Re-installing RAID drivers

OSB · 23 Jan 2008 at 15:28

Not sure if this should be in here or HDD but I'll ask here (move if inappropriate).

If my windows is failing to boot with a mirrored RAID array and the repair console, nor the BIOS will see the HDDs (but the RAID utility will) should i re-install the RAID drivers. And, if i do this will i lose the data on the HDDs??

Thanks, OSB

rpstewart · 23 Jan 2008 at 16:05

Define failing to boot. Hanging? Errors?

If you boot to the repair console you still need to hit F6 to give it the RAID drivers to allow it to see the array.

How do you get the data back if it all goes pear shaped? It should all be on your backups. (You do have a backup, don't you?)

OSB · 23 Jan 2008 at 18:40

Its cycle is it gets as far as the screen asking you which mode you'd like to boot in but none of them, not even safe mode work and it just restarts itself, the loop continues.

Yes the important data is backed up but it would still be a major inconvenience to have to reformat.

Are you saying that in order for the recovery console to work it needs to be given the RAID drivers? (that seems to make sense)

Also is it likely that corrupt RAID drivers are the issue here? Should the BIOS see the HDDs without the drivers?

Thanks for you're help

rpstewart · 23 Jan 2008 at 19:41

OSB said:
Are you saying that in order for the recovery console to work it needs to be given the RAID drivers? (that seems to make sense)

Yes, the recovery console is just an extension of the installer so RAID drivers are required.

OSB said:
Should the BIOS see the HDDs without the drivers?

Depends on the RAID controller, southbridge ones from Intel and Nvidia will show the disks in the main BIOS, if it's an add on one (Silicon Image, Promise, Marvell, JMicron etc) then the drives will only be visible in the RAID config util.