[PuffinMyLye]

I installed Windows Server 2003 as I installed a new 160GB HDD. The issue is that I have a RAID0+1 array which are my first 4 HDD's. Even though I set my HDD priority to the 160 non RAID disc ahead of my RAID array, when I'm choosing which disc to install Windows on the RAID array shows up first. Therfore I have to select the 160GB HD (which is listed 2nd) and it installs my root drive as D with my RAID array getting C. How can I sidestep this issue?

 

[PuffinMyLye]

In the BIOS my SATA mode is set to RAID. If I change it back to IDE do I lose all data on my RAID array or can I set it back to RAID and it all be there?

 

[ounderfla69]

Easiest way is to unplug raid drives, install OS on single drive and then plug the raid drives back in. Remember to go and set the Harddisk priority in bios after plugging the raid drives back in.

 

[PuffinMyLye]

I did do that and here's what happened, it did install the new drive as C correctly. But when I turned off the computer and plugged the RAID drives back in, set the priority correctly, it boots up and the RAID array doesn't show up. So I went into computer management and it's shows the 1TB array but it says it needs to be formatted first and says the entire drive is empty (I have 400 GB worth of data on it). I then re-installed Windows again and just out out of plain luck it installed the correct drive as C and my array as D and my data is all there. Very weird stuff.

 

[ounderfla69]

That is weird, did you do a clean install the second time or did you just repair the install? What version of Server 2003, was it SP1 or not? I had the same raid problem with the drives on Windows XP and when I plugged the old drives back in they worked fine. Well Im glad you got it working.

 

[noobdown]

Quote:

Originally Posted by PuffinMyLye I did do that and here's what happened, it did install the new drive as C correctly. But when I turned off the computer and plugged the RAID drives back in, set the priority correctly, it boots up and the RAID array doesn't show up. So I went into computer management and it's shows the 1TB array but it says it needs to be formatted first and says the entire drive is empty (I have 400 GB worth of data on it). I then re-installed Windows again and just out out of plain luck it installed the correct drive as C and my array as D and my data is all there. Very weird stuff.

thats because now you have 2 drives trying to be the c drive.(primary drive. they conflict because both want to be number 1. think of ide drives with the wronge jumper setting. very similar.)