Why not F6 for RAID?

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Guest

Okay I will try to keep this as short as I can.

First some details:
Running a RAID 0 (2x250GB) configuration through my nForce 4 (nVidia RAID).

I signed up for the Beta 2 version of Vista. Since my Opteron can handle
x64, I was willing to try this. I am currently running Windows XP 32-bit, so
I won't be able to install Vista from XP on a clean partition.

So I downloaded the ISO and burned it on an empty DVD. Then rebooted and
watch Vista to load... Then I suddenly get a message with "No disks found" or
something very similar. Okay, I understand it doesn't see my RAID 0
configuration, like all the previous Windows installments. So I rebooted
again and tried the old F6 key thing, so I could load up the corresponding
RAID 0 drivers. But to my surprise it seems Microsoft seem to have removed
that option totally?

Meaning I can't install Windows Vista X64; I am not presented in any way to
load my RAID drivers for Vista. Not with F6 and not with a menu during
installation. Also I can't do the workaround by installing Vista X64 through
Windows XP, cause my XP version is 32-bit.

Does anyone, in particular Microsoft, knows a way, how I DO can install
Vista X64 version through a boot with the Vista DVD?

Currently I am downloading the 32-bit version of Vista, which means another
whopping ~3 GB wasted.

My advice:
Please put back the F6 option during install, so you can select RAID (or
other storage) device drivers. Cause otherwise I won't be seeing myself
upgrading to Vista by 2007.

Again I want to point out, that I am not able to install Vista X64 on a RAID
0 configuration by booting it from DVD!
 
It would be more helpful if you read the complete posting.

Cause it is NOT possible to run the installation of Vista 64-bit in Windows
XP 32-bit!
(that's what I posted below)
 
Well, to be honest - Andre has a point actually - no need to have a go at
him :o) If you have a x64 system but you have a x86 operating system (ie.
XP) which is fine - you have to reinstall a x64 version of Windows before
you upgrade to another x64 operating system.

So, you could either do a new installation from boot, or put x64 XP (a trial
download should be fine, you can get one from the Windows XP site), and then
upgrade to x64 Vista.

--
Zack Whittaker
» ZackNET Enterprises: www.zacknet.co.uk
» MSBlog on ResDev: www.msblog.org
» Vista Knowledge Base: www.vistabase.co.uk
» This mailing is provided "as is" with no warranties, and confers no
rights. All opinions expressed are those of myself unless stated so, and not
of my employer, best friend, Ghandi, my mother or my cat. Glad we cleared
that up!

--: Original message follows :--
 
He never stated a Windows X64 XP installation!

Anyways, why isn't there an option to install RAID drivers from a clean
install in example when your HD's are still clean?

In the old Windows installations you had an option to press F6 and select
your drivers.

That's my whole point...
 
I booted off the Vista DVD to perform a clean install and remember seeing a
button on the page that listed the disks that allowed you to load additional
storage drivers.

In addition I read a MS blog post mentioning the fact that these additional
storage drivers can be loaded via a USB memory stick now.

Cheers
 
You guys still are not answering his post. Sheese. Also the reason he can
not run the Vista cd/setup from within his XP 32 bit is because it will not
run x64 software. I read the entire post and I understood it completely.

When it says there's no hard drive you need to click the button to load the
drivers. There is a button and it's very simple. It is on the screen that
normally shows the drives on the pc, which should be after entering in the
key. At least that is how to do it that I know of because for me it sees a
drive and has a link button thing to load drivers that you click on for my
other raid0 drives. I've no clue where this would be if it's not here
because you get it not seeing any drive.
 
Thank you! Finally someone who DID read everything...

The problem which I seem to have, is after I cold booted the PC, with the
Vista DVD inside, I get the following: loading windows screen > Install
Windows Screen > Cannot find disks. :S

So I am not getting the option you are getting AMDX2. :S
 
MvdL79 said:
Okay I will try to keep this as short as I can.

First some details:
Running a RAID 0 (2x250GB) configuration through my nForce 4 (nVidia
RAID).

I signed up for the Beta 2 version of Vista. Since my Opteron can handle
x64, I was willing to try this. I am currently running Windows XP 32-bit,
so I won't be able to install Vista from XP on a clean partition.

