Archived from groups: alt.comp.periphs.gigabyte,alt.comp.periphs.mainboard.gigabyte (More info?)
I am unable to configure RAID 0 on a brand new computer so as to install Win
XP.
I know this is lengthy but I just don't want to miss out some, to me
trivial, but in reality vital piece of information.
The following components were assembled for me (the brief to the assemblers
specifying that the SATA drives would be a RAID O array. No OS was ordered
as I plan to install my own Windows XP Pro with SP2):
Motherboard: Gigabyte Gigabyte GA-8I915P Duo Pro
The chipset is (Northbridge) an Intel 915P Express and (Southbridge) an
ICH6R providing on-board SATA RAID. There is also a built in VT6410 chipset
for on board IDE RAID
Hard Drives: 2 x SATA Hitachi 160GB 7200RPM
Memory: 2 x 512MB 533MHz DDR2 Kingston
CPU: P4 - 540 3.2G 800PS
Graphics: Sparkle 6600GT PCI E 128MB TD
A DVD recorder and DVD combo is fitted.
Gigabyte supplied an Intel 915 series MB Utility CD under a Gigabyte label
containing "Chipsets/Serial-ATA/RAID/Network/Audio Drivers"; a MB User's
manual and an IDE RAID Function User's Manual. This second manual is
endorsed "Only for Chipset VT6410 Used" and I assume it has no relevance to
the problem I have encountered?
The CMOS and BIOS settings are as follows:
In CMOS, IDE Channel 0 Master and 0 slave are the DVD drives.
Channel 2 Master is S_ATA1- HDS722516VLSA, Slave is NONE and
Channel 3 Master is S_ATA3-HDS722516VLSA, Slave again 'NONE'.
I think this is correct?
The HD boot sequence is in the Advanced BIOS features page (I've tried
different combinations except for one labelled "LS120". I don't know what
this means??)
The entries in the Integrated Peripherals page read:
On-Chip Primary PCI IDE [Enabled]
SATA RAID/AFCI Mode [RAID]
The following four entries are greyed out and are:
X On-Chip SATA Mode Auto
X PATA IDE set to Ch.1 Master/Slave
SATA Port0/2 set to Ch.2 Master/Slave
SATA Port1/3 set to Ch.3 Master/Slave
There then follows USB settings, which are enabled and, further down:
Onboard H/W RAID [Enabled]
Again I think these settings are correct?
On rebooting I press Cntr I to enter the configuration Utility entitled
"Intel application Accelerator RAID Option ROM v4.0.0.6180. There are four
choices;
Create RAID Volume;
Delete RAID Volume,
Reset Disks to Non-RAID and
Exit.
The Disk/Volume Information panel says:
RAID Volumes - none defined and
Physical disks:
Port Drive Model Serial Size
Type/Status (Vol ID)
0 HDS722516VLSA80 a serial number 153.3GB
non-RAID Disk
1 HDS722516VLSA80 a serial number 153.3GB
non-RAID Disk
On choosing "Create RAID Volume", I accept
the default name: "RAID_VOLUME0;
the RAID Level: "RAID0(Stripe)";
Disks: "Select disks" (not changeable);
Strip Size: "128KB" and
Capacity: 306.7GB.
The "Help" panel says that the default in capacity is the max volume
capacity using the selected disks and if less than the max is chosen,
creation of a second volume is needed to utilise the remaining space.
Clicking 'Enter' to create the specified volume reverts back to the original
four choices but the information panel has changed. Under "RAID Volumes" it
records the choices made in the last step and additionally says that Status
is "Normal" and Bootable is "Yes"
Under the "Physical Disks" head, the information is as before except that
the Type/Status head now reads "Member Disk(0) in both cases.
Again is this correct? NB. In previous attempts I have had a message at the
last stage that "There is not enough space to create a volume".
I exit and reboot with the WinXP disk in. The Windows Setup page appears.
If I do NOT press F6 and expect Win XP to provide any necessary drivers,
Windows proceeds to load files. When it reaches "Welcome to Setup. This
portion of the Setup program prepares etc" and offers three choices, the
first being to Setup XP now. If I press enter I am immediately informed
that:
"Setup did not find any hard disks installed on your computer. Make sure
that...any disk-related hardware configuration is correct. This may involve
running a manufacture-supplied diagnostic or setup program".
I try the "Press F6 if you need to install a 3rd party SCSI or RAID Driver"
option.
