Booting from RAID

**Doctor Feelgood** · Posted: Sun, 26 Oct 2003 12:01:33 Post Subject: Booting from RAID

OK, have the drives cloned, but now can't get the RAID array to boot, even though everything seems good to go...

I copied my c, d, and e drives to raid and the letters are presently x, y, and z... x being the os partition.

The raid card BIOS shows the array as being bootable, but I don't think my mainboard bios is seeing it... I have tried disconnecting all the onboard ide connections so only the raid array is attached, it sees the raid array, but then just sits there saying disk error... I even told the mainboard bios to boot from "other", "scsi", as well as a bunch of other choices... nothing...

Man, my XP333-R was so easy... just tell the mobo bios to boot from RAID and it was set...

Any pointers? Deathstar, how did you do it?

Thanks!

T-shirt · Posted: Sun, 26 Oct 2003 12:57:05 Post Subject:

Usually raid devices are seen as SCSI extensions, you need to set the bios boot order to SCSI before the ATA hard drive
some add-on cards require a propietary utility program (and then only work with some boards)

**Doctor Feelgood** · Posted: Sun, 26 Oct 2003 13:34:15 Post Subject:

Yeah, I have tried to use SCSI in the mobo BIOS and it didn't do it. I have followed the advice on the Promise site, and it doesn't seem to be a driver or utility issue, but I am not sure... The drive cloning seems to be fine, and hopefully that isn't the issue... Just kinda stuck on this one!

BeerCheeze · Posted: Sun, 26 Oct 2003 13:37:06 Post Subject:

To boot from RAID

1) Disconnect all IDE HDD's
2) Set the BIOS to boot from SCSI (Just don't want it trying to boot from the onboard IDE controller HDD's)
2) When installing the OS insert the driver for the RAID controller (you HAVE to have a floppy for this)
3) Finish the install boot at least once into the OS.
4) Power down, reconnect your IDE drives leaving the BIOS alone.

BAM!! You will now boot to your new RAID array and still have your IDE drives!

**Doctor Feelgood** · Posted: Sun, 26 Oct 2003 13:40:54 Post Subject:

But... you're describing a fresh OS install, right? I'm trying to avoid that and have copied my current partitions to my RAID partitions... Or are you just tricking it into thinking its a fresh install?

BeerCheeze · Posted: Sun, 26 Oct 2003 14:13:23 Post Subject:

You need to install the OS fresh... Sad

can't go from Non-RAID to a RAID drive with out a new OS install.

**Doctor Feelgood** · Posted: Sun, 26 Oct 2003 14:43:48 Post Subject:

uggh... o.k. sounds like another call the MS soon to re-activate XP... Bang Head

T-shirt · Posted: Mon, 27 Oct 2003 04:05:36 Post Subject:

**Doctor Feelgood** · Posted: Sat, 01 Nov 2003 23:15:19 Post Subject:

Well, I did it... Fresh install on the RAID array, and yup... I have to make a call to MS tomorrow!! The message it gave me was a bit different than any of the others, so I hope it doesn't translate to a hassle with them... Bang Head

I kept the old drives intact for now... in case I have to revert...

Charlie · Posted: Mon, 03 Nov 2003 17:21:04 Post Subject: