Recovery Console

[Guest]

I'm trying to use Recovery Console from startup. It's been installed by
download from MS. When I select it from startup I get to a prompt message
about third party drivers and that my hdd's are not recognised. Eventually I
get the blue screen with advice to check my hdd etc. I have then to cold
reboot.
I've got two SATA hdd's connected RAID 0. Does this cause a problem for
recovery console with XP sp2?
I haven't been able to use recovery console yet therefore.
Advice appreciated
roberthansjorg

 

[Bob Harris]

Yes, SATA and/or RAID are not automatically supported by the recovery
console. Nor, are these supported directly by XP, if you were to try to
re-install XP from a retail XP CD.

However, there is an easy way to get XP to handle such disks:

1. Get the drivers for the disk controller and place them on a floppy disk.
It must be a floppy, not a CD, ZIP, or anything else. These drivers come
from the maker of the motherboard, or add-in SATA card, or PC (if you bought
a pre-made PC). The drivers are not for the disk, but for the controller,
so do not try to get them from the maker of the hard drive.

2. Early in the process of starting the recovery console, when it says
something about third-party drivers, immediately hit F6, insert the floppy
with the drivers, then answer the questions. The correct answer to the
first question is usually "S". Once you see a list of possible drivers,
highlight the correct one, then hit enter. When prompted for a second
driver for a second disk controller type, just hit enter (which at this
point means all done, move on). Even though you have two internal SATA
disks, you only need one dirver, so long as they are attached to the same
type of contoller.

 

[R. C. White]

Hi, Bob.

Good answer, but maybe we should clarify one little point that sometimes
causes concern the first time a user does this.

something about third-party drivers, immediately hit F6, insert the floppy
with the drivers, then answer the questions. The correct answer to the

Between "hit F6" and "insert the floppy" will probably be a several-minute
wait while Setup continues copying files - a LOT of files - as though it
didn't even notice the F6. Just be patient until it stops with onscreen
instructions for how to use the floppy.

RC

 

[Guest]

Thank you both RC and Bob for your answers.
I'll be working on this and respond with my results
shortly.
Ta!
roberthansjorg

 

[ggull]

Yes, SATA and/or RAID are not automatically supported by the recovery
console. Nor, are these supported directly by XP, if you were to try to
re-install XP from a retail XP CD.

However, there is an easy way to get XP to handle such disks:

1. Get the drivers for the disk controller and place them on a floppy disk.
It must be a floppy, not a CD, ZIP, or anything else.

This is extremely interesting info, something not mentioned in anyting
What are our options if we have a machine without floppy drive?
(After all, they're so out of date, so limited, why waste money putting in a
useless antique ?

I have a feeling that last remaining bay (after the 2nd SATA HD) is going to
go to a floppy drive.
Would a USB external floppy work? I have a hunch not.