RAID installation

[THC]

I am building a computer and intend to have 2 HD in a RAID array (RAID-0). Problem is that the whole raid configuration is installed through windows (and in bios). So my question is, how do I run windows from the two HDs if I have to use windows to install it?
My motherboard is the Abit TH7II-RAID

[penguin_hash]

For Win2K, there's a key you can press to install third party drivers. You'll notice the message at the bottom of the screen when you start setup.

[Jeffbx]

Are you saying you're running software RAID?

If that's the case, RAID0 (striped set) is not able to reside on a boot or system disk - you just can't do it.

http://support.microsoft.com/search/preview.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;Q303184

The only software RAID that can reside on a boot/system disk is mirroring (RAID1) - this is because Windows can boot off of a single drive and then add the second drive to the array once the OS is running.

You have 2 choices to make this work - either get a hardware RAID card, or a third (small) drive to run the OS.

[THC]

No, this motherboard has integrated raid hardware.
The first chapter in the motherboard manual about the raid setup tells you to install the drivers for "PCI mass storage controller". This is apparently done throught the Windows interface. Second step will install the hpt370 utility. Third step says that by installing the hpt370 utility I enabled the raid functions in BIOS setup menu.
It seems like it is in BIOS I set up the raid array and there's a warning that if I set up raid-0 (striping) all the data on my HDDs will be erased.
Since I will need Windows to install the drivers that will enable the BIOS feature, do I have to install windows, install drivers, set-up the array in BIOS (which will cause everything to be erased), and then install windows again?? Sounds like a really odd procedure?! Just doesn't seem right and I think I'm lacking some fundamental knowledge here...

[Ladogaboy]

Originally posted by THC
No, this motherboard has integrated raid hardware.
The first chapter in the motherboard manual about the raid setup tells you to install the drivers for "PCI mass storage controller". This is apparently done throught the Windows interface. Second step will install the hpt370 utility. Third step says that by installing the hpt370 utility I enabled the raid functions in BIOS setup menu.
It seems like it is in BIOS I set up the raid array and there's a warning that if I set up raid-0 (striping) all the data on my HDDs will be erased.
Since I will need Windows to install the drivers that will enable the BIOS feature, do I have to install windows, install drivers, set-up the array in BIOS (which will cause everything to be erased), and then install windows again?? Sounds like a really odd procedure?! Just doesn't seem right and I think I'm lacking some fundamental knowledge here...

Would it be possible to load the OS on a third HD; then add the HDs you are planning to use in RAID; then load the OS onto the RAID drives; then change bios to boot from RAID? :confused:

I dunno... just taking a shot in the dark, here. I'd really like to hear an explanation to this as well. :shrug:

[THC]

Things are starting to make sense. I think what set me off was the somewhat confusing chapter on raid installation in the motherboard manual...
Thanks a lot!!