Reinstall Question

[rlu929s]

I'm asking this because I've never had to mess with it before. I can reinstall windows with my eyes closed. It's just I've never done it with a RAID config before.

I have a system coming with XP PRo on it from Gateway and the first thing I'm going to do is wipe it and do a clean install.

It has 2 250GB drives in the RAID Mirroring formation.

What's the best way to do this?

 

[TG2]

Probably depends on the chipset, you may need to provide XP drivers for the raid controller during setup by pressing F6.
Then XP looks for drivers on the floppy drive, is there a floppy in the new system?
Youll have to download drivers for the raid, either from gateway or from the raid manufacturer....

 

[rlu929s]

It's the new 975x Intel chipset. So when it asks you to install 3rd party drivers do that and install the RAID drivers. Then it should be cake from there?

 

[TG2]

maybe...is there a floppy drive in the new machine?

 

[rlu929s]

No floppy

 

[MagnusTheBrewer]

Are you doing a clean install to remove bloatware?

 

[rlu929s]

Yes I am.

 

[MagnusTheBrewer]

Well... I think its possible to order systems from Gateway configured however you want. But, here is a possible solution. Make sure you know where the raid drivers are located then, install Windows in a separate folder (Check MS site for details on how to do this). When the new install asks for the drivers, point it to the previous location. Once the new install is completed, the registry will have no record of any programs other than Windows so, you basically have a clean install. Hope this halps 🙂

 

[TG2]

Magnus....not sure that will work as he still needs to provide RAID drivers for the OS to see the hard drive, before he can install to another folder.

XP will ask for the drivers to be on a floppy disk as well, and theres not a floppy drive installed.

On the other hand, you could always setup the disks to NOT be in raid, then install XP, youd just have a C and D drive, each being 250gb.

You wouldnt need the raid drivers then

 

[MagnusTheBrewer]

Originally posted by: TG2
Magnus....not sure that will work as he still needs to provide RAID drivers for the OS to see the hard drive, before he can install to another folder.

XP will ask for the drivers to be on a floppy disk as well, and theres not a floppy drive installed.

On the other hand, you could always setup the disks to NOT be in raid, then install XP, youd just have a C and D drive, each being 250gb.

You wouldnt need the raid drivers then

Your right. Sometimes trying to think outside the box leaves you without a box.

I think the problem might be how to back up the hdd to indiviual disks while in raid. Course if formatting is not a problem, then your suggestion of having two drives is probably the best.