MIRRORED RAID

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conork

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#20813 6-Apr-2008 16:57

Just scored this free pc from work.
Currently has a mirrored raid and XP Pro on it.
I wanna get rid of the mirrored raid to put xp back on it as i cannot find any drivers for the raid controller.
Have managed to delete the mirrored array and have disabled the raid controller in bios.
all this in hopes to finally install xp again.
when booting xp of cd to begin install it gets to the part where you need to select the partition to install on but it isnt detecting any hard drives. ARGHH this is so annyoing.

I need to format as dont have the password for the current install and tried using ERD Commander but you still need the drivers for raid to boot into erd properlly

such a catch 22

any help will be appriciated, the raid contoller is a promise sata 150 pdc206...something cant remember
the mobo is a asus p4pe

cheers

conor

tonyhughes

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#121564 6-Apr-2008 17:24

Is the RAID controller a PCI card?
Can you physically bypass the RAID controller and plug into other SATA ports on the motherboard?
Have you gone into the CMOS and set up the SATA drive as the first boot device?

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sbiddle

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#121569 6-Apr-2008 17:50

You obviously need the driver for the HDD controller as XP doesn't recognise it, this is quite a common issue.

Are you using an onboard HDD controller or PCI card? If it's onboard you should just be able to download the drivers from the Asus website. These need to go on a floppy as XP can't use anything else (such as CD or USB) for accessing drivers.

conork

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#121586 6-Apr-2008 18:52

its onboard raid......
yeah i have tried to download the drivers but cannot find the right one.
need to have another go i guess

manhinli

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#121588 6-Apr-2008 18:55

As XP was made before RAID really took off, it has very poor support.

You have to get the driver and press a button (can't remember which) during the loading of the Install CD to install it.

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sbiddle

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#121596 6-Apr-2008 19:04

The drivers are on the Asus site

www.asus.co.nz go to downloads then P4PE board then click on RAID

Sorry can't send you the exact URL as it's a javascript menu system.

You need to copy these to a floppy and press F6 when XP's bootup screen says "press F6 for RAID drivers" or words to that effect. The system then continues for a few more minutes before asking for the disc BTW, it doesn't ask for it straight away as you press F6.

conork

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#122399 9-Apr-2008 20:15

arghh downloaded the raid drivers and put on a floppy, pushed f6 and when asked to put in floppy done so. takes second or two then comes up instert floppy into a: gonna try get a new floppy drive i guess and try again
anyone have a raid contoller that they dont need???? for cheap or free

rphenix

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#122447 9-Apr-2008 23:33

Well I could give ya an Adaptec 1210SA but not sure I would wish it on anyone...

Back to your onboard your other option instead of messing with loading drivers with a floppy is to download "nlite" which makes it extremely easy to slipstream raid drivers into an XP install cd (you just need your original XP CD). Choose the option for integrating drivers and bootable iso leave everything else defaults, then integrate your raid driver when prompted. After that burn the iso to CD, and try installing windows with that.

Also means you have a nice recovery CD if windows craps out and you need to get to recovery console.