Computer Hope

Hardware => Hardware => Topic started by: nickc1976 on March 15, 2008, 10:51:44 AM

Title: RAID Problems
Post by: nickc1976 on March 15, 2008, 10:51:44 AM

Hi,

I have just built a system using a Gigabyte GA-73VM-S2 Motherboard using nVidia SATA Raid. I attached 2 500Gb Samsung SATA2 drives, downloaded the SATA Raid drivers for Vista from nVidia and created a Mirrored Raid array with them, then installed Windows Vista Business.

The install appeared to go OK, I was downloading Windows updates when the machine froze. I had to reboot the PC twice before it came back on again, when it did, an error message popped up in the system tray along the lines of "SATA Raid write error disk 0.2". This error flashed up a few times, so using the nVidia Raid software installed from the motherboard cd, I attempted to rebuild the array. This completed without any problems, but then the PC froze again.

This time, during bootup, it stopped on "Detecting Array", not discovering the array and not booting any further than this. Previously at this point, a "Healthy" array had been detected, then I was given the option to press F10 for the Raid options. I then powered the PC off, then on again, and when it reached the "Detecting Array" stage, the array flashed red showing the 2 disks as a degraded array.

I then deleted the array, then re-created it and re-installed Vista. At the first point that Vista rebooted, the boot up stopped and froze, displaying "Detecting Array" but getting no further.

Can anyone help with this? I have installed Raid arrays previously using XP and Server 2003 without any problems - they have always just worked before. My initial thoughts are a faulty disk.

Thanks

Nick

Title: Re: RAID Problems
Post by: homer on March 15, 2008, 01:27:02 PM

im leaning towards a faulty disk. try installing vista seperately on both of them. see if one or both harddrives fail the installation.

Title: Re: RAID Problems
Post by: nickc1976 on March 18, 2008, 04:05:48 AM

I downloaded HUtil from Samsung's website and ran it on both disks. Straight away it found multiple errors on one of the disks. I took it back to my supplier, who tested it, and also found errors, and replaced it for me.

I have now re-created the array using my replacement disk, re-installed Windows and everything appears to be working fine.

Thanks for your help.

Nick