HDD recognized but not assigned a letter: Vista Disk Mgmt

[gamefan]

I have a WD SATA-1 36.7GB Raptor that left its last pooter as a dynamic disk and I want to use it to install Vista so first I need to delete all volumes, and convert it to a basic disk first Actually I have identical Raptors for RAID0, but the other one has some data on it, if I can get to it.
There are so many variables in formattiing and I don't want to screw it up any more than it is so I am gonna ask for a specific directive. I got Vista Home Premium Full Retail up and running on a ATA100 IBM 30GB Dekstar HDD. I have the one no-data 36.7GB Raptor SATA-1 connected to SATA_1 on the Asus P4C800E-D mobo, and this Raptor is recognized both in the BIOS, and under disks in the device manager running in win Vista,with no problems. But there is no drive letter assigned to it. So I can neither click on it to see what data there would be on it, nor do I know how to to delete all volumes, and convert it to a basic disk. What comands and where in Vista can I do these things?

For the time being the one Raptor installed has no data I need on it, so whatever happens happens.

I'm looking into the poss its a driver needed still. This mobo/os is 4 yrs old, and Vista is new: I couldn't imagine it could know and not get it. Maybe it will all fall into place. I'll find out.

[Omsion]

Can you assign it a letter in Disk Management?

[gamefan]

finally at least something. I found my way to disk mgmt where it was recognized as dynamic. It was not assigned a letter. I saw a click to make it a basic disk, which I did. A necc matter. I had seen no signs of any partition volumes that I would/should have dealt with first, more on that in a sec. Then I turned it into a simple volume which led into a complete formatting. Now it has a letter assinged E: after the C: HDD and D: DVD. Now to the pie graph. It is described as a 36.7GB by WD. Properties says its 34.4GB capacity, there is 90.6MB Used Space, 34.3GB Free Space. It says it is indexed for faster/beeterness, but is there something about the formatting that would take up that much space. Theres nothing on it and theres a 90MB blue sliver in the pink pie. I am also concerned that when I do the other identical Raptor it has to be identical for RAID0. I have never been good at converting real bits and Bytes to rated GB, or whatever. What concerns me is that in all the instructions I read for diskpart it said to delete all volumes and don't mix disk types or partitions. I hope I have done good. Do you need the Bytes version of the above numbers to tell me?

Before I did this I tried installing the iaaRaid sw hoping I 'd get it a drive letter assigned, but I don't think it took. Ran it 3/4 times, I can't see a RAID ctrlr anywhere in device mgr.

So I think I am sol for my data on the other Raptor. Unfurtunately I don't think theres a reason to wipe it yet cuz I don't think I can get a RAID going yet, based on what I've just seen. However I have not set as RAID in BIOS yet, and the drives physically are not connected to the SATA_RAID mobo plugs yet, just the SATA one(s). ANy thoughts?

What about "Mark Partition as Active": can I might get my data still - would that give me a letter to access the other drive (if it is dynamic too)? It is an option on this newly formatted Raptor NOW, but is grayed out on the 30GB Deskstar OS drive. Gonna see if I can put something on the E: HDD. I just jumped at basic simple, didn't look too much at options. Its now one bar colour Healthy primary partition. How do I tell where my 2GB went? With so many things going on on a HDD (2GB is a jumper setting on the Deskstar, 15cyls/16 cyls also), then SMART, etc I just wanna be sure there ain't a dumb-dumb [partition] there where there shouldn't awtta. I wanna wipe away what I can.

Well even though E: has "Mark Partition as Active" as an option I could put a notepad text file on it. Simple Basic NTFS Local Disk. What s the option?

I got the 2nd Raptor, next post>

[gamefan]

I can see all the data on the 2nd Raptor its a 34.46, not 34.47. Mainly it is not dynamic. But it does have a partition. I'll get the data then try to RAID0 them both. So modify my remaining questions to suit, pls thx

[gamefan]

whatta I gonna need to know when I get to the 2 Raptors formatting w/ the iaaR floppy driver that I may have forgotten. 128 - is that the number? I assume everything gets formatted again so my notepad doc is irrelevant, and everything must be supplied at that time, so 128? 128 what?

I think I'm just gonna put the data from the Draptor on this install HDD, that'll take a minute. No, I'm off to buy some RW+- disks, I have used 25 8x, but somebody told me to only use 4x - any thoughts?

Or was that better at 16 whowhos?

[gamefan]

now I have some new disks does nLite or whatever apply to me? Do I need to ensure it works manually first?