New system problems !
Have built a new system using the following components:
Asus A8N SLi Premium MB
AMD Athlon 64 X2 4200 processor
2- WD Rapture 74G 10,000 hardrives
EVGA 7800GT 256 Sli graphics card
16X DVD/DVR Lite on
Floppy Drive
Win XP Pro
MB has two sets of sata slots. 4 red that say SATA raid(Silicon controller) and 4 black that say SATA (NVraid controllers). I used the black slots. Have checked all connections and they seem to be good. Went through bios and eventually got to where I had to load the raid drivers from a floppy. I did that and all seemed to be Ok. I even have a screen that tells me I have a healthy, striped 138, XXX raid array.
Got to the part where I loaded OS and all seemed ok except the install stopped at one point telling me it could not locate some files to install. I got them loaded on a floppy and loaded them. They were some of the NVraid tool files..
Install finished and upon reboot I still hang on the Phoenix Award Bios/enerystar screen where it tells you your MB type, Main processor type, IDE master/slave and sata master, IDE channel 0 no 80 conductor cable installed, Asus EZ plug not connected (manual says only when in SLI) etc, etc. Gives choice to Hit F1 to continue or Del to enter setup. Under that it says loading boot menu.
I hit F1 to continue and it takes me to another screen that says it Ctl S or F4 to enter raid setup. This is for the setup of the siliconraid if you are using it. If I let it set for a moment it changes to a screen that tells me Sil3114 Sataraid bios V 5.1.39 andI have a healthy, Nvidia striped, 138.49Gb raid array. I have to hit something to get past that and then sometimes it goes to a Select a Boot first device(boot menu) where it list removeable Floppy. Harddrive: SCSI:Nvidia striped 138.49 or CDROM:first slave Lite ON DVDRW.
Once I pick harddrive it takes me to the start windows normally/safe mode/last good configuration screen. I have tried safe mode and normal and it does the same thing. It goes to the winxp logo screen and right when it looks like it should go to the desktop a blue screen with writing flashes for a nanosecond and then the system reboots. I cannot read the blue screen. Sometimes during this process it will skip the boot menu screen but I always end up with the same outcome.
I have read and printed off a post from MediaMan regarding the Nvraid files that winxp tried to load but couldn't. It talks about slipstreaming these files on to the winxp installation disk. I have tried to boot my system from the CD hoping to do a repair install but haven't had any luck. Is there anyway to start this process over? Any other ideas would be greatly appreciated. I am new at all of this so be kind of specific with any responses.
Asus A8N SLi Premium MB
AMD Athlon 64 X2 4200 processor
2- WD Rapture 74G 10,000 hardrives
EVGA 7800GT 256 Sli graphics card
16X DVD/DVR Lite on
Floppy Drive
Win XP Pro
MB has two sets of sata slots. 4 red that say SATA raid(Silicon controller) and 4 black that say SATA (NVraid controllers). I used the black slots. Have checked all connections and they seem to be good. Went through bios and eventually got to where I had to load the raid drivers from a floppy. I did that and all seemed to be Ok. I even have a screen that tells me I have a healthy, striped 138, XXX raid array.
Got to the part where I loaded OS and all seemed ok except the install stopped at one point telling me it could not locate some files to install. I got them loaded on a floppy and loaded them. They were some of the NVraid tool files..
Install finished and upon reboot I still hang on the Phoenix Award Bios/enerystar screen where it tells you your MB type, Main processor type, IDE master/slave and sata master, IDE channel 0 no 80 conductor cable installed, Asus EZ plug not connected (manual says only when in SLI) etc, etc. Gives choice to Hit F1 to continue or Del to enter setup. Under that it says loading boot menu.
I hit F1 to continue and it takes me to another screen that says it Ctl S or F4 to enter raid setup. This is for the setup of the siliconraid if you are using it. If I let it set for a moment it changes to a screen that tells me Sil3114 Sataraid bios V 5.1.39 andI have a healthy, Nvidia striped, 138.49Gb raid array. I have to hit something to get past that and then sometimes it goes to a Select a Boot first device(boot menu) where it list removeable Floppy. Harddrive: SCSI:Nvidia striped 138.49 or CDROM:first slave Lite ON DVDRW.
