I'm desperate for help, thanks for your insight!
GOAL: Get Raid Zero array working again (2 Sata WD 200GB drives in Raid Zero, RAID controller powered by PROMISE is on the motherboard) so I can load files on a blank 500GB drive and never use raid zero again. I have tested both drives in the raid and there isn't any drive failure (I attached them to an External SATA-to-USB on a different computer and that computer recognized each drive fine).
THE PROBLEM: When starting the computer, the BIOS says that "Array 1" (my two drives in RAID ZERO) is not working because of a problem and it flashes "Offline." When I hit CONTROL-F in the Bios, I get this RAID array menu, and it does see both of the drives, but the drives won't function. Vista doesn't see the two RAID ZERO drives either (though as I mentioned earlier, both were seen individually on a different computer via external USB connection).
WHAT I WAS DOING: I bought a WD 150GB Raptor, Vista 32bit Premium, a 520W Corsair Power Supply, and a 500GB SATA2 drive to upgrade my system (ASUS A8V Deluxe MOBO with AMD 64 3400+ . I wanted to put Vista and program files on the Raptor and all my personal files on the 500GB drive.
WHAT WENT RIGHT: Vista installed on the new drive fine. Once loaded and working fine, I plugged in the two drives that were in the RAID ZERO ARRAY. At this point, I had four hard drives working great: the Raptor running Vista, the two in Raid Zero with XP and all my old files, and a blank 500GB drive.
WHAT WENT WRONG: Several things happened almost at the same time, so I don't know what caused the Raid problem.
First, I don't think this is important, but I do faintly remember accessing the RAID drive to get to the old "MY DOCUMENTS" folder so I could start copying my old files. Vista said I wasn't authorized to access that folder. I remember the computer running slow, likely for a different reason, so I probably just shut down and rebooted, and didn't try to copy those files again.
I'm pretty sure that around that time I did a few windows updates and there was an update for the RAID driver which I installed. I'm guessing that that's what triggered the problem, though I didn't notice until a bit later.
Around this time, I also shut down the power and changed out my power supply. I love the new power supply, I went from a generic 350w to this nice modular Corsair 520W. Unfortunately, I don't think the main cable was seated on the mobo properly, and there must've been something wrong with one of the power connections to the Sound Blaster Audigy 2ZS 5.25" control panel, because it shot sparks, flames, and smoke the second I first powered up the computer. After calling myself an idiot Napolean Dynamite style, I immediately pulled the plug, and I really don't think anything is damaged. No hardware shows burn marks or anything, and everything seems to be working fine except that the RAID doesn't work.
My thought is that the cause of the problem is Vista and the driver update I did.
WHAT I'VE TRIED:
1) In Vista: Rolling back drivers, flashing the bios, reinstalling the drivers.
2) Reinstalling XP on a new drive, flashing the bios again, installing the original RAID drivers via CD, then updating those drivers... rebooting between each of these steps to try and get the BIOS and operating system to see the drives. Nothing thus far.
WHAT I WANT TO TRY NEXT BUT AM AFRAID TO BECAUSE I DON'T KNOW ENOUGH ABOUT RAID:
When I boot the computer, I can hit CONTROL-F for a RAID menu: 1) Auto Setup, 2) View Drive Assignments, 3) Define Array, 4) Delete Array, 5) Rebuild Array.
I've messed with all of them except 4) Delete Array. When I try 5) Rebuild Array, it just says "Recovery is not applicable."
I want to try and delete the array, and then rebuild it from scratch. Maybe that would fix the problem. However, I just don't know enough about RAID to know what the consequences of doing so may be. It could be that by deleting the Array I'll lose all hope of syncing those drives up again to recover my files. Or, it could be no big deal - just simply delete the array and then create a new one with those same drives and it will work just fine. What should I do?
The only other thought I have is buying a PCI raid controller card (recommendations, anyone?), installing it, and attaching the drives to that and building a new RAID Zero array in the hopes that the drives will sync up fine and allow me to recover my files.
What do you think? Thanks for listening and helping--sorry this was so long!
