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    Need Advice for m17 & RAID0

    Discussion in 'Alienware' started by Player0, Feb 4, 2009.

  1. Player0

    Player0 Newbie

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    Hey guys,

    I got two 320G drives from NewEgg in for my new m17 for some RAID0. I enabled RAID mode in BIOS. I'm trying to install Windows XP but I'm having issues with the RAID controller. I need to use F6 to install the RAID drivers but this laptop doesn't have a floppy drive.

    1.) I have a USB floppy drive and this is slightly successful. I am able to format the drives. But right before XP starts to copy files it starts asking me to install the driver floppy back in drive A:. However, it will no longer access drive A. For whatever reason, the laptop disables USB at this point in the install and I'm no longer able to access the USB floppy drive. My only option seems to be to quit.

    2.) I tried slipstreaming SP3 and the Intel RAID drivers on to the install CD with nLite. Windows Installer BSOD's with a 0x0000007B error right after loading all the drivers, right before it would ask about partitioning.

    I'm not sure what else to do at this point. I'd really prefer not to go back to Vista since I get much better performance with XP. But this raid situation is depressing. Thanks for any advice :)
     
    Player0, Feb 4, 2009
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  2. E-wrecked

    E-wrecked BANNED

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    I wish I had a good answer for you.. But, the F6 method tends to work well.. and, instead of a USB floppy, put the drivers on a CD/DVD - give that a go. Oh, and you know XP isnt really supported for the M17 right? ;)
     
    E-wrecked, Feb 4, 2009
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  3. Player0

    Player0 Newbie

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    Windows XP installer refuses to look for drivers on anything other than a floppy. I can put the drivers on a CD but do you know how to make the installer read from that? All of my slipstream attempts just seem to BSOD.

    Hmm, I've never been the type to care about 'support'. XP gives me 10-15FPS over Vista on the m17 on GTA4, and about 20FPS extra on WoW. I didn't have any problems with XP until I decided to be clever and install RAID0 :D

    I guess I could go for some software RAID0 which would also give me the opportunity to have a non-RAID0 partition for some more critical data. ICH9R RAID0 performance is quite epic though and I'd hate to miss out just because XP installer is lame :)
     
    Player0, Feb 5, 2009
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  4. E-wrecked

    E-wrecked BANNED

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    have you googled something like.. "f6 RAID cd MEthod" - cause there's a pretty simple process where it makes an "image" of a floppy containing the RAID drivers onto a burned CD - Then theres your floppy. This just hit me for some reason. But yea, there's tutorials out there that explain how to make a floppy image on the CD and then the F6 method works fine.. I think ;)
     
    E-wrecked, Feb 5, 2009
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  5. Player0

    Player0 Newbie

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    Player0, Feb 5, 2009
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