Once I pick harddrive it takes me to the start windows normally/safe mode/last good configuration screen. I have tried safe mode and normal and it does the same thing. It goes to the winxp logo screen and right when it looks like it should go to the desktop a blue screen with writing flashes for a nanosecond and then the system reboots. I cannot read the blue screen. Sometimes during this process it will skip the boot menu screen but I always end up with the same outcome.
I have read and printed off a post from MediaMan regarding the Nvraid files that winxp tried to load but couldn't. It talks about slipstreaming these files on to the winxp installation disk. I have tried to boot my system from the CD hoping to do a repair install but haven't had any luck. Is there anyway to start this process over? Any other ideas would be greatly appreciated. I am new at all of this so be kind of specific with any responses.
0
Comments
You also must format your drives which you must do before you install the OS- but XP makes you do this.
At any rate, this should get a little more attention now that it is bumped and maybe someone (there are some VERY good people at this here) will spot something I don't (or can't at this point). If you can also confirm how loading your drivers and formating the array drives came into play, please do.
Hope this helps
BTW- Merry Christmas!
Atleast half the time I don't even make it to the end as it will come up and tell me it is unable to load some file that it apparently needs. The last time it couldn't load "FTP.exe". That killed my keyboard and I was unable to do anything except reboot. Frustrating after waiting hours for the harddrives to format.
Another issue I have encountered is that initially when I enabled the Nvraid in the bios I also enabled 1st and 2nd Sata masters. After looking at the instructions again from the MB support disk, it says it should be secondary IDE master and secondary IDE slave. I changed it accordingly and it seems to list my HDDs but doesn't give the option to hit F10 to enter raid config.
Really not sure where to go from here. By the way, I have never updated the bios as I am using 1008 and the newest version (not a beta) is 1009. Didn't think it would be necessary.
Other than that it seems like you did not get all the drivers in during the OS install.
Find both those drivers, load both on one floppy the hit F6 when prompted and when it asks it will show you both driver. Pick one (it doesn't matter..really) then hit "S" to specify another driver and pick the other driver.
I set up an identical array on the A8N32-SLI Deluxe and using that method (as specified by nVidia) had no issues at all.
Good luck.
Tonight I flashed bios to newest version and tried again. Same result. Just gonna keep reading and trying. eventually I know I will get it. May try going with just one sata harddrive and see if I can atleast get OS installed. I think I can then come back and add second harddrive and configure raid array. Not sure but think that might work. Thanks all for your imput. It gives me hope.
Have you attempted to set it up on the SI chip? Maybe your board is fubared? If you can set it up on the SI controller with no problems, then it would certainly point to an RMA inmy opinion.
Just a thought.
Flint
I have been struggling with this problem for about a month now. I was amazed to discover it actually origionated with my Lite-on DVD-RW. Try removing it and see if that helps. I now have other issues I'm dealing with, but no longer get the BSoD/reboot routine.
BTW the BSoD message is basically: 'windows has detected a problem with your computer and is shutting down to avoid damage to your components.'
Afraid that might have actually happend w/ mine.
Hope that helps!
DFI Inifinity SLI
AMD Athlon64 3500+
Corsair 512mb (x2)
MSI Geforce 6600GT
Lite-On DVD-RW
Was unable to get system to boot properly with Raid configured. Disabled NVraid and installed harddrives as normal sata harddrives. Everything booted perfectly and XP running fine. Drives now listed as C & D with OS on C.
Question: Now that OS is loaded and running seemingly fine, should I try to re-enable and re-configure raid?
Can this even be done now that the OS and other Data has been installed on C:\ Drive?
Is it worth it if raid is going to cause instability to my system?
If I leave it the way it is, is there any benefit to haveing OS on one drive and everything else (programs etc) on the other? How do I get the most out of what I have right now?
No, No, No, and YES. Essentially, keeping your programs and important stuff on another HD cuts your chances of losing it all in half, given two drives. You should still burn to CD what you can't live without, though.
Straight Man I will put a lot of stock in what you say. Based on your business site I would have to think you have some knowledge and experience behind your opinions.
Jux...I would like to know how you came to the conclusion that your DVDRW ended up being the problem. Mostly because I have the same equipment. Was it just by process of elimination or was you actually getting message showing the conflict.
Leonardo....Mine is not set to "halt on" Nothing in the bios. What will changing it do?
Thanks again for all your opinions