Windows XP setup on a raid 0 array

[Rob]

I have an aBit NF7-S mobo with an onboard si3112
chipset. Two Samsung 80gb SATA drives, one CD-ROM drive.

I enter the Raid utility, create a new Raid Array,
Striping. The raid utility shows the two drives as one
array for a total of 157 mb's or so. I exit the raid
utility.

I then boot from my XP cd-rom, F6, install raid driver
from my mobo manufacturer, and complete the initial file
copy process.

After first reboot, I get the error "Error locating
operating system".

That's me problem Trying to install Windows XP Pro on
a striped array.

One thing that pops into my mind. During setup where I
choose the partition I want to install to, I do have two
choices - partition C: and D:, both 75mb partitions.
Shouldn't I only be showing one partition?

Any help would be GREAT!

Thanks in advance,
Rob

 

[Shenan Stanley]

I have an aBit NF7-S mobo with an onboard si3112
chipset. Two Samsung 80gb SATA drives, one CD-ROM drive.

I enter the Raid utility, create a new Raid Array,
Striping. The raid utility shows the two drives as one
array for a total of 157 mb's or so. I exit the raid
utility.

I then boot from my XP cd-rom, F6, install raid driver
from my mobo manufacturer, and complete the initial file
copy process.

After first reboot, I get the error "Error locating
operating system".

That's me problem Trying to install Windows XP Pro on
a striped array.

One thing that pops into my mind. During setup where I
choose the partition I want to install to, I do have two
choices - partition C: and D:, both 75mb partitions.
Shouldn't I only be showing one partition?

Any help would be GREAT!

When you delete the partitioning, can you create one large partition?

To me it sounds like those drives did not used to be striped. They had
their own partitions. You need to DELETE those partitions using Windows XP
and create a new large one.

 

[Guest]

Thanks for the response Shenan. However, I don't believe
that is the case.

Strangely enough, I found that if I had a partition on
either of the drives that I couldn't even boot off of the
CD. I had to create a new Raid Array, which I assume
deletes any new partitions before I could even get the CD
to boot into windows setup.

Anyhoo - once I get to the choose partition stage (to
install XP to), neither of the drives it is showing has a
defined partition (i.e. they both have 'unpartitioned
space' next to them.

I actually tried deleting the partitions although I
couldn't because no partitions were defined. I tried
created partitions and deleting them to see if Windows
setup would then recognize them as seperate
partitions . . .but to no avail.

Is it silly of me to think that I may have to raid 1 SATA
drive with 1 IDE drive? The obvious answer would be no,
but maybe the si3112 raid controller only supports a SATA
drive raided with an IDE drive? Who knows . . .

All I know is I have a sweet system I'd like to get
running with Raid, but can't do it

 

[John R Weiss]

Strangely enough, I found that if I had a partition on
either of the drives that I couldn't even boot off of the
CD. I had to create a new Raid Array, which I assume
deletes any new partitions before I could even get the CD
to boot into windows setup.

Is the boot sequence set up properly in your BIOS -- Floppy, then CD, then
SATA? Is IDE boot disabled?

Anyhoo - once I get to the choose partition stage (to
install XP to), neither of the drives it is showing has a
defined partition (i.e. they both have 'unpartitioned
space' next to them.

If you have another [IDE] drive connected, disconnect it completely while
setting up the RAID array and installing XP.

Then rebuild the RAID array using the RAID controller BIOS, and finally
partition and format using the XP CD (with SATA/RAID drivers available on
floppy).