drive on the primary channel as a raid set. i had to delete it, and now everything works fine.

 

[Insane3D]

Just to add to what MichaelD said, you can make a custom XP CD with DX9, SATA, and the latest NF2 drivers included so no F6 or floppy is needed.