RAID problem: Windows 8 versus MB issue?

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rchamlen

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this is driving me crazy: I have a motherboard with RAID capability (ASUS A88XM-A), "apparently" correctly configured to run the SATA as RAID (not AHCI), "apparently" have correctly initialized disks and RAID array defined (per the BIOS interface). All other configuration changes on the BIOS made by all the manuals (legacy boot, ec). I go to install Windows 8.1 (optical media, OEM distribution). As expected, after defining the installation language, the installer stops and says it "does not have drivers that are needed" (an expected step - ASUS supplies the RAID drivers and I am supposed to give them to the installer via either USB or on an optical disk I have burned them on to). When supplying them on a USB drive, when I go to browse to the directory with the drivers, the installer interface ***does not browse below the mount point of the USB flash stick***. Note I am not saying it does not see the drivers - rather the installer simply does not browse down in to the directory structure below the mount point. If I supply the drivers on an optical drive, when removing the Windows installation media and putting in my newly burned optical disk, the installer **does not re-read the disk**, and so again can not browse down in to the directory with the drivers. Having heard of problems with different USB media, I have tried several different USB sticks of varying sizes, and both USB2 and USB3 class. I have also tried both the USB2 and USB3 ports on the MB. Same result. Thinking I could outsmart this thing, I tried to place the installation media onto a bootable flash drive (onto which I could then add my RAID drivers - but hit an error (according to Microsoft help, one is not allowed to create a bootable USB media from OEM distribution). Micorsoft help does not have a clue, and consistently mis-understands the issue I am describing to me (and tells me this is a MB issue). ASUS tried to tell me this is an installation disk issue ... but I have trouble believing this, as I am NOT getting a read error on the installation disk (another piece of information is that this same installation media did a perfect and clean job of installing onto the same hardware with the BIOS configured in the AHCI mode.

Has anyone seen this, or have any thoughts on what is going on?? I would ***like** to get this MB running in RAID mode, but am stuck unless I can get the Windows installation media to actually get to the location where the RAID drivers are.....
 
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popatim

popatim

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I dont think its looking for the raid drivers yet. Those don't come into play when you are being asked for them. After selecting the language you should be asked to "Install Now" Or "Repair your computer". Choosing Install Now would bring you thru inputting your product key followed by the User Agreement, selecting the install type (custom or upgrade), and then finally to the 'Where do you want to install windows to" screen where YOU would click the Load Drivers link and load your raid drivers.

You definitely have something weird going on but to me it looks like it could be a media problem. Where did you get it?
 
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rchamlen

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popatim:
the distribution is an OEM distribution on optical disk purchased from MicroCenter (correctly sealed with the Microsoft keys on the inner packaging).

The reason I suspected that I was at the point to supply the drivers is because of the language in the AMD-RAID / AMD RAIDXpert2 Software Installation Guide RC-6.12 Release, Version 1.16. It says: (section 5.1.2)

4. boot the ... operating system CD-ROM or DVD
5. at the applicable Windows setup window, perform the following:
* enter the requested information at the Install Windows window
*insert the storage medium with the AMD-RAID drivers into the USB port or applicable system drive
*at the Load Driver window, Click BROWSE


now, in my case, I go directly to the "choose language" dialog, and then to the "install or repair" dialog. After choosing "install", I immediately get the dialog I am talking about which is complaining about missing drivers. I DEFINITELY never get to the dialog asking for my key.

If I read your posting correctly, you are saying that I should definitely get the "install key" dialog before I get anywhere near supplying the RAID drivers?? Can you confirm that please? If so, then I would agree that this sounds like an install media issue (which is REALLY weird, given that I don't get a read error or anything, and also that the basic AHCI installation went just fine - maybe BIOS does not have the capacity to detect a read error and report it correctly???. Please let me know your thoughts.

BTW - really, really cute picture of your (son??). Close to a lot of shots we took of my son - who is now building graphics-class systems I would only dream of using everyday!!! (and who is now also occasionally on this forum...)

Thanks!
 
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popatim

popatim

Titan
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He is 5 of 8 grandchildren, 5 yrs old and will be 6 in December. :) Thanks for inquiring.
I keep waiting for grandchild #9, the babies (both 2 now) are growing up and I need another one in the oven pretty soon. LoL

I will see if I can snag an 8.1 disk and run thru a setup just in case its different than 8.
 
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rchamlen

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No drives bigger than 2tb. This occurs even with a single drive (configured as a single volume RAID 1) at a size of 1tB.

Ummm ... not sure what version of the drivers: the MB support disk contains what the documentation indicates is not the full chipset drivers, but rather just those needed to support RAID on the SATA controller. I have downloaded the "latest" complete chipset drivers from ASUS, but have not gotten to the point of even being able to load those.

I would be very interested to hear what you see on the 8.1 load disk: if you end up seeing that the key is asked for before any other dialog, then something with the distribution media becomes really suspect in my mind - enough that I would try to go to MicroCenter and ask them to do an exchange.

I think the only other question is whether there might be a difference becasue this is an OEM (not commercial) distribution - but I would be really surprised if the OE differs at that level of install sequence.

Enjoy those Grandkids!!!! :)
 
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rchamlen

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popatim - one slight addition: you asked if I am using the current (14.4) drivers? I have to admit I am a newbie to this type of work - but it appears that the download from AMD is an executable for installing the drivers onto an already running OS. I would (and will!) do that ... but in this case during the OS install I need te bare drivers for the loader to access (I believe). Not sure how to extract those bare drivers from the downloadable .exe file??? Untill the OS is running I am stuck with the versions supplied with the MB I guess....
 
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