Big trouble installing W7 on RAID0

[Astort]

Hi!

As i mentioned in the title of this thread, i have some problems installing W7 on a raid0 setup.

I got 2 brand new Samsung Spinpoint F3 500GB disks, on which i am trying to install windows 7. So i did it all by the book, go into bios, set SATA drives as RAID, press ctrl + i during post, setup a RAID0 array and off i went to the install screen.

I followed the steps the way i should, wait ages for the region and language screen, press ok, wait ages for the x64 or x86 screen, select the one i want (x64) and install everything. Everything went fine untill i shut down my computer to connect my other hard disks.

While power was off i connected my Samsung Spinpoint F3 1TB, and my external Western Digital Elements 640GB HD. So i booted my computer and i got the message: "NO DRIVES FOUND, INSERT PROPER BOOT DEVICE" or something like that, i guess u'll know what i mean.

So i was like, WTF my boot order changed. So i went back to the bios, to the boot order screen, and my entire RAID array disappeared from the boot list. No problem i thought. I rebooted, re-created my RAID array, went back into the windows 7 install, again wait ages for just selecting my region and x64 or x86 screen and stuff like that. Then i came to the part where i had to select my disks. So i chose my RAID array. When i selected my raid array and pressed install it said the following thing: "Could not find or create any partitions. Check your log for more information.

This was the part where stuff starts flying around the room and i start to swear with words that are yet to be invented.

Ive been stuck on this damn part for over 5 hours now. So i REALLY hope any of u might know the answer to solve this ****.

Regards, Patrick

PS. Quick responses are rewarded with virtual kisses.

EDIT: System specs:

Asus P5Q
Intel Q6600
Mushkin 4GB RAM
Ati 4870

 

[Antman]

My mobo needs two options set to enable the RAID. Turn either off and RAID disappears.

Please provide detailed system specs.

And leave the kissing for someone else. I hear Cindy is lonely.

 

[Astort]

posted specs in TS

 

[Antman]

posted specs in TS

Initial reaction - What?

Secondary reaction -

OK - I will assume that P5 boards have enough in common to not RTFM at Asus.

Is this option set to RAID?

 

[Astort]

Yup. I followed the Asus manual. My bios and raid array settings are correct, it is just windows messing up.

 

[Antman]

OK. Disable any onboard component you don't use. COM1, Assign IRQ to VGA, onboard 1394 et cetera.

Before I disabled these (I eventually re-enabled most), I would sometimes lose drives. The HDD count in POST would take a long time - seeing them in the POST but losing them in the BIOS HDD page- odd, I know.

 

[Astort]

Nope, didnt work. It did make my post faster tho...

 

[Astort]

OH GOODY

It got past the Hd selection screen. It is installing windows as we speak. Ill report back with any updates.

 

[Antman]

went back into the windows 7 install, again wait ages for just selecting my region and x64 or x86 screen and stuff like that. Then i came to the part where i had to select my disks. So i chose my RAID array. When i selected my raid array and pressed install it said the following thing: "Could not find or create any partitions. Check your log for more information.

I re-read. That windows error could mean that the Windows DVD does not have a driver for your RAID. Get your Asus CD handy. Find the chipset drivers. When you get to the screen that selects target drive, load the drivers.

I did not have this issue on my P5B with RAID0 on the Intel Matrix controller.

Where did you get your Windows 7 and what version is it?

 

[Astort]

Downloaded it from microsoft website a while ago. Dont know which version it is.

But errm, i thought every Windows Vista and Windows 7 supported RAID drivers?

 

[Astort]

Pff it completed the install, but know i have a black screen with nothing buy my mouse-pointer (which i can move around tho). When i reboot it just keeps coming back at the black screen.

 

[Antman]

It is reasonable that Windows doesn't include every RAID controller. You didn't list specs.

Anyway, the black screen is progress.

Search the forum - there are a few posts with the same effect and solutions.

I will be back in an hour or so.

 

[Astort]

SUCCES!!! OH JOY!!!

Finally got everything working!

One more question. My 1TB disk doesnt show up in the My Computer screen. It is connected properly. Any suggestions what it might be? When i go to Disk Management it says that i should choose a partitionstyle for the 1tb disk. It lets me choose either MBR (master boot record) or GPT (GUID-partitiontable)

PS. Check out this sweet HD-tune score =D

 

[Antman]

Rt Clk Computer
Manage

Disk Mgmt

Set partition
format

either one id fine if you will never use an older OS

.

 

[Astort]

Cheerio, it r a work!

Thanks for helping out man.