RAID 1 XP Install issue

[Bishman]

Hi,

I am attemtping to set up a RAID 1 array using a Gigabyte GA7ZXR MB with an
onboard Promise 20265 Raid controller. I used to have a striped array
working fine with this machine but after I lost a disk about a year ago I
ditched it. I am now attemtping to use 2x160gb Maxtor drives ( Is their
size the issue ?) , but after using the F6 option of the XP pro ( Non
service pack ) install to 'load additional drivers', the XP Installation
routine reports no disks are present in my machine and the install fails. I
have deleted the old partitions from both drives ans set up the Mirror
apparently succesfully.

I have tried this several times, loading and not loading the additional
drivers but to no avail. Any ideas anyone ? I was wondering if it is the
large disk support missing from the XP CD ?

Thanks.

 

[Bishman]

OK - I'll answer my own question.......

Two reasons.

1). Since the last time I used the RAID I had upgraded the BIOS of the MB to
the'latest version'. For some reason that 'latest version' does not allow
the Fasttrak100 to be the boot device. Downgrading to the previous version
remedies that issue.
2). The Promise driver I was using for the Fasttrak100 IDE controller was
not the latest one. I went direct to the Promise website to obtain a
driver.(Ultra.sys). Couldnt find the driver on the Gigabyte website.

Thanks Gigabyte for having such a useless website. No help whatsoever. Nice
MB though. Years of good service.

This may be of use to someone else one day.

JB