getting existing XPpro to accept new RAID

[Guest]

Present system uses Gigabyte GA7VT 600 mobo with built-in SATA VIA 8237 RAID
controller.

Currently the BIOS is not set up for RAID, and the VIA drivers are not
installed in XPPro.

I'd like to install a RAID 0 array in addition to existing PATA boot & data
drives. Is there any way I can install the necessary drivers into my
existing XP system so that it will be able to see the new array when I set it
up in the BIOS & install the pair of SATA disks?

 

[DL]

It depends, you should read your mobo manual for the exact instructions.
Some sata controlers require you to install drivers using the F6 option to
install from floppy during the installation, or repair installation of winxp
Some mobos also require you to ammend bios settings and or jumpers on the
mobo

 

[Guest]

Thanks DL, but maybe my msg was not clear enough -- I know about all that F6
stuff; what I'm trying to avoid is doing a re-install (or even repair) of XP.


I was hoping to make XP 'RAID-ready' by installing the drivers supplied on
my mobo CD in advance, just like you often need to install certain USB device
drivers in advance of connecting specialised USB hardware like a modem or
sound device.

In that way I was hoping to pre-arrange things so that when I actually
connect the drives and run the BIOS utility, XP will recognise them on
re-boot.

Previously, when I've had to re-install XP for a new SATA RAID setup with
all that F6 stuff, it's taken quite a time, even if I just do a Repair,
because then I have to re-install all the updates over again; then if I later
disable the RAID in the BIOS, XP is still perfectly happy to function
normally without the RAID present, even though the drivers are still
installed and ready to drive again when I re-enable the SATA drives in the
BIOS.

So I figured there must be a way of pre-installing the drivers in advance...

 

[DL]

You can only install the drivers, if not present in the winxp cd, by F6 or
slipstreaming into a WinXp installation cd