RAID-0 not recognized in WinXP SP2 install

I'm installing WinXP Pro SP2 on a new system. I'm having trouble
getting the RAID-0 on my (2) WD Raptor 74GB HD's to be recognized
during the Windows install. My Supermicro X7DAE motherboard has an
Intel ESB2 SATA RAID controller onboard, and the bios gives me an
option to use Intel HostRAID or Adaptec HostRAID.

I've tried using both the Intel and Adaptec controllers, setting up
each and the array's were recognized at boot. During setup, I installed
the 3rd party controller specifying the 'Intel ESB2 SATA RAID" from my
floppy for both Intel & Adaptec (there is an Adaptec SAS/SATA RAID
controller, but it seems to prefer the Intel one). During the Windows
install, using Adaptec controller, 2 drive shows up, so the array is
not recognized. If I do specify one of the drives to install to, it
fails during the format, "Setup was unable to format the partition."
Using the Intel controller, a single drive is recognized, however it
has the same error formating the drive.

I just used the Adaptec low-level disk format on both drives and
rebuilt the array's, but the problem persists. Any suggestions?

I'm quite sure now I'm using the correct RAID driver, I downloaded the
most current version 1.03 Adaptec ESB2 SATA Windows driver from
Supermicro at:
ftp://ftp.supermicro.com/CDR-X7_1.03...Windows/WIN32/
This most recent driver (or compatible) wasn't even on the MB install
disk, and a bad link on their website. So now using Adaptec HostRAID,
and installing the new 3rd party driver during Windows setup, I get to
the 'select partion to install windows to' and a single drive shows up!
I've gotten past that hurdle... however, when I select it, I get
"Setup was unable to format the partition" Is it a HD problem now?
I've already low-level formated both (seperately, rebuilding array),
and the array shows up fine on boot.

wrote:

>I'm installing WinXP Pro SP2 on a new system. I'm having trouble
>getting the RAID-0 on my (2) WD Raptor 74GB HD's to be recognized
>during the Windows install. My Supermicro X7DAE motherboard has an
>Intel ESB2 SATA RAID controller onboard, and the bios gives me an
>option to use Intel HostRAID or Adaptec HostRAID.
>

I strongly urge you to reconsider your decision to use a RAID 0 (data
striping) configuration for the operating system.

The performance advantages gained from this are minimal, except
perhaps during startup, and the increased risk to your system more
than offsets this performance gain, at least in my opinion.

The increased risk arises because if either hard drive fails (and the
probability of one drive in a pair failing is markedly higher than
that of single stand alone drive failing) then your computer becomes
unusable and your data is probably beyond recovery.

Good luck

Ron Martell Duncan B.C. Canada
--
Microsoft MVP (1997 - 2006)
On-Line Help Computer Service
http://onlinehelp.bc.ca
Syberfix Remote Computer Repair

"Anyone who thinks that they are too small to make a difference
has never been in bed with a mosquito."