RAID Changed, Windows 7 Won't Boot (BSOD)

[asycamore]

Ok, so Bare with me while I explain the problem.

A few days back, my computer would not post on boot. For some reason, no signal would go to the monitor. After reading a considerable amount on the subject online, I tried various hardware swaps (ram, video card, remove optical drives to try and ascertain the problem. Everyone suggested updating the bios. After leaving the computer unplugged for some time, It finally showed me the bios. After booting into windows, several problems would occur, such as the keyboard and mouse not working. Several reboots later and they worked fine. I flashed the bios, and the computer started up perfectly normally. However, during the flash, it gave me the message that it completely cleared the cmos. I noticed that the device initiation looked different in the bios. I couldn't tell if it was due to the updated BIOS version, or if a configuration setting was different (since the cmos was cleared). When windows was booting it was taking far longer than normal. Once loaded, the first thing it showed me was that it was installing new drivers, including an IDE controller driver. Confusing, since Windows had not installed this driver before in the 3 years I had owned the computer, and no new hardware has ever been added. During the driver install, it informed me that One of my hard drives was ready to use, but the other required a restart to complete. This was confusing to me, as they function as a single drive in RAID 1 configuration. Well, It restarted the computer, and windows refuses to boot. The windows 7 graphic starts, and then is interrupted by a BSOD flash, and then my computer reboots. The BSOD is so quick, I don't get to see the error.

This computer was custom built for me by a company, and I never had much of a need to go into the BIOS. Unfortunately, this means that I wasn't familiar with how the raid setup was done within my bios. So when the CMOS cleared, I lost that configuration. My Options are IDE, RAID, or AHCI. After the cmos wipe, it was set to IDE. I tried changing it to RAID, and the same problem occurs. I tried changing it to AHCI, and the windows graphic goes farther, but then the same BSOD.

The system will not boot into safe mode.

At one point i got the system to boot using last known good configuration, but when It loaded, I kept getting errors informing me that various files were corrupt. And the system had to be rebooted. Now, when I try to boot using last known good configuration, it will not boot. And it also tells me it needs to run check disk.

So, What do you guys suggest. Is there any way for me to ascertain what the setting was originally on my BIOS? Does it sound like this was the problem? What should I do. I do have an older system image to restore, but if it is a RAID setting, the restored drive will have the same problems, correct? I attempted a system repair, which didn't work, is this hurting the system for if/when I fix the issue?

 

[Arc]

Your issue is that the computer is now on the storage controller mode which is different from that one which was in use during installation.

This computer is a custom build, and custom installed. The OS was installed with RAID as the storage controller mode. Now, the BIOS got reverted back to defaults, and the RAID options got disabled. Either you have to get those settings back (most probably those are available in the advanced BIOS setup options, but every BIOS is different, so it cannot be told specifically. Also, various RAID works differently, like Intel, Marvell or JMicron).

If you can search for those options and revert them back, the computer will boot up.

If you cannot, it will not boot at all. No other fix will work.

So, if you cannot, forget the RAID, if RAID is not a must for you. RAID is always problematic.

Set the storage controllers to AHCI, and perform a clean reinstall.