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Enabling RAID on non RAID Windows 7 install

  • Thread starter Deleted member 88227
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Deleted member 88227

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So I put together a HTPC using spare parts.

Basically got it running on an AMD x6 w/ 4GB RAM and a 150 GB Raptor drive.

Now I have two 320GB 2.5" laptop drives. What I want to do with these is turn them into a RAID 0 array, then set it up so Windows Media Center can record shows to that drive.

I've already installed Windows 7 on the HTPC before enabling AHCI or RAID. So this is the problem. I don't care to go through the trouble of reinstalling W7 and setting up all the previous settings if I do not have to.

I've enabled RAID in the BIOS, setup the two disks in the RAID Array. Windows will not boot now. Great. Off to Google I go. Turns out, just a couple Registry edits and I'm good? Great. Make the changes. Windows still will not boot once RAID is enabled in the BIOS.

Is there something else I need to do to get Windows to boot off the NON RAID primary hard drive, while RAID is enabled in the BIOS? Most all articles I find are people wanting to convert the Windows install to a RAID array, this isn't what I want.
 
To boot off the array, you need to create an array in the BIOS. Doing that will wipe the drives and you will need to put a copy of the install back on the array. The registry hack you read about if for when you started with your drives in IDE and switched to AHCI, or you started in AHCI and you switched to RAID. You will need to backup your existing install, create the array and then restore the image to the new array.
 
Let me try to be a little more clear.

I have three hard drives.

One WD Raptor 150GB Drive
Two Hitachi 320GB Drives

The WD Raptor 150GB Drive is the OS drive. I do not intend to remove Windows off this drive. It will be the primary boot drive where Windows will stay installed.

The two Hitachi drives I want to ADD to the HTPC as storage drives, but I want them to run in RAID 0 so they appear as a single drive ~600GB in size.

I've already installed Windows on the 150GB Raptor drive, under IDE mode in the BIOS. NOW I'm realizing I made a mistake since I want too ADD a RAID array as a STORAGE solution for the computer. I want to accomplish this without having to reinstall Windows.

I am thinking Windows needs the RAID drivers installed, but that's impossible to install drivers when they can't see them because unless I enable it in the BIOS it's hidden. Kind of a catch 22.
 
Upon further research, I believe the only way to do what I want is to have a second SATA controller on the motherboard. Thus allowing the main drive to run off that controller, while leaving it in AHCI or IDE mode then enabling RAID on the other controller, then going through the process of installing the RAID controllers within' Windows 7.

My motherboard, GA-MA790GP-UD4H doesn't have a second SATA controller, but it does have a PATA controller. Hmmm...
 
If it is the P5N-D that you are using for this build (that's the only one in your sig that mentions a raptor) you will need to set the controller to RAID to make the secondary array. For now, what you need to do is set it back to whatever it was (you mentioned IDE before) and boot and do whatever hack you need to do for that board to install the RAID driver and let it boot in RAID mode. I do not know the nvidia controller on that board well and never tried to do the hack, I have only done them on Intel PCH boards. If there isn't an option, you might have to reinstall windows on the raptor when you throw the board into RAID mode.
 
mwroobel said:
If it is the P5N-D that you are using for this build (that's the only one in your sig that mentions a raptor) you will need to set the controller to RAID to make the secondary array. For now, what you need to do is set it back to whatever it was (you mentioned IDE before) and boot and do whatever hack you need to do for that board to install the RAID driver and let it boot in RAID mode. I do not know the nvidia controller on that board well and never tried to do the hack, I have only done them on Intel PCH boards. If there isn't an option, you might have to reinstall windows on the raptor when you throw the board into RAID mode.
Click to expand...

I haven't updated that in a while. I replaced that cpu/ram/motherboard with AMD 1090T & GA-MA790GP-UD4H motherboard.

It has an IDE controller, on it so I am thinking about digging out one of my old IDE drives, mirroring the image to that drive, booting off the IDE controller; setting the SATA controller to RAID, installing the drivers on the IDE drive, mirroring that image back to the Raptor, setting the SATA controller back to IDE, do the hack to Windows so it will recognize ACHI/RAID, setting the SATA controller back to RAID, building the array, then seeing if that works.

Seems like a lot of steps. Maybe reinstalling Windows 7 and re-configuring everything might be a little easier.
 
Skillz, just use software RAID in Windows to build a RAID 0 array.
That way you don't have to reformat anything, and you can still have RAID.

Software RAID is hardware independent, so you don't need to make a RAID array from your BIOS or controller.
Just set your BIOS/UEFI and SATA controller back to IDE, rather than AHCI/RAID, this way all of the drives will show up individually in Windows 7.

Windows software RAID: http://www.howtogeek.com/howto/36504/how-to-create-a-software-raid-array-in-windows-7/

Some individuals will say that software RAID under Windows isn't the best, and they are right, but for what you are doing, it will more than enough.
Software RAID under Windows is good enough to run RAID 0 or 1, but not 10, 0+1, or 5, just fyi.

Going this route will save you a lot of time, imo.
 
Son of a #$@#$

Why didn't I think of that?!?

Thanks Red_Falcon, that's exactly what I am going to do.
 
Sweet, it's all setup and ready to roll now. Got 596GB worth of space to record shows to. ~171 hours according to WMC.
 
Skillz said:
That's what sh.. wait a minute.
Click to expand...

il_fullxfull.361778591_ms7l.jpg
 
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