The Perzdogg
GOAL: Get Raid Zero array working again (2 Sata WD 200GB drives in Raid Zero, RAID controller powered by PROMISE is on the motherboard) so I can load files on a blank 500GB drive and never use raid zero again. I have tested both drives in the raid and there isn't any drive failure (I attached them to an External SATA-to-USB on a different computer and that computer recognized each drive fine).
THE PROBLEM: When starting the computer, the BIOS says that "Array 1" (my two drives in RAID ZERO) is not working because of a problem and it flashes "Offline." When I hit CONTROL-F in the Bios, I get this RAID array menu, and it does see both of the drives, but the drives won't function. Vista doesn't see the two RAID ZERO drives either (though as I mentioned earlier, both were seen individually on a different computer via external USB connection).
WHAT I WAS DOING: I bought a WD 150GB Raptor, Vista 32bit Premium, a 520W Corsair Power Supply, and a 500GB SATA2 drive to upgrade my system (ASUS A8V Deluxe MOBO with AMD 64 3400+ . I wanted to put Vista and program files on the Raptor and all my personal files on the 500GB drive.
WHAT WENT RIGHT: Vista installed on the new drive fine. Once loaded and working fine, I plugged in the two drives that were in the RAID ZERO ARRAY. At this point, I had four hard drives working great: the Raptor running Vista, the two in Raid Zero with XP and all my old files, and a blank 500GB drive.
WHAT WENT WRONG: Several things happened almost at the same time, so I don't know what caused the Raid problem.
First, I don't think this is important, but I do faintly remember accessing the RAID drive to get to the old "MY DOCUMENTS" folder so I could start copying my old files. Vista said I wasn't authorized to access that folder. I remember the computer running slow, likely for a different reason, so I probably just shut down and rebooted, and didn't try to copy those files again.
I'm pretty sure that around that time I did a few windows updates and there was an update for the RAID driver which I installed. I'm guessing that that's what triggered the problem, though I didn't notice until a bit later.
Around this time, I also shut down the power and changed out my power supply. I love the new power supply, I went from a generic 350w to this nice modular Corsair 520W. Unfortunately, I don't think the main cable was seated on the mobo properly, and there must've been something wrong with one of the power connections to the Sound Blaster Audigy 2ZS 5.25" control panel, because it shot sparks, flames, and smoke the second I first powered up the computer. After calling myself an idiot Napolean Dynamite style, I immediately pulled the plug, and I really don't think anything is damaged. No hardware shows burn marks or anything, and everything seems to be working fine except that the RAID doesn't work.
My thought is that the cause of the problem is Vista and the driver update I did.
WHAT I'VE TRIED:
1) In Vista: Rolling back drivers, flashing the bios, reinstalling the drivers.
2) Reinstalling XP on a new drive, flashing the bios again, installing the original RAID drivers via CD, then updating those drivers... rebooting between each of these steps to try and get the BIOS and operating system to see the drives. Nothing thus far.
WHAT I WANT TO TRY NEXT BUT AM AFRAID TO BECAUSE I DON'T KNOW ENOUGH ABOUT RAID:
When I boot the computer, I can hit CONTROL-F for a RAID menu: 1) Auto Setup, 2) View Drive Assignments, 3) Define Array, 4) Delete Array, 5) Rebuild Array.
I've messed with all of them except 4) Delete Array. When I try 5) Rebuild Array, it just says "Recovery is not applicable."
I want to try and delete the array, and then rebuild it from scratch. Maybe that would fix the problem. However, I just don't know enough about RAID to know what the consequences of doing so may be. It could be that by deleting the Array I'll lose all hope of syncing those drives up again to recover my files. Or, it could be no big deal - just simply delete the array and then create a new one with those same drives and it will work just fine. What should I do?
The only other thought I have is buying a PCI raid controller card (recommendations, anyone?), installing it, and attaching the drives to that and building a new RAID Zero array in the hopes that the drives will sync up fine and allow me to recover my files.
What do you think? Thanks for listening and helping--sorry this was so long!
The Perzdogg