Haha, Windows.

[Alphacenta]

Few weeks ago I bought me a second harddrive, to run a RAID0 array on my computer.

That's done via my motherboard's RAID controller (ASUS A8N-SLI without other stuff behind the name and is a few years old now), and since it is a fakeRAID type controller it needs additional drivers to be read by your operating system.

First I install Kubuntu Jaunty x64, using opensource software (dmraid) to control the RAID, this software was recommended by my motherboard manufacturer so it should and does work properly. Now, that was easy.

So, next thing. I decided I wanted to dualboot Windows again.

Ohh the irony, what a nightmare.

Initially I try to install Windows Vista Ultimate x64, and of course it doesn't have drivers for my RAID array to begin with so I scour the webs for drivers. I find various drivers, try them all to make setup see my RAID drive, but to no avail as it still doesn't see my RAID array - but rather two separate, unformatted harddrives. Great.

So I phone my motherboard manufacturer - where can I get working drivers for Windows Vista to use my RAID? I literally got told that "sorry, we do not support Windows Vista, try installing Windows XP".

Then I try Windows 7 x64, but it doesn't work with drivers for either Vista or XP x64 versions.

Next try is Windows XP Pro 32bit with SP2 slipstreamed in. I press F6 to load drivers, but.. lo and behold, it turns out Windows XP can only load those drivers from a 3.5" floppy drive!

Now, why is this a problem? For the simple reason that I don't have a floppy drive anymore, just like EVERY recent PC.

The moral of the story:

Windows drivers are a failure. ASUS not providing support for Vista fails at life too.

[Ceokittymeow]

http://tinyurl.com/6msdjo

^^ that right there is what i had to buy when i had to install my drivers on my sata raid for my hdd.

sucks that i had to drop 20 bucks on it but its USB and you nvr know when you need a floppy drive!

Also ran into an old floppy drive out of a comp i found sitting on a roadside that worked! very cheap if you keep an eye out!

[noobas]

whats a RAID?

I have a laptop, I bought it at future shop. Everything works, but AO is laggy, and dueling toons is tricky.

[butrkup]

a RAID array is a back up system...there's 2 diff configs, one is where the 2nd HD mirrors your main HD...and the other is similar but different (I forgawted) I used to fiddle with RAID when I had a computer I actually built myself.

[Alphacenta]

a RAID array is a back up system...there's 2 diff configs, one is where the 2nd HD mirrors your main HD...and the other is similar but different (I forgawted) I used to fiddle with RAID when I had a computer I actually built myself.

RAID0 (the one I use) is used to speed up your PC. Basically, it patches both harddrives together, and data is spread out between the two harddrives - write X amount of kb on one disk, then X on the other, rinse repeat. That's done at the same time.

Which means you can theoretically write/read your one file to/from the disk at twice the speed as usual. Of course it won't be 200% performance always, but, it's definitely better than one single harddrive in "normal" mode.

Sadly, using RAID0 purely also means that if one of your harddrives fails, everything is lost. You'll need them together always, or your stuff won't be readable.

[core]

windows and ubuntu on fakeraid 0 config http://ubuntuforums.org/showthread.php?t=630644

[Alphacenta]

windows and ubuntu on fakeraid 0 config http://ubuntuforums.org/showthread.php?t=630644

Ah, a very nice guide. The one I followed was very much alike, I used https://help.ubuntu.com/community/FakeRaidHowto.

My problem though isn't installing Ubuntu on a fakeRAID (that works flawlessly), but installing Windows. There are no drivers for Vista, and I can't feed XP the drivers since I don't have a floppydrive anymore.

[core]

hehe dont want to make you fiddle with things that will risk the integrity of your data at least not for a pseudo raid situation that offers only convenience and no other real merit.

on the other hand if you had a real raid controller it would be another story entirely.

however in vista and win7 you can load drivers for raid or any peripheral that requires it using a cd dvd or usb drive during installation if required

links for drivers

silicon image 3114 x86 http://www.siliconimage.com/docs/3114R5 ... 0_logo.zip
silicon image 3114 64bit http://www.siliconimage.com/docs/3114R5 ... 0_logo.zip

nforce 4 drivers x86 http://www.nvidia.com/object/nforce_nf4 ... 15.01.html
64bit http://www.nvidia.com/object/nforce_nf4 ... 15.01.html

or you could skip all that and install vista on a separate drive to avoid the hassle
imo skip vista and get yourself a win7 rc to try them out they are quite a bit better than vista ever was even with sp2 and you can use them for a year.