Creating GPT RAID volume in Windows XP Pro x64

  • Thread starter Thread starter Hagop
  • Start date Start date
H

Hagop

I have created a RAID array according to the controller's instructions. I'm
having difficulty getting Windows XP Pro x64 to initialize it.

In Disk Management, I see the disk. It reads:

Disk 5
Unknown
2794.53 GB
Not initialized

When I right-click and select "Initialize Disk," I get one of two outcomes.

1) Sometimes the partition is split into two, the first being 2048.00 GB
(Unallocated) and the second 746.53 GB (Unallocated.) I can then create a new
volume in the first (2048.00 GB) partition, but it never finishes
initializing (the hourglass never ends.) I quit and restart Disk Management.
I go to format the partition and get an error message that reads, "The
operation was canceled due to an internal error."

2) Sometimes I get an error that reads, "The operation did not complete.
Check the System Event Log for more information on the error." When I look in
the System Event Log, I see that no error has been logged.

Regardless, I am unable to initialize my 2,794.53 GB GPT volume.

The problem isn't the controller. The controller recognizes the four 931 GB
drives and creates the 2,794 GB RAID array. Windows boots and sees the
2,794.53 GB array. The problem is that Windows can't initialize an MFS volume
greater than 2,048 GB, so I would like to use GPT. Unfortunately, I can't
find instructions on how to do this, or what to do if things go wrong. As far
as I can tell, I'm doing what I should, but Windows isn't cooperating.

I am not using this volume as my system disk. I have a dedicated single
drive for that function. I am successfully booting to that disk. This is a
data drive.

Questions:
1) Does Windows XP Pro x64 support GPT volumes with Opteron processors?
2) Are there instructions for how to get my RAID array to work in Windows XP
Pro x64?
3) Am I missing something relevant?
 
Thats kinda backwords thinking..1st,you cant create a RAID set w/o setting
youre BIOS for RAID,from SATA only,if thats even configured.2nd,once RAID
is allowed from the BIOS,you have to configure the set in a post BIOS RAID
utility.Once thats completed,configure the set in xp,being that youre SATA
hds
are the same, with the same allocations.Some of the newer server RAID
set-ups dont follow this,they allow disks with diffrent
size,brands,etc,however
its only been available in the last year or so.
 
How is it kinda backwards thinking? The controller card is a SATA RAID
controller. It's made to do specifically this. I followed the instructions to
create the RAID array in the POST utility. I don't understand what you mean
by "setting [your] BIOS for RAID." What do I have to do in my BIOS to set it
for RAID? There was nothing in my RAID card's instructions about doing this.
Could you be more specific?

Also, my four hard drives are all identical. The scenario you're painting
about different disk sizes and brands doesn't apply.
 
Back
Top