Installing XP on 137+ gigabyte drives

[Darren Milbrandt]

I understand XP SP1 recognizes drives beyond 137 gigabytes. Is this
true during a fresh install of Windows XP from a full release copy of
Windows XP SP1?

I have two 80 gig Maxtor Serial ATA drives. I want them to run in a
striped RAID on the Intel RAID controller (I have a 875 based mobo).
The MaxBlast 3 utility does not recognize my Serial ATA drives so
that's kind of useless to me. I have a original copy of XP (non SP1)
and it does not see my partition I have setup. I was wondering if a
full fledged version of XP SP1 would be able to see my partition?

 

[dsyoji]

-----Original Message-----
I understand XP SP1 recognizes drives beyond 137 gigabytes. Is this
true during a fresh install of Windows XP from a full release copy of
Windows XP SP1?

I have two 80 gig Maxtor Serial ATA drives. I want them to run in a
striped RAID on the Intel RAID controller (I have a 875 based mobo).
The MaxBlast 3 utility does not recognize my Serial ATA drives so
that's kind of useless to me. I have a original copy of XP (non SP1)
and it does not see my partition I have setup. I was wondering if a
full fledged version of XP SP1 would be able to see my partition?
.

Q: Are your drives set up in raid configuration at boot.
And is your bios set up for raid.

If yes then go install from cd. If no then setup raid
first. Make sure your mb raid floppy is in fdd.
Once you have booted from the cd it will give you an
option to press f2 to install scsi and raid controllers
press f2. It will begin to load drivers. It will get
to a screen that says something like it can't detect
your hard drive. It will list a few options, the one
you want is (s) for select were it will take you to a
screen with your raid controller. Select your
controller and press continue. It should now see your
raid configuration. Just follow the rest.

 

[Darren Milbrandt]

I know how to setup the array, and I loaded the driver for the Intel
RAID during XP setup. My array is setup already, and I have it set to
RAID mode in the BIOS. If I have the drive setup in standalone
configuration, XP sees them fine. If they are in the RAID config and
unformated, XP does not see them at all. I am having a hard time
trying to find a tool that will let me format them ahead of time that
supports Serial ATA.

 

[Hans-Georg Michna]

I know how to setup the array, and I loaded the driver for the Intel
RAID during XP setup. My array is setup already, and I have it set to
RAID mode in the BIOS. If I have the drive setup in standalone
configuration, XP sees them fine. If they are in the RAID config and
unformated, XP does not see them at all. I am having a hard time
trying to find a tool that will let me format them ahead of time that
supports Serial ATA.

Darren,

I think you're looking in the wrong place. Windows XP has no
problem with drives larger than 134 GB. My kids have 180 GB
drives (non-RAID) in their computers, one partition each, for
example.

If Windows XP doesn't see the RAID then that's not its fault.
It's the fault of the controller that is not transparent and
doesn't look to the operating system like an ordinary 160 GB
drive.

Swap the controller. Use a better one.

Hans-Georg

 

[Darren Milbrandt]

Darren,

I think you're looking in the wrong place. Windows XP has no
problem with drives larger than 134 GB. My kids have 180 GB
drives (non-RAID) in their computers, one partition each, for
example.

If Windows XP doesn't see the RAID then that's not its fault.
It's the fault of the controller that is not transparent and
doesn't look to the operating system like an ordinary 160 GB
drive.

Swap the controller. Use a better one.

Hans-Georg

It's a INTEL 875 controller. I'd hope it's not bad as it is brand
new. I can create the array just fine, the BIOS has no problem with
the array.

 

[Darren Milbrandt]

Let me rephrase that, it sees the raid config, but it tells me that XP
is unable to do anything with it.

 

[Darren Milbrandt]

Let me rephrase that, it sees the raid config, but it tells me that XP
is unable to do anything with it.

Thanks to everyone for their help. Found the problem, bad hard drive.
One of the drives is not detected correctly or at all half the time
on either SATA controller. When it is, the drive does not last long
in the RAID config.

 

[Hans-Georg Michna]

Thanks to everyone for their help. Found the problem, bad hard drive.
One of the drives is not detected correctly or at all half the time
on either SATA controller. When it is, the drive does not last long
in the RAID config.

Darren,

thanks for the report! It's good to know what actually happened.

Hans-Georg