Adding RAID0 array causes windows to not start!?

ok, so I added a second seagate 500 gb hdd and made the pair a RAID0 setup, with my windows os installed onto my WD. I start the computer up and windows fails to boot. repeatedly. turn the raid array off. boots with no problems. I've run raid0 with the EXACT same setup before, so why wont it let me do it now?

Two things are going on here: Windows may have not installed the right drivers to load from a RAID device, and you need to populate the array you created. With RAID 0, the data has to be stripped onto the the second drive, and the stripped data needs to be removed from the first.

The easiest way to do this is to back up your important data, create the array, then install Windows onto the array.

like I said in my first post, windows is installed onto a standalone WD NOT the pair of seagates that are in the RAID array... so that doesn't answer my question.

Aztroth said:

like I said in my first post, windows is installed onto a standalone WD NOT the pair of seagates that are in the RAID array... so that doesn't answer my question.

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Hmm. Well, looks like you need some troubleshooting and I'll try to help but know ahead of time I haven't personally used a P5Q Deluxe myself so don't hold my suggestions or ideas against me.

1st) I have to ask. You obviously have your bios boot settings setup properly so it boots into the WD drive first, right? Adding that second drive could have changed the bios settings.

2nd) If the above is correct, then maybe Windows itself is confused during boot-up. Even though your BIOS is set correctly to boot into the WD drive, if you don't have the Windows Boot Manager installed (can you get to F6? or does it reboot before?) then maybe your motherboard's chipset (either Silicon Image or Marvell - I'm assuming) is getting confused. I've seen it before and I know fix it but we'll get to that later if none of my ideas work.

3rd) If the two idea above don't help you, what kind of RAID are you using? Built-in to the motherboard or is a hardware RAID card?

If it's built into the motherboard (and a Silicon Image or Marvell chipset), you maybe you have the wrong settings or haven't updated your settings. You might need to change around IDE, RAID and ACHI to get it to work. I haven't used the Asus P5Q Deluxe myself, so I don't know what you see or have already set in your bios.

4th) Can you confirm that the new Seagate drive is working properly? I ask because maybe it was DOA.

These are most of my thoughts that come direct to mind. I have one more interesting idea but I'll ask you after you reply if nothing I asked helped.

I've got a thread up on this already give me a second to find it. (And Team Rainless takes NO LIP!)

EDIT: Here we go.

http://www.ocforums.com/showthread.php?t=601186

How to setup Matrix RAID *AFTER* Installing Windows.

The problem you're having is that Windows doesn't have RAID drivers installed... but you can't install the RAID drivers because you can't get into windows. In my thread above I outline a work-around.

rainless said:

I've got a thread up on this already give me a second to find it. (And Team Rainless takes NO LIP!)

EDIT: Here we go.

http://www.ocforums.com/showthread.php?t=601186

How to setup Matrix RAID *AFTER* Installing Windows.

The problem you're having is that Windows doesn't have RAID drivers installed... but you can't install the RAID drivers because you can't get into windows. In my thread above I outline a work-around.

Click to expand...

so what? you prefer all tongue?

anyways, I'll give it a shot. will let you know how it works out.

I'm not sure I'm following you here. Usually you set a RAID0 array because you want some speed (write/read) so why would you setup a Raid array and install your OS on another drive?

because Im setting up the raid array and then mirroring my os as-is onto the raid array.

icebob said:

I'm not sure I'm following you here. Usually you set a RAID0 array because you want some speed (write/read) so why would you setup a Raid array and install your OS on another drive?

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No.

He has windows installed on a stand-alone hard drive and he setup a RAID0 on two different hard drives.

Then he goes into bios and turns on RAID... that's when the problem starts.

Because, after Windows is already installed, you can ONLY install the RAID drivers if you have RAID turned on in the bios... but you can't install those drivers because you can't get into Windows without the RAID drivers installed.

It's a classic Catch 22.

The solution to which is in my thread above.

Will it be easier just do do a fresh install?

with the number of programs I've got, not really. I actually just did a fresh reformat for maintenance like 2 or 3 weeks ago, so I would rather not reinstall everything again if I dont have to.

icebob said:

Will it be easier just do do a fresh install?

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You're talking about a completely different application.

If he was "installing Windows"... then he WOULD be doing a fresh install.

He's not. He already has Windows installed and he's essentially just adding a hard drive.

You shouldn't have to do a fresh install EVERY time you add a piece of hardware.

The fix I outlined (well... it took me ALL DAY to come up with...) takes about three minutes to apply.

So no: A fresh install wouldn't be easier.

rainless said:

takes about three minutes to apply.

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it WOULD take about 3 minutes if that .exe was able to be extracted in that manner. I had to run the executable, let it give me an error, leave the install error open, locate the log file located in C:\Intel\log, and use the log to track the .sys file I needed (since most .exe's extract the files into a temp folder in order to facilitate the install)

but in the end, it all worked. I dont know why I didn't think of loading the driver in manually before, lol.

Aztroth said:

it WOULD take about 3 minutes if that .exe was able to be extracted in that manner. I had to run the executable, let it give me an error, leave the install error open, locate the log file located in C:\Intel\log, and use the log to track the .sys file I needed (since most .exe's extract the files into a temp folder in order to facilitate the install)

but in the end, it all worked. I dont know why I didn't think of loading the driver in manually before, lol.

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You're welcome!

EDIT: And you brought all that extra work upon yourself. The .exe file simply extracts to the c:\program files\intel folder (it did so in both XP and Vista for me). You could've even opened the .exe with WinRAR or some similar file extractor.

rainless said:

You're welcome!

EDIT: And you brought all that extra work upon yourself. The .exe file simply extracts to the c:\program files\intel folder (it did so in both XP and Vista for me). You could've even opened the .exe with WinRAR or some similar file extractor.

Click to expand...

no i didn't. like I said, I tried extracting, and it didn't work, tried winrar, didn't work, tried renaming and extracting, didn't work. so I didn't really have a choice in the matter. also, just for future reference, you dont have to unplug your satas to do this fix.

Aztroth said:

no i didn't. like I said, I tried extracting, and it didn't work, tried winrar, didn't work, tried renaming and extracting, didn't work. so I didn't really have a choice in the matter. also, just for future reference, you dont have to unplug your satas to do this fix.

Click to expand...

Cool.

I figured you probably didn't have to, but I did it just in case you would lose data from breaking the RAID array by starting the drives in IDE mode.

Chances are you wouldn't... but why take chances?

understandable, and thnx again for the fix... definitely one of those things where the obvious answer was right in front of me, but I was looking for the complicated fix, lol.