And here is the dilemma. The Gigabyte CD, when run on this, a much older
machine, analyses the machine and will automatically install anything it
deems necessary but assumes an OS is already loaded. I've looked at its
contents. There is no Help file or anything explaining what any of the
folders contain or identifying which drivers, if any, are for using with the
onboard ICH6R chipset. Most of the files are in the multi MB size, too
large for putting on a floppy anyway.
The IDE RAIDE function manual, which came with the motherboard, I ASSUME is
NOT relevant and deals only with the VT6410 chipset. Although it says in
this manual that 'information on all chipsets should be listed on the
screen, please select the proper chipset model', it does not include the
ICH6R. But it does describe transferring a driver from the CD to a floppy
and its subsequent installation. It says:
"Boot from the Windows CD to install the RAID drivers. When install XP from
the HDDs in Serial ATA controller, press F6 as XP boots up, then supply
serial ATA controller driver by this floppy disk."
There's a choice of 17 RAID drivers on the CD which include ones called
'Promise, Hance rapids, and Si3144 - none of which I think are irrelevant.
Also present, however, are two which I thought just might be, one called,
'GIGARAID' and the other 'SCSI'.
I've tried the first one but this does not solve the 'no hard drives'
message. The second one results in a message immediately appearing saying
that "the file txtsetup.oem could not be found, press any key to continue".
Pressing a key takes me back to the previous stage. This message did not
appear when I tried the Gigaraid driver.
I have contacted Gigabyte's support site and after some days they sent me a
driver - ich5(r)_(raid)_boot_disk.exe - to download, with a note saying
"About the issue you mentioned in your earlier mail, based on product spec.,
the board comes with ICH6R chip and it provides SATA RAID feature. Thus,
please use attached file to create a driver disk for OS installation later."
I have loaded a floppy containing ich5(r)_(raid)_boot_disk.exe at the "S"
prompt but again the same message that the file txtsetup.oem could not be
found, press any key to continue' appears immediately
I am awaiting Gigabyte's response to this but currently have no idea where
to find the correct driver I can transfer to a floppy and install after
choosing the "S" option and then proceed to install Win XP in a RAID0 array.
I some desperation I loaded Win XP successfully in a non-RAID configuration
several days ago, which at least tells me that one of the two Hitachi drives
is OK.
But I cannot sort out a RAID0 array. Is there anyone out there who has a
GA-81915P Duo Pro and 2 SATA hard drives who can tell me how to solve this
or anyone else who can resolve this problem.
Regards,
RoS
I am unable to configure RAID 0 on a brand new computer so as to install Win
XP.
I know this is lengthy but I just don't want to miss out some, to me
trivial, but in reality vital piece of information.
The following components were assembled for me (the brief to the assemblers
specifying that the SATA drives would be a RAID O array. No OS was ordered
as I plan to install my own Windows XP Pro with SP2):
Motherboard: Gigabyte Gigabyte GA-8I915P Duo Pro
The chipset is (Northbridge) an Intel 915P Express and (Southbridge) an
ICH6R providing on-board SATA RAID. There is also a built in VT6410 chipset
for on board IDE RAID
Hard Drives: 2 x SATA Hitachi 160GB 7200RPM
Memory: 2 x 512MB 533MHz DDR2 Kingston
CPU: P4 - 540 3.2G 800PS
Graphics: Sparkle 6600GT PCI E 128MB TD
A DVD recorder and DVD combo is fitted.
Gigabyte supplied an Intel 915 series MB Utility CD under a Gigabyte label
containing "Chipsets/Serial-ATA/RAID/Network/Audio Drivers"; a MB User's
manual and an IDE RAID Function User's Manual. This second manual is
endorsed "Only for Chipset VT6410 Used" and I assume it has no relevance to
the problem I have encountered?
The CMOS and BIOS settings are as follows:
In CMOS, IDE Channel 0 Master and 0 slave are the DVD drives.
Channel 2 Master is S_ATA1- HDS722516VLSA, Slave is NONE and
Channel 3 Master is S_ATA3-HDS722516VLSA, Slave again 'NONE'.
I think this is correct?
The HD boot sequence is in the Advanced BIOS features page (I've tried
different combinations except for one labelled "LS120". I don't know what
this means??)
The entries in the Integrated Peripherals page read:
On-Chip Primary PCI IDE [Enabled]
SATA RAID/AFCI Mode [RAID]
The following four entries are greyed out and are:
X On-Chip SATA Mode Auto
X PATA IDE set to Ch.1 Master/Slave
SATA Port0/2 set to Ch.2 Master/Slave
SATA Port1/3 set to Ch.3 Master/Slave
There then follows USB settings, which are enabled and, further down:
Onboard H/W RAID [Enabled]
Again I think these settings are correct?
