ThaSpamFiller

Hi guys

I've got a Gateway FX with RAID0....

I want a fresh windows install but first I need to completely erase all the data.

But the problem is that when I insert the windows DVD It only allows me to format the partition 0 which is the backup partition. The other partition (~338 GB) cannot be formated because the format button is greyish/transparent...It doesn't allow me to...

Also, I've got one of the harddrives starting to die..I know this because I've got this notification popping up on my startups.. But, I believe they are just fine.. I think it appeared after a bad shutdown or something...

1- How can I completely erase my data?

2- How can I verify the health of my hard drives?

Guys, help me out!!!! REP+!+!!!+!

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92% of teens have moved on to rap. If you are part of the 8% who still listen to real music, copy and paste this
XboxLiveGamertag- CristoWall
Currently playing: Halo 3

ThaSpamFiller

someone?? plz

__________________
92% of teens have moved on to rap. If you are part of the 8% who still listen to real music, copy and paste this
XboxLiveGamertag- CristoWall
Currently playing: Halo 3

The_0ctogon

What version of windows are you trying to install?

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There are 10 types of people in this world. Those who can read binary, and those who can't.

RaBidRaBit

What OS are you trying to install?

Did you try entering your motherboards RAID utility? Or do you have a discrete RAID card?

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ThaSpamFiller

Windows vista ultimate 64-bit!

How do I access the motherboard raid utility?

Its a prebuilt laptop btw.

__________________
92% of teens have moved on to rap. If you are part of the 8% who still listen to real music, copy and paste this
XboxLiveGamertag- CristoWall
Currently playing: Halo 3

RaBidRaBit

Generally there is a prompt while booting that tells you what to press to enter the utility. On my motherboard it is 'F10'.

Do you have an OS on it now? If so can you boot into it with no problems?

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ThaSpamFiller

Yea, I have windows vista already installed but it's getting slow so I thought about making a clean install.

I'll do a reboot and see what I can find about my raid 0.

Here u can see 2 pics I took, u can see the error I get:
http://img5.imageshack.us/gal.php?g=capture1gd.jpg

also thanks for the help!

__________________
92% of teens have moved on to rap. If you are part of the 8% who still listen to real music, copy and paste this
XboxLiveGamertag- CristoWall
Currently playing: Halo 3

ThaSpamFiller

heres a pic I took:

http://img94.imageshack.us/i/unknownc.jpg/

__________________
92% of teens have moved on to rap. If you are part of the 8% who still listen to real music, copy and paste this
XboxLiveGamertag- CristoWall
Currently playing: Halo 3

ComGuards

With all honesty, I think the safe (and recommended) way to go would be to back up all your data to an external hard-drive, break the array, scan each hard-drive for predictive failures, and then rebuild the array..

If you don't have any data you need / want to save, then just use the Intel utility to destroy the array, and then re-create it.