Trying to Create a RAID 0 volume

[Stan Hilliard]

I have a new homebuilt PC with an ABIT KU8 motherboard, onboard RAID
controller, and two 250GB HDDs. I want to create a RAID 0 volume and
then install Windows XP Pro on it. I set the cmos to:

[integrated peripherals][Onchip IDE Device][Onchip SATA mode] = RAID

But I am missing something. I need a setting or wizard or utility that
actually makes the two derives seen as one RAID 0 volume?

I downloaded the "ULi SATA Driver Disk" from ABIT at
http://www.abit-usa.com/products/mb/drivers.php?categories=1&model=271
and added it with F6 during Windows XP Pro setup, but that didn't
help.

What is the step(s) that I am missing?

Stan Hilliard

 

[Dave Patrick]

You need to configure the raid array in controller bios. Check the
controller documentation for the required steps. There's no fault tolerance
with raid 0

--

Regards,

Dave Patrick ....Please no email replies - reply in newsgroup.
Microsoft Certified Professional
Microsoft MVP [Windows]
http://www.microsoft.com/protect

 

[Stan Hilliard]

I have a new homebuilt PC with an ABIT KU8 motherboard, onboard RAID
controller, and two 250GB HDDs. I want to create a RAID 0 volume and
then install Windows XP Pro on it. I set the cmos to:

[integrated peripherals][Onchip IDE Device][Onchip SATA mode] = RAID

But I am missing something. I need a setting or wizard or utility that
actually makes the two derives seen as one RAID 0 volume?

I downloaded the "ULi SATA Driver Disk" from ABIT at
http://www.abit-usa.com/products/mb/drivers.php?categories=1&model=271
and added it with F6 during Windows XP Pro setup, but that didn't
help.

What is the step(s) that I am missing?

Stan Hilliard

You need to configure the raid array in controller bios. Check the
controller documentation for the required steps. There's no fault tolerance
with raid 0
Dave Patrick

The SATA/RAID controller is in the motherboard. There is no mention of
how to configure the RAID volume in the KU8 motherboard user manual.

I can get to the regular bios at startup with [del]. How can I get to
the controller bios?

Stan Hilliard

 

[Dave Patrick]

According to the manual

http://www.abit-usa.com/downloads/downloads.php?file=/downloads/manual/english/ku8_series.zip

you only have the choice to turn it on or off. I don't see the specific raid
level spelled out but I'd be surprised if it was raid 0. You'll need to ask
in a hardware group or try their FAQ http://www.abit-usa.com/faq/

--

Regards,

Dave Patrick ....Please no email replies - reply in newsgroup.
Microsoft Certified Professional
Microsoft MVP [Windows]
http://www.microsoft.com/protect

 

[Stan Hilliard]

The SATA/RAID controller is in the motherboard. There is no mention of
how to configure the RAID volume in the KU8 motherboard user manual.

I can get to the regular bios at startup with [del]. How can I get to
the controller bios?
Stan Hilliard

"Dave Patrick" wrote:
According to the manual

http://www.abit-usa.com/downloads/downloads.php?file=/downloads/manual/english/ku8_series.zip

you only have the choice to turn it on or off. I don't see the specific raid
level spelled out but I'd be surprised if it was raid 0. You'll need to ask
in a hardware group or try their FAQ http://www.abit-usa.com/faq/

My controller bios screen was flashing by so fast that I couldn't read
it. When I stopped it with numlock key I could see that I needed to
use CTRL+A to get to the RAID setup area. All is well.
Stan Hilliard

 

[Dave Patrick]

You're welcome. Glad to hear it's sorted.

--

Regards,

Dave Patrick ....Please no email replies - reply in newsgroup.
Microsoft Certified Professional
Microsoft MVP [Windows]
http://www.microsoft.com/protect

 

[Stan Hilliard]

You're welcome. Glad to hear it's sorted.

OOPs, I spoke too soon. I got past that roadblock only to run into
another.

I created a RAID volume in the controller bios but Windows XP Pro
Setup cannot find it.

Setup fails here: "To set up Windows XP now, press enter."

I press ENTER and get this message: "Setup did not find any hard disk
drives installed on your computer."

This is how I created the 500 GB RAID volume:
CTRL+A -->ALi RAID Bios Setup Utility
Set stripe size = 64K
Set RAID 0
Select HDD1 and HDD2 (250 GB each)
ESC

At reboot I checked the RAID Bios Setup Utility again to be sure that
the 500 GB volume was still there. Yes.

One HDD was formatted from when I first installed Windows without
RAID. Could it be that only one of the two 250 GB HDDs is formatted?

I did not see any options in the RAID setup utility to format or set
partitions. Does that come later in Windows Setup?

What bios settings might I have missed, or what installation steps
might I have left out?

 

[Dave Patrick]

You'll want to boot the Windows XP CD-Rom. Then *F6* very early and very
important (at setup is inspecting your system) in the setup to prevent drive
controller detection, and select S to specify additional drivers. Then later
you'll be prompted to insert the manufacturer supplied Windows XP driver for
your drive controller in drive "A"

You'll only need the driver on the floppy. The files named oemsetup.inf,
txtsetup.oem, and the *.sys file for your controller.


--

Regards,

Dave Patrick ....Please no email replies - reply in newsgroup.
Microsoft Certified Professional
Microsoft MVP [Windows]
http://www.microsoft.com/protect

 

[Stan Hilliard]

You'll want to boot the Windows XP CD-Rom. Then *F6* very early and very
important (at setup is inspecting your system) in the setup to prevent drive
controller detection, and select S to specify additional drivers. Then later
you'll be prompted to insert the manufacturer supplied Windows XP driver for
your drive controller in drive "A"

You'll only need the driver on the floppy. The files named oemsetup.inf,
txtsetup.oem, and the *.sys file for your controller.
Dave Patrick

Thanks Dave. This is to make sure that I use the right drivers, as I
have doubts.

My RAID controller bios title is:
"ALi RAID Bios Setup Utility"

The driver floppy that I previously installed with F6 during XP Setup
had a readme.txt file that says:
"This driver supports ULi SATA/RAID controller."
ALi versus ULi -- what is the difference?
It is for M5288.

That is what ABIT technical service told me to use. I'm not sure that
I told him that I was using RAID though.

Another driver file that he told me to install after installing
Windows contains a readme.txt that says:
"This driver supports ALi ATA/RAID Controller and SATA/RAID
controller."
It is for M5289.
What is the difference, M5288 and M5289?

I am wondering if I previously used the wrong item.

 

[Dave Patrick]

Looks like their web site is down right now but try asking them here.

http://forum.abit-usa.com/

--

Regards,

Dave Patrick ....Please no email replies - reply in newsgroup.
Microsoft Certified Professional
Microsoft MVP [Windows]
http://www.microsoft.com/protect