Windows 7 Sata Raid Driver

[Igwell]

Hi,
First time on this site so forgive me if I dont have all the info.
Loading Windows 7 on a new computer.
Trying to sort out this raid issue.
Computer is :
Gigabyte GA-EP45T-Extreme
Processor : Intel Quad Q9400 LGA775
Ram : 4gb
Hard Drives : 3 x 1 Tb Seagate
Video Card : Radeon HD 4890

I've enabled the raid 5 in the BIOS
I've downloaded the driver from the Gigabyte Disc onto a flash drive
When I load Windows 7 it says " Windows cannot be installed to this disc. This computers hardware may not support booting to this disc. Ensure that the disk's controller is enabled in the computers BIOS menu"

I've checked and rechecked the BIOS and stuffed if I can find this or is my frustration getting the better of me ?
I also downloaded the MSM64 Driver in the Gigabyte disc and that the one I copied to the flash drive.

Confused ?......I am....anyone help me with this before I lose it ?

 

[Crispy]

Download these drivers: http://downloadcenter.intel.com/Detail_Desc.aspx?agr=Y&ProdId=2101&DwnldID=17882〈=eng

 

[Igwell]

Hi Crispy and thanks for the fast reply. I downloaded the file and its and executable file. When I try and load driver on install Windows 7 it dosn't recognise this file. How can I extract it as soon as I do on my other computer it tries to install it ?

Regards
Ian

 

[Crispy]

OK I was mistaken by the first post you are looking for a preinstall driver, its most lickly a JMB36X or 38X try both *IMO* I think its a 36x, ftp://driver.jmicron.com.tw/

 

[JimmyBpoppin]

IG-Well< I am running into the same problem. how did you resolve your issues if you dont mind me asking? thank you James

 

[dsperber]

I'm almost a complete illiterate when it comes to RAID, as I've only used standard IDE/SCSI/SATA drives and controllers over all my years.

But on a new Win7 install on a brand new machine and empty hard drive(s), doesn't the installer want you to pick the drive which the BIOS considers "hard disk #1", and that's where the OS must get installed? That's where the BIOS will boot, and that's where the "active" partition must go.

On a brand new completely empty drive non-RAID configuration, the only eligible drive for install is hard disk #1 per the BIOS. That's where Win7 will put its "system reserved" primary partition (i.e. the small partition where boot manager files go, and which will be marked as the "active" partition). After that, a second primary partition is created for the Win7 OS itself, and unless you invoke partitioning it will just use the entire rest of the drive.

But if you try to install to any other hard drive other than "hard disk #1" per the BIOS, you'll get this complaint about "cannot be installed on this disk".

If you want to install Win7 as a second bootable OS in an environment which already has one running bootable OS (e.g. WinXP), it is the WinXP partition which is already "hard disk #1" in the BIOS and marked as "active". Win7 changes the boot manager files right in THAT WinXP partition, and doesn't need the "system reserved" partition. And you can now install Win7 in any other partition you want, on the same drive as with WinXP or on another drive... with the boot manager menu back in the WinXP partition populated with the proper information and drive/partition locators.

But otherwise, "hard disk #1" per the BIOS is the only place where a fresh clean new install of Win7 can go... for non-RAID.


That having been said for non-RAID installs, is there any possible relationship between this information and your current RAID situation... where again Win7 refuses to install where you want it installed? Is the 3x1TB RAID configuration considered "hard disk #1", and therefore it SHOULD be acceptable?

Again, pardon me for my RAID ignorance.