Serious Issue.

[Chinkecheese]

Ok here goes...

I've been trying to install Raid 0 for the past few days. I got it to the point where it actually looked like it was going to work. So I then proceeded to format my computer, and hopefully reinstall windows.

The problems began when I tried to format my computer.

It just wouldn't format. I tried 100s of times... It would leave 0% ! I even left it there for 2 hours, it didn't move 1 tiny %.

Just for grins and giggles I restarted CMOS, flashed my mobo, and tried formatting again..
Didn't work.
So I did the whole cmos thing again, and tried to format using the Quick NTFS format.

It worked..

But it gave me fatal errors while installing, making it impossible to get past the 'welcome' screen at logon.

I seriously need help guys, i know this is a long post, and you see this post all the time but I really don't know what to do.
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Notes:

I installed raid 0 by enabling it in my Bios and placing 2 of the 2 250gb HDDs in the Striping slot. (64k) When prompted, I pressed f6 during the windows installation and installed the 2 raid drivers required for my motherboard.

What is strange is that when I installed raid 0 wrong (installed raid 0 on just one HDD) It formatted and worked flawlessly. Now its just thunderF***ed

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Thanks alot you guys, I really hope you can help.

 

[Chinkecheese]

Can anyone help me ? :[

 

[4Ryan6]

Just throwing you some possibilities, to get a good feel for what the problem may be.

Unless I missed it you mentioned the steps you'd taken but I didn't see where you'd actually created the RAID array using the RAID utility?

The RAID utility will allow whatever necessary steps including LLF of the HDDs if necessary, but a successfully created RAID array has to be completed before you actually have a RAID array to install an OP/SYS on.

I'm assuming you have enabled the RAID in the CMOS setup, and the RAID headers?

 

[Yoosty]

Here are some Links that will hopefully help you out below.

How To Install RAID 0
http://www.smartcomputing.com/Editorial/article.asp?article=articles/2004/w1510/11w02/11w02.asp&guid

Beginners Guides: Installing RAID on Desktop PCs
http://www.pcstats.com/articleview.cfm?articleid=830&page=8

How To Install Windows Vista Ultimate With RAID
http://www.legitreviews.com/article/454/1/

How to Set Up RAID on Your PC
http://www.pcworld.com/printable/article/id,132877/printable.html

nvidia nv raid install guide
http://www.asisupport.com/nvidia_raid_install_guide.htm

Hope this helps you out.

 

[Chinkecheese]

All I've done with Raid was Enabling it in Bios, Configuring the Array in this setup screen. (prior to xp installation.)
And pressing F6 to install drivers.

I actually fixed my formatting problem by using an windows 98 disk to create a partition and formatting it to fat 32. then I converted the fat 32 to ntfs format.

this wont create any problems will it?

Finally, I think I got raid 0 set up right, in my bios it tells me it is configured, and on my computer I now have a 488 gb Harddrive ;]

 

[dobby]

correct me if im wrong, but what you should do is get a pci express RAID card, this should cut out alot of problems, a 2 port unit is quite cheap really, and it will be faster, and allow you OC further as there will be less strain on your chipset.

just an idea

 

[4Ryan6]

For whatever M/B you actually have most of todays M/Bs have 2 RAID controllers, use the second controller if you have one, delete the partitions you've created using the RAID setup utility.

Make sure you have the drivers on disk for the secondary RAID controller when F6 input time arrives, and it wouldn't hurt if you'd list the make and model of your M/B.

Some older SATA M/Bs needed the transfer rate of the HDDs lowered to 150, by setting the jumper on the HDD to 150, just throwing that out since the M/B is unknown.

I actually fixed my formatting problem by using an windows 98 disk to create a partition and formatting it to fat 32. then I converted the fat 32 to ntfs format.

You haven't fixed anything if you cannot install the OP/SYS, you should do all the preparations for RAID through the RAID setup utility, including a drive wipe if necessary, once the RAID array is properly setup, Windows XP won't have any problems finding it and formatting it.