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    Best way to configure RAID on M17x

    Discussion in 'Alienware' started by SpecKane, Oct 2, 2009.

  1. SpecKane

    SpecKane Notebook Geek

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    Alright, Dell/Alienware sent me a seconddrive bay for the second harddrive I ordered. Long story, of which the lesson is make sure you are ordering what you think you are ordering.

    So what is the best way to enable RAID (either 0 or 1)?

    Is it:
    Backup your users directory to another location.
    Boot to BIOS
    Enable RAID
    Set RAID in BIOS
    On boot go into the RAID manager
    Set the Drives and RAID Level
    Reboot
    Go in Alienware Recovery mode
    Do a complete recovery to factory defaults
     
    SpecKane, Oct 2, 2009
    #1
  2. Marvie100

    Marvie100 On a Mission

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    You will lose the Alienware recovery partition on your Hard Drive when you go to RAID. You will either need a Recovery CD or Fresh Install windows using the supplied Windows DVD. When it asks for the Raid Drivers, put in the Resources DVD. You will then need to install all the drivers seperately.

    Driver Installation Order

    Driver Download Page
     
    Marvie100, Oct 2, 2009
    #2
  3. SpecKane

    SpecKane Notebook Geek

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    Thanks Marvie100. I was afraid that I was "making it too easy".
     
    SpecKane, Oct 2, 2009
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  4. SpecKane

    SpecKane Notebook Geek

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    Well, this has turned into a merry little nightmare.

    The CD they sent doesn't work, even though it does.

    They'll send me a new CD, which will take a week, which should work, but still wont.

    I hate customer service that does nothing more than follow the scripts posted on the website (something I can do just as well as they can) but doesn't have the will or the smarts or the education to try and figure out what the real issue is.

    /rant

    So, in order to keep my sainity, what does it mean when attempting to start the Windows Vista 64 install you get a message telling you that the device drivers could not be found and you can't get the system to eject the CD to put in the resources CD?
     
    SpecKane, Oct 2, 2009
    #4
  5. Marvie100

    Marvie100 On a Mission

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    What I think most people did was load the RAID drivers onto a USB Stick, but I can't remember if it needed to be made bootable or not. Let me see what I can dig up, one sec.
     
    Marvie100, Oct 2, 2009
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  6. SpecKane

    SpecKane Notebook Geek

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    Thanks, this is killing me, their website doesn't seem to have the RAID drivers for download, which is alos irritating me. The techie said they'd send out a new disk in four to seven days.
     
    SpecKane, Oct 2, 2009
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  7. SpecKane

    SpecKane Notebook Geek

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    I found the drivers, so I think I'm on track again. If this works I'm going to redo it with pictures and put together a tutorial to save others my pain.
     
    SpecKane, Oct 2, 2009
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  8. Marvie100

    Marvie100 On a Mission

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    Marvie100, Oct 2, 2009
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  9. Shrouded

    Shrouded Notebook Geek

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    Is the CD you are referring to the Alienrespawn 2.0 disc if so I had what I thought was issues with it as well. My disc when booting would say loading window files with a progress bar. Once the bar was full it would remain on that screen a minute then would change to the boot screen with the Flashing - in the upper left hand corner. I then let it sit on this screen for about 10 minutes eventually the Alienrespawn 2.0 disc booted and I was able to respawn it just took an insane amount of patience.
     
    Shrouded, Oct 2, 2009
    #9