nf4 sli-dr: RAID-0 array doesn't appear in Windows, only 2 x 80 gb (se

[Sorrento]

Well this is annoying, yet I knew this was going to happen.

 

The issue is this: I have 2 x 80 gb Hitachi SATA II... I hook them up to SATA 1 and SATA 2 connectors on the motherboard (nVidia SATA?), boot the system, set all BIOS accordingly, reboot, hit F10 to enter nVidia RAID Bios and set the two Hitachi as Stripe (RAID-0) with 32k Stripe size.

 

Everything is perfect so far, problem appears next: I have already an IDE HDD (Western Digital 40 gb) with Windows and SP2 in it... so when I boot carrying the RAID-0 and I got to administrative tools to partition the RAID-0, oohh suprise there is NO RAID but two separated hitachis there... :mad:

 

Can someone tell me what am I missing? The idea is to set the cluster size = to the stripe size, or in other words 32k/32k for better performance, then remove the IDE HDD and install windows on the RAID-0 leaving the partition as it is.

 

LOL, I can't even see the damn thing in the first windows... :shake:

[WizZard]

You have to install the nvraid driver. Get the latest nForce drivers from www.nvidia.com

[Sorrento]

Ok... but are you saying the ones in the DFI driver CD are old and are doing this? What about the Floppy?

 

Ohh boy, I am going to reinstall the nForce drivers (nForce4 stand alone) and see what happens... lol, why aren't thing easy like with my old NF7-S???? The IC7, the K8N and now this SLI-DR have a mind of their own... evil!!!! hehe

[WizZard]

Well I always install the latest drives from the net, never from the CD. They're usually out of date by the time you get them.

 

You hadn't specified that you had the drivers installed in your post though, that's why I advised to install them.

[Sorrento]

Nope... nada, still I can only see two separated HDDs in Windows.

 

Installing the new RAID driver (floppy) didn't help either.

 

What else can I do?

[RGone]

one very large thing you miss in all that rush to the latest driver that you are smitten with "wizzard" is that the drivers on the CD are approved to work with the board in question and all others may not be. Nvidia has made two "pretty large errors" in their latest drivers lately and one kills off the Nvidia lan for many folks and is suggested to be avoided like the plague.

 

and a policy of new just because it is new can become an old headache very fast and is repeated daily by the unknowing user. There are some drivers that will never make approved for DFI by DFI. Just remember that and proceed at your own risk.

 

RGone...

 

Well I always install the latest drives from the net, never from the CD. They're usually out of date by the time you get them.

 

You hadn't specified that you had the drivers installed in your post though, that's why I advised to install them.

[Sorrento]

one very large thing you miss in all that rush to the latest driver that you are smitten with "wizzard" is that the drivers on the CD are approved to work with the board in question and all others may not be. Nvidia has made two "pretty large errors" in their latest drivers lately and one kills off the Nvidia lan for many folks and is suggested to be avoided like the plague.

 

and a policy of new just because it is new can become an old headache very fast and is repeated daily by the unknowing user. There are some drivers that will never make approved for DFI by DFI. Just remember that and proceed at your own risk.

 

RGone...

Ok... but you are not helping.. lol. Don't be mad at me, I was the one using the CD drivers

 

This windows installation is just to prepare the RAID-0 for the real thing. I need to set the cluster size to 32k, same as the stripe size 32k... actually any value can work: 4k/4k, 16k/16k, 32k/32k and maybe 64k/64k. But in order to do this I need to be able to partition the RAID array in a windows enviroment prior to install Windows XP in that array.

 

I am going to try with Partition Magic... but doubt it will be any diferent. I just don't want to use 4k/4k as set by Windows CD.

[WizZard]

I'm far from being smitten with any driver, and while the drivers on the CD are approved, I would generally opt for newer ones, especially if there is a problem.

 

Maybe that is my error.

one very large thing you miss in all that rush to the latest driver that you are smitten with "wizzard" is that the drivers on the CD are approved to work with the board in question and all others may not be. Nvidia has made two "pretty large errors" in their latest drivers lately and one kills off the Nvidia lan for many folks and is suggested to be avoided like the plague.

 

and a policy of new just because it is new can become an old headache very fast and is repeated daily by the unknowing user. There are some drivers that will never make approved for DFI by DFI. Just remember that and proceed at your own risk.

 

RGone...

[Sorrento]

Ok, instead of using NVidia SATA controller I connected the two HDD to the Silimage controller (SATA 5 and SATA 6)... created the array (RAID-0) and booted into windows. To my suprise it worked, I could partition the array (156 gb) to any cluster size I wanted, but I am not interested in using the Silimage controller.

 

This must be a driver issue indeed, but what who where... I don't know. Also while running the Windows CD (installation) and the two SATA on the Nvidia controller I was able to see the array too and install it right away with the cluster size of 4k... so why isn't windows locating the array???

[Sorrento]

Well I gave up... I doubt there is a way out from this as it is obviously a driver issue. With the SATA controller on the Neo2 I didn't had a problem setting RAID to what ever cluster size I wanted, and I think the new controller is similar if not identical.

 

I am one step away from installing Windows XP all wrong: 32k/4k. This is a serious issue.

[robowang]

Sorrento

I am going be into the same setup as you tomorrow. So, maybe if my setup up works out, I can help you, then. I do have a question, tho. Did you run the Hitachi feature tool to "turn on" SATA II? My thinking is that, if you didn't, you'll have to start all over again when (or if) you do. Also, I am planning to use the Hitachi setup floppy disk to partition and format the drives first, then use the Raid utility to setup up the striping.

We'll see what happens

[drewski]

Sorrento

I am going be into the same setup as you tomorrow. So, maybe if my setup up works out, I can help you, then. I do have a question, tho. Did you run the Hitachi feature tool to "turn on" SATA II? My thinking is that, if you didn't, you'll have to start all over again when (or if) you do. Also, I am planning to use the Hitachi setup floppy disk to partition and format the drives first, then use the Raid utility to setup up the striping.

We'll see what happens

 

in other RAID applications that i've used, the formatting is done by the raid application/utility. any partitioning done with the Hitachi is setting the drives up as independant. joining them in RAID after formatting will just remove what you spent some time doing.