Sata Raid Error

[JLM]

I have just bought the Gigabyte 8I945P-Pro, I am trying two set up two
SATA drives in raid 0 and am having problems every step of the way. I
the first time I have tried to build a barebones system, as such am
kind of learning on the job as it were. Have enabled the SATA
controller, and the Gigaraid function in the bios. Entered raid setup
(Ctrl I) and created my raid volume. And put the drivers on a floppy
(intel matrix - am assuming this is the correct one? - Intel chipset
ICH7R - if not this is probably my problem and could someone please
advise). Pressed F6 during windows installation, then loaded the
drivers, windows recongnises the raid volume, and then formats. After
reboot, windows begins installing but fails (blue screen of death),
can't remember what the specific error was, will post later when I get
back from work. Any help would be much appreciated, as I have said I am
fairly new to all this, so please bear with me if I'm making an obvious
mistake.

 

[Mercury]

gigaraid is the ITE controller, not the Intel Controller. You are best to
use the Intel controller as it has less of a history of bugs and better
performance.


So, double check your manual and where you have the drives plugged in -
wrong place. Recreate the RAID discs by starting again.

RAID 0 is to be avoided at all costs unless you know the pitfalls of it and
*do* have an application that *will* benefit from it, otherwise kiss your
system goodbye now - it will save you a wait which may be quite short.

 

[JLM]

Thanks, I understand that if one drive fails you loose everything, so
it is twice as likely to happen, but will keep everything backed up.
Have connected my sata drives sequentially, but maybe this is
incorrect? I understand the basic theory behind Raid, but did not
realise that it only benefited certain applications, could you expand
on this (give me some examples?). Still don't uderstand why it
reconises the volume, formats it and then fails during the second boot.
It loads most of the "Installing Devices" section and then comes up
with "Stop Error: 0x000000F4". Is XP able to install on a raid array?
Or does the array need to be seperate to the boot drive? When I get
home I will try turning off the Gigaraid Function, failing that do you
have any suggestions (other than giving up that is).

Thanks again.

J.

 

[Mercury]

You have the drive plugged into the wronng controller and so are using the
wronng driver.
- Tim

 

[JLM]

OK, so I only have 4 Sata ports. Should they not be plugged in in
order? How can they be in the wrong controller?

 

[Mercury]

Take a look at the manual and the labels on the SATA ports and you will see
what I mean.