RAID issue, assuming it's with the drivers

wristdirectwristdirect
edited August 2006 in Science & Tech
I'm not sure what information I need to give here, but my problem is this. First, I have one 45GiB drive, on which I have recently installed Windows XP. Also, I have two RAIDed 120GiB Drives (which are identical). When my computer boots up, it sees these RAID drives, and the RAID array seems to be functional. However, when Windows comes up and I go into My Computer, the RAID drives are not there. Is this some sort of driver issue that I need to take care of? Or is it something completely different? For my sake, I hope it is some trivial thing that I don't know about and overlooked. Thanks a bunch.

Comments

  • ThraxThrax 🐌 Austin, TX Icrontian
    edited August 2006
    Go to start >> run >> diskmgmt.msc -- tell me if your RAIDed drives are in there.
  • wristdirectwristdirect
    edited August 2006
    Nope, just my 45Gig drive and my CD drive
  • primesuspectprimesuspect Beepin n' Boopin Detroit, MI Icrontian
    edited August 2006
    Are you sure you have the driver for the array controller installed?
  • wristdirectwristdirect
    edited August 2006
    Well, not entirely. I mean, the array is definately working. But when I went to install the drivers using the Windows XP installation disk, it didn't seem to have the drivers necessary. I know I don't have any drivers on a floppy right now that could be used during the Windows installation process (in the RAID driver menu thing when booting off the CD). Not sure where to go to get the right drivers to make it work. Any help?
  • ThraxThrax 🐌 Austin, TX Icrontian
    edited August 2006
    What motherboard do you have?
  • wristdirectwristdirect
    edited August 2006
    It's a SOYO P4VGM.
  • ThraxThrax 🐌 Austin, TX Icrontian
    edited August 2006
    Neither version of that board appears to have RAID, according to the SOYO website. Are you using a third-party controller card?
  • wristdirectwristdirect
    edited August 2006
    Yessir. It's an ITE IT8212 ATA RAID Controller. I tried installing the newest drivers for it, but Windows still does not see the RAID once it is booted up (though, as I mentioned before, the RAID array is seen while booting).
  • ThraxThrax 🐌 Austin, TX Icrontian
    edited August 2006
    Can you please go to your device manager and post a screenshot of it?
  • wristdirectwristdirect
    edited August 2006
    http://purdue.facebook.com/photo.php?pid=32586930&id=13751515

    n13751515_32586930_710.jpg

    hopefully this is big enough. facebook automactically lowers the quailty ><
  • ThraxThrax 🐌 Austin, TX Icrontian
    edited August 2006
    Hmm, okay, everything looks great on that front.

    Does the array report as healthy in the RAID BIOS at boot?
  • wristdirectwristdirect
    edited August 2006
    Yes, it does seem to be functional, and reports it to be functional.
  • ThraxThrax 🐌 Austin, TX Icrontian
    edited August 2006
    Okay, so:

    1. The array is established.
    2. The array is healthy.
    3. The array is detected.
    4. The drivers for the card are installed.
    5. Nothing shows in disk management.

    WTF.

    //EDIT:

    Post a shot of disk manager for me?
  • wristdirectwristdirect
    edited August 2006
    n13751515_32587203_4241.jpg
  • ThraxThrax 🐌 Austin, TX Icrontian
    edited August 2006
    "Disk 1" is your RAID array. Right click that drive (On the "unallocated" part), and hit "Format." It currently has no data on it telling Windows that it's a hard drive; it's not ready to even store data. If it still isn't given a letter, right click it again and hit "Change Drive LEtter and Path" and give it whatever letter you want.
  • wristdirectwristdirect
    edited August 2006
    oh no, that is bad....that's my old drive, which contains...well...everything really. i didnt even see that down there. damn, if its unpartitioned...this will be painful.
  • ThraxThrax 🐌 Austin, TX Icrontian
    edited August 2006
    wristdirect wrote:
    oh no, that is bad....that's my old drive, which contains...well...everything really. i didnt even see that down there. damn, if its unpartitioned...this will be painful.

    TestDisk can handle RAID arrays, I do believe. Download the WindowsXP/NT/2K version and burn it to a CD. Follow these basic instructions to see if the file table is intact, and recoverable.
  • wristdirectwristdirect
    edited August 2006
    thanks a lot, im tryin this now
  • wristdirectwristdirect
    edited August 2006
    okay, my question is this. im in the program and i analyzed my harddrive. from there i can write a partition structure to the disk. will this erase my data?
  • profdlpprofdlp The Holy City Of Westlake, Ohio
    edited August 2006
    wristdirect wrote:
    okay, my question is this. im in the program and i analyzed my harddrive. from there i can write a partition structure to the disk. will this erase my data?
    No, it will allow you to gain access to your data, which is currently in limbo on a drive with no partition structure.

    If you're sure you followed the instructions for TestDisk properly (and it appears to me that you have, since it's found a partition), then go for it. :)
  • ThraxThrax 🐌 Austin, TX Icrontian
    edited August 2006
    He just PMed me. We got all his data recovered. :)
  • profdlpprofdlp The Holy City Of Westlake, Ohio
    edited August 2006
    Good man, Thrax. :thumbsup:
  • wristdirectwristdirect
    edited August 2006
    yes, thanks much thrax ^_^
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