So I downloaded the ISO and burned it on an empty DVD. Then rebooted and
watch Vista to load... Then I suddenly get a message with "No disks
found" or something very similar. Okay, I understand it doesn't see my
RAID 0 configuration, like all the previous Windows installments. So I
rebooted again and tried the old F6 key thing, so I could load up the
corresponding RAID 0 drivers. But to my surprise it seems Microsoft seem
to have removed that option totally?

Meaning I can't install Windows Vista X64; I am not presented in any way
to load my RAID drivers for Vista. Not with F6 and not with a menu during
installation. Also I can't do the workaround by installing Vista X64
through Windows XP, cause my XP version is 32-bit.

Does anyone, in particular Microsoft, knows a way, how I DO can install
Vista X64 version through a boot with the Vista DVD?

Currently I am downloading the 32-bit version of Vista, which means
another whopping ~3 GB wasted.

My advice:
Please put back the F6 option during install, so you can select RAID (or
other storage) device drivers. Cause otherwise I won't be seeing myself
upgrading to Vista by 2007.

Again I want to point out, that I am not able to install Vista X64 on a
RAID 0 configuration by booting it from DVD!
Click to expand...

At what point in install are you getting the error? Is it after you enter
the PID? If so, boot again and make sure you choose the option to do a
custom install. After you enter the PID, you will soon taken to a screen
where you can manually partition your HD. That screen has a button at the
bottom called Load Driver. Click it and load the drivers for your RAID
(good luck, hopefully there are drivers available that will work with Vista
64).

BTW, you will have the same problem with Vista 32 if installing on the same
machine.
 
I'm having the same problem with a RAID 0 setup as the only drives available.
Since the Vista setup see no drives at all, it never gets to the part about
loading drivers. Therefor, your stuck.
This needs to be fixed.
 
I don't even get the page where I can enter my product key... The second
screen, after the main install screen, I get is the one saying: No disks to
install found (or something similar).

I did a complete install off the 32-bit Vista from Windows XP, I downloaded
the RAID drivers, selected them and went on with the install. Took a shitload
of time as well... :S

Anyways now it won't boot and gives me 0x0000007b error. Which means
something didn't go to well with installing the RAID drivers, however I am
pretty sure I did it okay.

I am going to try one more time to see if I somehow overlooked the screen
(in 64-bit Vista) where I can add RAID drivers (I will be installing directly
from cold boot). But somehow I doubt the fact I overlooked it. :S
 
Okay I just tried Vista 32-bit & Vista 64-bit versions on a cold boot.

There are NO driver options, I only get the following screens:

1. Vista copying some files.
2. Black screen with a loading bar.
3. Language / Time & Currency / Keyboard layout screen.
4. Install now!

After option 4 it says: No disks detected to install on.

So unless Microsoft fixes this in future releases, I am not seeing myself
buying Vista. This should be adressed, cause more and more people will have
RAID systems only.

Currently the only options to install Vista (when you have a RAID
configuration only) is by doing it from Windows XP. Which gives you the next
problem; if your current OS is 32-bit, then you will ONLY be able to install
Vista 32-bit. And if your OS is 64-bit, you will only be able to install
Vista 64-bit.

Microsoft please fix this. This is very annoying. With Windows XP & 2003 we
at least had the F6 button to custom load drivers. Which apparently now has
gone missing.
 
Well, I figured out how to get one step further. By clearing the RAID array
and re creating it to where you have RAW drives, you can continue on to the
part where you can load drivers. BUT, new problem, VISTA will only see the
seperate drives, NOT the combined array you built in mobo bios. WIERD
 
Well I managed to get the 32-bit version up and running; but man was I
disappointed with it!

- It uses way too much memory (in my case 3x as much as Windows XP does).
- Doesn't work as fast as Windows XP.
- Too many oooh's & aaah's before functionality and speed.
- Too much diskspace usage, about 14 GB (I didn't mind this with nowadays
HD's).
- Too many annoying popup screens everywhere (probably an option, but still).

With the only exception of DirectX 10 coming to Vista and not to XP, I
wouldn't see me using it, let alone paying for it.

I am hoping Microsoft will build a less power hungry OS. Or at least come up
with a lite version of this beast (not meant positive).

An operating system has to do the following things in my eyes:

- Provide stability.
- Provide compatibility.
- Provide speed.
- Provide adaptability.

Everything else...? I can download myself and / or install it.

Luckily 2007 is a long way from home as of yet....
 
Yeah, only one thing, which is coming for Vista and not for XP in the final
version: DirectX 10.

But we will see... :)
 
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