Vista Ultimate x64 and RAID through Int13 w/o 64-bit drivers (Promise SX6000)?

[CZroe]

To avoid having to buy a new power supply just yet, I want to transition the bulk of my fileserver into my new quad-core gaming system (so I can use the PCP&C TurboCool 1KW 1000w PSU).

Before anyone jumps all over the seeming oxymoron of Vista x64 and gaming, let me just explain that I still have my 2GB PC3200 AMD Athlon 64 X2 3800+ 2x7800GT SLI system for the problem games, and I'll probably be dual-booting on this system too.

The fileserver uses a Promise SuperTrak SX6000 6-channel PATA RAID 5 card with 128MB SDRAM... actually, two of them but I'm only moving one. There are no 64-bit drivers online. Is it possible to just use the DOS/Int13 compatibility to run it without drivers in a 64-bit OS? I mean, if I can access the array in DOS with FDISK and what-not using Int13 and no drivers, why can't a modern OS? Windows XP certainly seems to nag me for drivers, but I can't seem to shake the feeling that this should be possible. Does anyone know?

 

[KingGheedora]

What are the issues with Vista x64 and gaming, exactly?

 

[corkyg]

Normally RAID drivers are in play BEFORE Vista starts to load. They are necessary because the array must be built and checked on every boot before the OS loads.

 

[CZroe]

Originally posted by: corkyg
Normally RAID drivers are in play BEFORE Vista starts to load. They are necessary because the array must be built and checked on every boot before the OS loads.

Actually, the card can have it's own controller and logic and present it to the PC through INT13 or even simulate an entire drive controller and drive (much like a RAM card). Unfortunately, most hook into the PC BIOS to load their logic on the PC CPU and then offer the access to the array through drivers or the INT13 interface (peripheral IDE controllers work the same way). This works well for 16-bit mode and DOS but, for some reason, WindowsXP requires a driver though DOS and Windows9x do not (remember installing Windows9x on your RAID0 array and THEN installign the RAID drivers? INT13 in action.). I do not know if it is even possible for the software BIOS hook to work with a 64-bit OS putting the CPU in 64bit mode, though I would expect that the INT13 option is still available if the OS would just utilize it. That said, these have Intel CPUs on the Promise cards and they could very-well not require the CPU for software RAID.