XP install on RAID array with no floppy drive...

[Formisano]

Hey All,
I need to install XP on a machine that (A) has a RAID1 array and (B) has no floppy drive.
Any advice or hints as to how I might be able to get my RAID drivers loaded after the F6 on the install? Thanks for any and all feedback. 🙂

 

[Fullmetal Chocobo]

install a floppy just for the installation.

 

[tyborg]

obviously, he doesn't have access to one. I read a guide once to copy the drivers to a burn of the XP CD. The one I read was very good and intensely detailed. Don't know if this is it, as it has the whole install for someone who doesn't plan on attending it, but it might help:

http://www.pcstats.com/articleview.cfm?articleID=1703

 

[Fullmetal Chocobo]

Here is another one. I've used it, and it works very well. Only problem is that you get warning pop-ups after installation that can be quite annoying.

EDIT: I should note, after slipstreaming with all the updates, drivers, and SP2, I found it better to do a plain install later. So I don't mess with slip-streaming anymore. Although I did find it quite nice to download all of the updates for my machine... No more downloading them for me on future reformats.

 

[Formisano]

Thanks guys. I'm going to use the unattended install method.

My only problem now is that I need someone who has a floppy drive to run the Intel Floppy Configuration Utility - Intel® Matrix Storage Manager [F6FLPY32.ZIP on Intel's site] and then email me the files that it puts on your floppy

Jeez! And I thought I had finally abolished the need to ever have a floppy drive anymore. I promise I've learned my lesson!

michaelformisano@hotmail.com

 

[Hyperlite]

Yeah, i didn't realize i would need a floppy when i first built my raid array last year...you don't just use it for the initial installation though, i use it all the time to get into the windows setup to do maintainence. kind of a PITA, i hope vista fixes this. I think it will be many years before i leave a floppy entirely out of a build.

 

[stevty2889]

There is a command line you can do, that will extract the files from the IAA without having to make a floppy, can't remember it off the top of my head though. Another thing I noticed is that after slipstreaming drivers in to an XP cd you lose the repair install option.

 

[RebateMonger]

Having a PC with a RAID setup and no floppy drive capabiity is a PITA and not worth the $10-$30 (depending on the type of PC) savings over installing a floppy drive. I believe that MOST recent PCs can also use a USB floppy drive for the RAID setup with Windows. Those are about $25.