Question on adding a RAID array to an existing boot drive 1

[mardin8985]

I have a problem. I am trying to add two SATA hard drives to my system. I want to put them in a RAID 0 array because they will be used for large files used in video and photo editing. I also just like them to show up as one large drive rather than two and if possible I would like to achieve this through a hardware set up rather than using XP pro to set up a RAID. I have an ASUS P5GDC-V Delux mobo with intel matrix RAID controller for SATA drives. I have one 80 GB SATA already hooked up that is my boot drive with XP on it. I would like to just keep that how it is and add these two new drives into an array. Can this be done. I have do everything it says to do in my mobo user manual but when the windows startup screen appears the system reboots everytime. I have looked at a few other forums and how-tos but none have helped because they only address creating a RAID as your main drive. Please help!

 

[stduc]

You should have no problem at all, providing the two new disks are exactly the same size.

I suggest you remove the new drives & re-configure windows to halt, rather than re-boot on error. That way you will likely see an error message (BSOD) and that may give some clues.

Re-attach the RAID drives & verify that your boot device in BIOS is set to the original drive. Configure the new disks as a hardware RAID 0 in the RAID BIOS setup.

If windows now boots ok you will need to install your RAID drivers before windows will 'see' the new drive. Once installed you will need to initialize & format the new drive. Windows will only 'see' one disk but its size will be the sum of the other two.

Please be aware that RAID 0, although faster than other RAID arrangements and gives you a big logical disk - is dangerous from the data security point of view. If one disk dies, you lose the contents of both! You may want to consider JBOD as an alternative.

 

[mardin8985]

Thanks for the infor stduc but how do I change what windows does when it encounters an error during boot?

 

[mardin8985]

Nevermind about that I figured that out quickly. Now I will see what I get.

 

[mardin8985]

Ok. It halts and gives a STOP: 0x0000007b error message which I googled and it said everything basically said it is some harware problem. Thank you Sherlock Holmes. The system boots fine with just the original drive in there. But every time I attach the two and set them up in RAID I get the windows error. I have looked in the BIOS and the original hard drive is selected as the boot drive. I am completely confused.

 

[stduc]

Sounds to me like you need to load the RAID drivers before installing the drives. So I guess you need to take them out again and follow the manufactures instructions for installing the drivers. Then re-attach the drives.

 

[mardin8985]

The only instructions for installing the intel driver is for when you are installing windows for the first time on the RAID array but I already have it installed on the third drive not in the array. How do I install a driver into windows without running setup?

 

[stduc]

I'm not sure what you mean by

but I already have it installed on the third drive not in the array.

However, if you go to control panel, add new hardware & follow the instructions for installing a driver when new hardware isn't found it should work.

If that doesn't work, try adding the drives you intend to RAID one at a time, re-booting in between.

 

[mardin8985]

Thanks for your help I have the problem all fixed and both drives are showing up in RAID and windows is booting. The third drive was my original drive the one that wasn't in the array.