Gaming raid 0 setup, what happens when you format?

[Zalda]

windows 7 64 bit

when i assembled my pc 4 years ago i set it up so that the 2 500GB HDD's are in a RAID 0 set up. i remember it was a bitch to set up, i had to salvage a diskette drive to get it working, very frustrating and annoying.....

i'm thinking of formatting my pc now, but i was wondering if it would forget my RAID 0 settings, which means I would have to go through the hassle again....

 

[Magsor]

Your raid0 "drive" should be recognized by windows 7 installation. from there you can format and then reinstall.

 

[Foxi4]

Depends. Is it a software-based matrix or a hardware-based matrix?

 

[marcus134]

the floppy is needed for win xp installation, if you do a clean win7 install (not an upgrade styled install), you won't need a floppy as win7 installer is able to load third party storage drivers from a disc or a usb storage device.

 

[Zalda]

Depends. Is it a software-based matrix or a hardware-based matrix?

don't know, software-based i guess?

the floppy is needed for win xp installation, if you do a clean win7 install (not an upgrade styled install), you won't need a floppy as win7 installer is able to load third party storage drivers from a disc or a usb storage device.

oh right, at the time i was installing to Vista (not XP, it was Vista Business 64bit)
so windows 7 doesn't need a diskette drive anymore? NICE!
would be even better if the PC remembered it was a RAID setup after the format, would save me some time

 

[marcus134]

would be even better if the PC remembered it was a RAID setup after the format, would save me some time

actually the pc remember it's a raid cause the raid setup is contained in the bios or in the raid controller bios (depending on the mobo) so you don't have to go into the bios settings and reassign the drives to the raid array. But Widows needs a piece of software (called a driver) between it and the raid controller (when in raid mode) in order to communicate with the controller and the drives.

 

[Zalda]

would be even better if the PC remembered it was a RAID setup after the format, would save me some time

actually the pc remember it's a raid cause the raid setup is contained in the bios or in the raid controller bios (depending on the mobo) so you don't have to go into the bios settings and reassign the drives to the raid array. But Widows needs a piece of software (called a driver) between it and the raid controller (when in raid mode) in order to communicate with the controller and the drives.

okay, but i can install that driver thingy in a windows 7 environment, right? so just look it up via firefox, download it, and install it?

 

[marcus134]

okay, but i can install that driver thingy in a windows 7 environment, right? so just look it up via firefox, download it, and install it?

no.
win7 needs it before installing itself because he can't install himself on a hdd he can't see.
with some luck, it's possible that the driver is included in the win7 installation disc, but if it's not the win7 installer will ask you to insert a storage media which contain the required driver.
That driver can be found on your mobo's driver disc or on the mobo's manufacturer website.

 

[Foxi4]

okay, but i can install that driver thingy in a windows 7 environment, right? so just look it up via firefox, download it, and install it?

no.
win7 needs it before installing itself because he can't install himself on a hdd he can't see.
with some luck, it's possible that the driver is included in the win7 installation disc, but if it's not the win7 installer will ask you to insert a storage media which contain the required driver.
That driver can be found on your mobo's driver disc or on the mobo's manufacturer website.

It definatelly will ask for a driver as the moment it doesn't detect any drivers compatible, it asks the user to insert a CD/DVD/USB containing the necessary driver.

Procure it before the installation and you'll be fine.

 

[Zalda]

thanks so much , both of you, thanks, this'll help!