[Falconchief]

OK, here we go. I built my first computer. It has been running fine so far. Here are the specs:

Vista Premium 32 bit (lates updates including SP1)
Intel DG965WH motherboard (latest BIOS) (supports SATAII 3GB)
Intel Core 2 Duo E6300 Proccessor
4 Gig of DDR2 RAM (only sees about 3.3Gig)
Seagate SATA 160GB HD (SATA 0) (original boot drive in IDE configuration when Vista installed)
Nvidia Geforce 7600 GS video card (updated drivers)

Here is what I was trying to do; I bought 2 500GB Western Digital Caviar SE16 SATAII hard drives. They seemed to install just fine but for the fact that they did not show up in the Computer list. They are on SATA 1 & 3 ( I skipped 2 without knowing it) I went into the BIOS and set the drives to RAID. During reboot I hit the CTRL+I to get into the RAID configuration where I created 1 RAID1 500GB drive.

I tried to run the "Data Lifeguard Tools" (before even getting into the BIOS) from the WD DVD but it does not run in Vista (the box even has a "Works with windows Vista" sticker on it!).

The system will NOT start in this configuration. Putting the BIOS back into IDE gets me running again but I still can't see the 2 new drives.

Does anyone have any ideas? I'm beginning to think I need to reinstall Vista with the BIOS set to RAID from the get go? That doesn't make alot of sence to me but I've tried just about everything else I can think of. WD support web page is all but usless in this case. The only software they offer for Vista just confirms that I have 2 correctly installed 500GB drives in my system! I have even messed with the Computer Management tool to try to get these discs to do SOMETHING!!!

Help a guy out eh?

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You need to download the manual for your MB and read it.

http://www.intel.com...b/CS-022978.htm

It says you need to load the intel Matrix storage technology drivers. The intel matrix storage console allows you to upgrade to raid from a single Sata drive without reinstalling the System.

http://www.intel.com...b/cs-009323.htm

Start reading at page 65 of the manual for the setup.

SRX660

[SRX660]

You need to download the manual for your MB and read it.

http://www.intel.com...b/CS-022978.htm

It says you need to load the intel Matrix storage technology drivers. The intel matrix storage console allows you to upgrade to raid from a single Sata drive without reinstalling the System.

http://www.intel.com...b/cs-009323.htm

Start reading at page 65 of the manual for the setup.

SRX660

[Jacee]

I don't know if this might be your problem, but SP1 and Raid drivers don't get along. SP1 absolutely destroyed my Raid Array setup.

[JsDad]

Falconchief, I've got the same problem with the same hard drive. I'm finding I'm hating vista more and more by the day. All I want to do is span my c:. The options are there in the disk management but grayed out. If you find something please post it.

[Falconchief]

I hate to admit that after trying to install the Microsoft disc managment tools (and being told my system does NOT support it). Using the disc managment software that came with Vista (could not understand ANY of what it said) I have given up. I have simply put all my sensitve data on one drive and run a daily backup to the other. NOT what I thought I was going to have but it will do for now. I have no desire to tear my system apart and start from scratch. I'll just wait to build my next system and start it out with RAID, maybe that will work? I too am dissapointed in Vista, Microsoft and Intell for makeing something that SHOULD be rather simple and making it nearly impossible to understand. I'm going to stick with Vista though. I just can't see going backward at this point.

[SRX660]

hit the wrong key on this one.

Edited by SRX660, 26 July 2008 - 06:20 PM.

[SRX660]

Yes, they really need to develop a new sort of system that backs up all data daily. I have never wanted to run a raid setup on a home computer. I really don't listen to all the hype that it seems to go around the internet. While raid is good for servers that can't be down for any amount of time without consequence, I will still just do manual backups. While i do backup all new data weekly it would be nice to have a built in program that backs up all data added to the computer on a schedule you can set.

I too am very disappointed in Vista. I now have just 1 desktop and 1 laptop with vista on them. The rest of the computers i will not install vista and keep XP on them( 4 other computers and 1 linux computer). Vista's heavy handed DMR, lack of drop down lists showing files with similar names, and many other conveniences that have been left out make the OS a waste of time. It seems they changed things all around just to be different. Guess i will wait until the next version to see if its any good. In the meantime Ubuntu Linux is looking very good right now as i installed it on a Core 2 duo computer with no problems.Ubuntu is not on par with XP but its getting close.

SRX660

[Jacee]

My problem with Raid Array set-up here:
http://forums.pcpits...howtopic=158910

I'm also very disappointed ... now I have two separate 500gb hard drives. I'm just backing up my important stuff to drive D:\ for now.

I still (to this day) can't get SP1 to install without problems, so I'm going to leave it sit there and rot in "Important Updates"

Edited by Jacee, 26 July 2008 - 09:38 PM.