On rebooting I press Cntr I to enter the configuration Utility entitled
"Intel application Accelerator RAID Option ROM v4.0.0.6180. There are four
choices;
Create RAID Volume;
Delete RAID Volume,
Reset Disks to Non-RAID and
Exit.
The Disk/Volume Information panel says:
RAID Volumes - none defined and
Physical disks:
Port Drive Model Serial Size
Type/Status (Vol ID)
0 HDS722516VLSA80 a serial number 153.3GB
non-RAID Disk
1 HDS722516VLSA80 a serial number 153.3GB
non-RAID Disk
On choosing "Create RAID Volume", I accept
the default name: "RAID_VOLUME0;
the RAID Level: "RAID0(Stripe)";
Disks: "Select disks" (not changeable);
Strip Size: "128KB" and
Capacity: 306.7GB.
The "Help" panel says that the default in capacity is the max volume
capacity using the selected disks and if less than the max is chosen,
creation of a second volume is needed to utilise the remaining space.
Clicking 'Enter' to create the specified volume reverts back to the original
four choices but the information panel has changed. Under "RAID Volumes" it
records the choices made in the last step and additionally says that Status
is "Normal" and Bootable is "Yes"
Under the "Physical Disks" head, the information is as before except that
the Type/Status head now reads "Member Disk(0) in both cases.
Again is this correct? NB. In previous attempts I have had a message at the
last stage that "There is not enough space to create a volume".
I exit and reboot with the WinXP disk in. The Windows Setup page appears.
If I do NOT press F6 and expect Win XP to provide any necessary drivers,
Windows proceeds to load files. When it reaches "Welcome to Setup. This
portion of the Setup program prepares etc" and offers three choices, the
first being to Setup XP now. If I press enter I am immediately informed
that:
"Setup did not find any hard disks installed on your computer. Make sure
that...any disk-related hardware configuration is correct. This may involve
running a manufacture-supplied diagnostic or setup program".
I try the "Press F6 if you need to install a 3rd party SCSI or RAID Driver"
option.
And here is the dilemma. The Gigabyte CD, when run on this, a much older
machine, analyses the machine and will automatically install anything it
deems necessary but assumes an OS is already loaded. I've looked at its
contents. There is no Help file or anything explaining what any of the
folders contain or identifying which drivers, if any, are for using with the
onboard ICH6R chipset. Most of the files are in the multi MB size, too
large for putting on a floppy anyway.
The IDE RAIDE function manual, which came with the motherboard, I ASSUME is
NOT relevant and deals only with the VT6410 chipset. Although it says in
this manual that 'information on all chipsets should be listed on the
screen, please select the proper chipset model', it does not include the
ICH6R. But it does describe transferring a driver from the CD to a floppy
and its subsequent installation. It says:
"Boot from the Windows CD to install the RAID drivers. When install XP from
the HDDs in Serial ATA controller, press F6 as XP boots up, then supply
serial ATA controller driver by this floppy disk."
There's a choice of 17 RAID drivers on the CD which include ones called
'Promise, Hance rapids, and Si3144 - none of which I think are irrelevant.
Also present, however, are two which I thought just might be, one called,
'GIGARAID' and the other 'SCSI'.
I've tried the first one but this does not solve the 'no hard drives'
message. The second one results in a message immediately appearing saying
that "the file txtsetup.oem could not be found, press any key to continue".
Pressing a key takes me back to the previous stage. This message did not
appear when I tried the Gigaraid driver.
I have contacted Gigabyte's support site and after some days they sent me a
driver - ich5(r)_(raid)_boot_disk.exe - to download, with a note saying
"About the issue you mentioned in your earlier mail, based on product spec.,
the board comes with ICH6R chip and it provides SATA RAID feature. Thus,
please use attached file to create a driver disk for OS installation later."
I have loaded a floppy containing ich5(r)_(raid)_boot_disk.exe at the "S"
prompt but again the same message that the file txtsetup.oem could not be
found, press any key to continue' appears immediately
I am awaiting Gigabyte's response to this but currently have no idea where
to find the correct driver I can transfer to a floppy and install after
choosing the "S" option and then proceed to install Win XP in a RAID0 array.
I some desperation I loaded Win XP successfully in a non-RAID configuration
several days ago, which at least tells me that one of the two Hitachi drives
is OK.
But I cannot sort out a RAID0 array. Is there anyone out there who has a
GA-81915P Duo Pro and 2 SATA hard drives who can tell me how to solve this
or anyone else who can resolve this problem.
Regards,
RoS
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