RAID-0 not recognized on Windows install

mleonard

Member
Jul 17, 2006
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I'm installing WinXP Pro SP2 on a new system. I'm having trouble getting the RAID-0 on my (2) WD Raptor 74GB HD's to be recognized during the Windows install. My Supermicro X7DAE motherboard has an Intel ESB2 SATA RAID controller onboard, and the bios gives me an option to use Intel HostRAID or Adaptec HostRAID.

I've tried using both the Intel and Adaptec controllers, setting up each and the array's were recognized at boot. During setup, I installed the 3rd party controller specifying the 'Intel ESB2 SATA RAID" from my floppy for both Intel & Adaptec (there is an Adaptec SAS/SATA RAID controller, but it seems to prefer the Intel one). During the Windows install, using Intel controller, 2 drive shows up, so the array is not recognized. If I do specify one of the drives to install to, it fails during the format, "Setup was unable to format the partition." Using the Adaptec controller, a single drive is recognized, however it has the same error formating the drive.

I've used Adapetc low-level drive format on each drive, and the problem persists.
 

mleonard

Member
Jul 17, 2006
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I'm quite sure now I'm using the correct RAID driver, I downloaded the most current version 1.03 Adaptec ESB2 SATA Windows driver from Supermicro at: ftp://ftp.supermicro.com/CDR-X7_1.03_fo...tform/Adaptec/ESB2/SATA/Windows/WIN32/
This most recent driver (or compatible) wasn't even on the MB install disk, and a bad link on their website. So now using Adaptec HostRAID, and installing the new 3rd party driver during Windows setup, I get to the 'select partion to install windows to' and a single drive shows up! I've gotten past that hurdle... however, when I select it, I get "Setup was unable to format the partition" Is it a HD problem now? I've already low-level formated both (seperately, rebuilding array), and the array shows up fine on boot.