Windows 7 64bit install with intel onboard raid MSI Big Bang XPower 2

StaticLNX · Mar 31, 2013

I am sure this is probably a no brainer but I am having a very difficult time getting windows installed on my x79 build using the motherboards raid controller because the windows installer doesn't see it.
I have tried putting all the drivers downloadable on msi's website on a flash drive and loading them when the windows installer asks for them but it says it is unable to find a suitable driver.

here is where I got the drivers from : http://us.msi.com/product/mb/Big-Bang-XPower-II.html#/?div=Driver&os=Win7%2064

• SATAII controller integrated in Intel® X79 chipset
- Up to 3Gb/s transfer speed.
- Supports four SATAII ports (SATA3~6) by X79

• SATAIII controller integrated in Intel® X79 chipset
- Up to 6Gb/s transfer speed.
- Supports two SATAIII ports (SATA1~2) by X79

• SATAIII controller integrated in ASMedia® ASM 1061 chipset
- Up to 6Gb/s transfer speed.
- Supports four SATAIII ports (SATA7~10)

I'm using ports 3, 4, 5, 6 for the drives as they are sata 2 drives

atomicWAR · Mar 31, 2013

raid and windows....every time i get a new mob i have the same issue...finding the right ones to work. what motherboard model do you have? i always try checking each and every set of raid drivers or anything that looks close cause i have found them mislabeled before. make sure if 64bit you use 64bit drivers and vs versa for 32.

geofelt · Mar 31, 2013

May I ask what type of raid are you using, and what you wish to accomplish with it?
Generally, there is little reason to use motherboard raid of any type for the normal desktop user,

StaticLNX · Mar 31, 2013

atomicWAR :

its a MSI Big Bang XPower 2 like the topic hints at

and yes I was using all the 64bit downloads from MSI

atomicWAR · Mar 31, 2013

tired and half blind casue i am sick sorry gimme a few to research...

atomicWAR · Mar 31, 2013

also ssd or hdd

atomicWAR · Mar 31, 2013

wow they did a great job of making the drivers convoluted as possible. 2 sets of windows 8 64 an 32...2 sets of unlabeled 32 and 64...no wonder your frustrated bro. i get they are for differant controller but serious...labels are nice

you just try them all yet? see if someone typod something....i had to do that build before this one on a x58 board by evga...their 64 bit win vista drivers were actually win nt...i was soooooo pissed

StaticLNX · Mar 31, 2013

geofelt :

atomicWAR :

hdd's and raid 5
this is ultimately only temporary until my raid controller comes in but I've got C# programming to catch up on before I get yelled at lol.

atomicWAR · Mar 31, 2013

i'll think on it but honestly i am at a loss past trying them all....try praying to the computer raid god to appease him... jk

StaticLNX · Mar 31, 2013

atomicWAR :

ya D:
I can try downloading them all and trying again but I've already tried that three times and was hoping someone could point me in the right direction here as msi tech support isnt open

StaticLNX · Mar 31, 2013

atomicWAR :

lol

geofelt · Mar 31, 2013

Since it is only temporary, why not install without raid until your discrete raid controller arrives.
You should have external backup regardless, so it should be easy to convert to raid later.

Not knowing the MSI Big Bang XPower 2 there may be two different sata raid controllers. The motherboard chipset controller is where the motherboard will look to be able to boot.

atomicWAR · Mar 31, 2013

StaticLNX :

might not be best solution but they should have funniest solution too

StaticLNX · Mar 31, 2013

geofelt :

its on the motherboards chipset raid controller right now. My Gentoo disk see's the array just fine however a lot of the programs I develop with are windows only... visual studio, photoshop, etc...

geofelt · Mar 31, 2013

What I meant was that some motherboards implement extra 6gb sata ports and raid using a second chip on the motherboard, like from Marvell. If you are trying to load/boot from such an array, I could foresee some issues.
Normally, windows install dvd will have included the drivers for the Intel raid controllers, but will not have the drivers for Marvell or other raid chips.

StaticLNX · Mar 31, 2013

geofelt :

right...

• SATAII controller integrated in Intel® X79 chipset
- Up to 3Gb/s transfer speed.
- Supports four SATAII ports (SATA3~6) by X79

• SATAIII controller integrated in Intel® X79 chipset
- Up to 6Gb/s transfer speed.
- Supports two SATAIII ports (SATA1~2) by X79

• SATAIII controller integrated in ASMedia® ASM 1061 chipset
- Up to 6Gb/s transfer speed.
- Supports four SATAIII ports (SATA7~10)

I'm using ports 3, 4, 5, 6 for the drives as they are sata 2 drives

geofelt · Mar 31, 2013

The X79 chipset was launched some two years after windows 7.
It occurs to me that your copy of windows 7 might be older, and not have included the drivers for X79.
Is that a possibility?

atomicWAR · Mar 31, 2013

geofelt :

i dug through his drivers and did not see win 7 support but many were unmarked

StaticLNX · Mar 31, 2013

geofelt :

correct the drivers I downloaded from MSIs website ánd put them all on a flash drive and attempted to load them but it returns with error "unable to find a suitable driver.
I tried all the 64bit drivers downloadable from msi on this motherboards download page

geofelt · Mar 31, 2013

If your windows 7 dvd is not SP1, perhaps you can download it for use in installing. Since it is newer, it might have the generic X79 drivers. You should be able to still activate with the key that came with your dvd.

Windows 7 64bit install with intel onboard raid MSI Big Bang XPower 2

Honorable

Glorious

Titan

Honorable

Glorious

Glorious

Glorious

Honorable

Glorious

Honorable

Honorable

Titan

Glorious

Honorable

Titan

Honorable

Titan

Glorious

Honorable

Titan

Share this page