need help setting up raid 0

[87dtna]

Well, I'm very much a noob when it comes to Raid. All I know if I have 2 of the same drives (250gb WD drives) and I want to set up a raid 0.

So, I boot into the Bios and changed my configuration to Raid. Rebooted, went into the Raid controller setup. Went into ''define LD'' because it was the only thing that looked like could be changed and selected both drives for Raid 0. Said warning this will erase all data yada yada so I hit Y and then it said ''functional'' so I thought I was done. But on reboot after POST it just says scanning drives.....then says 2+0 Raid 0 497.99gb status- Funtional........but won't go any further, won't let me do anything, and if I reboot it won't let me into the bios!
So what I ended up doing was unhooking one of the drives, after that when it scanned it said error or something like that and said press control-Y to enter setup. So I did, and the only thing I could do was erase the current Raid setup because only 1 drive was present. So I did that, and now when I reboot all it says status of the raid 0 setup is OFFLINE.
So I reset the bios via the jumper, which apparently doesn't reset the RAID controller. Now I'm at a loss at what to do. Apparently this Asus raid controller setup is different because when I searched how to set up a Raid array almost nothing was the same. Please help!

 

[dito]

look up above, in the stickies section...link

 

[87dtna]

look up above, in the stickies section...link

Read the last thing I said-

Apparently this Asus raid controller setup is different because when I searched how to set up a Raid array almost nothing was the same. Please help!

You won't see anything in that link that says Define LD, or even looks like my raid controller setup page.

 

[redduc900]

What MB are you trying to set up RAID on?

 

[87dtna]

Asus M4a79xtd Evo

 

[87dtna]

question- Do I have to install the OS on 1 drive, and then put the drives in Raid array?

Right now the drives are blank/formatted. If this is a duh, sorry. But to me it's not cuz I'm a noob to raid.

 

[redduc900]

Are you following the instructions in the manual, section 4.4.3 under 'Creating a RAID volume', for creating the array?

question- Do I have to install the OS on 1 drive, and then put the drives in Raid array?

No, you'll install the OS to the array.

 

[87dtna]

Are you following the instructions in the manual, section 4.4.3 under 'Creating a RAID volume', for creating the array?

No, you'll install the OS to the array.

Yes, but after I got it all done like I said after reboot it just stays on that one screen that says that the status of the Raid 0 is functional. No buttons to press, does not let me into the bios if I reboot, nothing I do does anything. Manual says nothing to do after it's set up and you exit the raid controller setup.

Thanks

 

[Marshmallow64]

You gotta create the Array first, you also have to make sure your bios is in raid mode. Then install the OS, during OS setup you usually need to have the RAID drivers handy so that the OS can see the array.

Usually you need a USB drive for this.

 

[87dtna]

You gotta create the Array first, you also have to make sure your bios is in raid mode. Then install the OS, during OS setup you usually need to have the RAID drivers handy so that the OS can see the array.

Usually you need a USB drive for this.

Yeah thats done, or else I would have never been able to get into the raid controller!

No need to talk about drivers yet, I'm not past the getting the raid array to work yet stage LOL.

 

[87dtna]

What I really need help with is how to get back into the raid controller! The only way I've found is to disconnect one of the drives, then when I boot it gives me the option to hit ctrl-F and it will go into the raid controller....there is only 1 drive then though so can't set it back to raid 0. If I boot with both drived plugged in, hitting ctrl-F from the time it POST's does nothing at all. It won't even let me back into the bios unless I reset the jumper, which automatically takes the configuration back to IDE I guess.

 

[redduc900]

So after you've setup RAID, you can't enter the BIOS? After you've created the array, there's no need to re-enter the RAID configuration menu. You just need to save the array configuration that you created and then exit. Upon exit from the RAID menu, re-enter the BIOS and set the RAID array as the first boot device (first in the boot order). If there's also a section in your BIOS called something like 'Hard Disk Boot Priority', the array needs to be at the top of the list.

 

[87dtna]

So after you've setup RAID, you can't enter the BIOS? After you've created the array, there's no need to re-enter the RAID configuration menu. You just need to save the array configuration that you created and then exit. Upon exit from the RAID menu, re-enter the BIOS and set the RAID array as the first boot device (first in the boot order). If there's also a section in your BIOS called something like 'Hard Disk Boot Priority', the array needs to be at the top of the list.

No it will not let me back into the bios!

I will change that, I have the CDrom's first.

 

[87dtna]

Is there any way to delete the controllers memory? (like resetting the bios)

It seems to keep a memory of what I did for some reason. Cuz like I said if I unplug 1 drive, it will let me back into the controller then. So just trying to do something I set that one drive to ''Raid ready''. After doing that, nothing change except under boot device priority it said Raid single disk. So, having only 1 disk hooked up again I re-entered the raid controller. Deleted what I set up for that single disk. Rebooted, entered bios (can only enter bios with 1 disk hooked up) and it still said Raid single disk. WTF!!!

 

[87dtna]

ahhh seems like there might just be a problem with the motherboard. Reading the newegg reviews, only a few down one guy had the exact same problem I am having!

http://www.newegg.com/Product/ProductReview.aspx?Item=N82E16813131402

 

[87dtna]

One more question guys, it may sound dumb but if you don't know you don't know.

Should the drives be partitioned and formatted, or leave them unallocated when setting up raid?


There may be some instructions on the internet and in the instruction manual, but for some reason they skip the most basic of steps for information. And if you don't know, what can you do but ask?

 

[87dtna]

So I set up my gigabyte board because I'm gonna RMA my asus....now it lets me into the Raid utility no problem everytime. BUT now when I go to set the drives in raid array it says ''occupied extent of this HD is found!'' and won't let me set it up. WTF! I'm gonna give up soon.

 

[87dtna]

BUT now when I go to set the drives in raid array it says ''occupied extent of this HD is found!'' and won't let me set it up. WTF! I'm gonna give up soon.

OK nevermind guys got my Raid array setup FINALLY. Turns out my issue above was one of the drives had a partition, so all I had to do was delete that and then it worked. yay.

Asus board- Bad raid controller. No wonder I had problems. I was doing everything right, cuz I did everything the same way with the gigabyte board and now it works.