RAID0 drive doesn't show up in windows installation.

ggaddis9807

Prominent
Jan 1, 2018
3
0
510
So, for the new year I decided that it was about time to start with a fresh install of windows. I have 2 1.0TB drives that I want to put into RAID0. I turned on RAID in the BIOS and I went through the whole raid setup and made a RAID drive. When I get into the windows installation nothing shows up when it tells me to select a drive. I have tried to go into disk part and it doesn't show up in disk part. I went to many articles online and I got a hint that it could be a driver issue because it doesn't show up in disk part. I have been trying things for hours and I give up trying to fix this on my own.

I should probably mention that my motherboard is a GIGABYTE AB350-GAMING 3

Edit: I'm tying to install Windows 10.
 
Solution
The root of the problem is that there is NO "standard" way to do any RAID. So, Windows and its Install systems cannot deal with any RAID system unless you provide the required drivers for that device. Moreover, there has to be a way to load that driver EARLY in the boot sequence so that the RAID system can be used both to boot from and to run from. As a part of this, that same driver must be used at the very beginning of the Windows Install process to access the RAID array.

Windows has known about this and provided the tools you need for all of that for many versions past. Much of what you need is on pp. 35 and 36 of your manual, as Calvin7 says. In general, you need to prepare a USB mem stick that contains the required device drivers...

ggaddis9807

Prominent
Jan 1, 2018
3
0
510

The drives and the RAID array don't show up at all in Diskpart but they RAID array does show up in the BIOS.
 

slingsrat

Honorable
May 31, 2016
222
4
10,765


Do you get the option to "Load Driver" during the windows installation on the same screen where you are supposed to pick your drive? If so you will need to load the driver from the motherboard disc.
 

ggaddis9807

Prominent
Jan 1, 2018
3
0
510

Yes I do get this option but I don't have an optical drive, I have gone through and updated my bios to the latest version and downloaded the Windows 10 ISO off of the Microsoft website and put it on a bootable usb. My RAID array does show up in the hard drive boot priorities list in my BIOS. Still no luck. I have a optical drive laying around that I could plug in but my case doesn't have anywhere to put it so I'm going to have to just leave my case open with the optical drive hanging out.
 

Paperdoc

Polypheme
Ambassador
The root of the problem is that there is NO "standard" way to do any RAID. So, Windows and its Install systems cannot deal with any RAID system unless you provide the required drivers for that device. Moreover, there has to be a way to load that driver EARLY in the boot sequence so that the RAID system can be used both to boot from and to run from. As a part of this, that same driver must be used at the very beginning of the Windows Install process to access the RAID array.

Windows has known about this and provided the tools you need for all of that for many versions past. Much of what you need is on pp. 35 and 36 of your manual, as Calvin7 says. In general, you need to prepare a USB mem stick that contains the required device drivers, and those currently are on the CD that came with your mobo. You don't have an optical drive. So, borrow another computer and use the process on p. 36 (lower down) of your manual to copy the stuff needed from that CD to your USB stick.

NOTE: you appear to have only the two HDD units in the RAID0 array. If that's the case, skip this. BUT if you have any other storage drive installed in your system, disconnect that before starting the Install process. Having only ONE "drive" (the RAID0 array) at installation time will make life simpler for you some time in the future. AFTER the installation is complete, you can shut down and re-connect the other drives.

Now take the USB stick back to your machine and start the Windows 10 Install process. Make sure the USB stick is plugged in. WATCH the prompts very carefully. VERY early in the process you should see a prompt to press the "F10" key if you want to install any extra device drivers. If you miss that or ignore it, it will disappear after a small wait. Do NOT ignore - press "F10". This will open up a set of prompts for you to tell it where the drovers are that you want to add, and they are on that USB stick. See your manual, p. 36, for exact details of the folders involved. It will load the first driver you specify, then come back and ask whether there are more. Keep it up until all drivers you need (p. 36!) are done, then tell it no more to do. That will return you to the main Install thread.

At this point the Install process will use those drivers to access your RAID0 array and be able to do the Install to that system. Moreover it will arrange that those drivers are always loaded at every boot so you CAN boot and run from the RAID0 array. From here on the rest of Install is normal.
 
Solution

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