SATA RAID: PC restart loop; need to reinstall XP

[Larry K]

any thoughts?

my PC is in a boot up, login loop (keeps coming back to same screen)... not matter what option I choose (safe mode, previous config, normal, etc.) ALL choices brings back to the same screen

So, here is my config:

Asus A7V600
2 WD Raptor HD
RAID 0
and the rest

The PC was running/performing great for almost 14 months, until this morning. I booted up and it was stuck in a loop. 12 hours later, trying all kinds of crap... nothing.

So I decide to reformat/start over.... can't
I put in XP CD, install windows, go to delete partition and it says it can't... (I'm was going to recreate the partition... clean install)

SO.. anyone know what gives? How do I start over and reinstall windows?

thanks

 

[TheMajor]

What exactly did it say? Any error messages?

Did you load the RAID drivers before trying to delete the partition?

 

[Larry K]

yes... drives loaded.

you go through the steps.... D delete partition, L to make sure, Y to delete data..... blah blah blah...

it thinks for a few, then comes back and says... The partition can not be deleted.

something about your deleting the partition with info on it needed to install windows???? I thought it was coming from the CD and in memory.

Also, I did something else and it said, you basically can't access the partition (because of the raid thing)?

anyone mess with RAID or have you reinstalled on top of OR delete an existing partition?

thanks

 

[TheMajor]

Well, i never used RAID. I guess you cannot just delete it cause the drivers are stored on the partition (??)

Maybe you should delete any partition from the drives before putting them in RAID, then load the drivers with XP setup and create a new RAID partition.

 

[Larry K]

well... I did it

this was my solution (but might not be your solution if you get in the same situation)

during post, I can hit [tab] to enter the RAID setup. I just deleted the array and recreated the RAID array. Deleting the array is just like formating

after that... everything went according to plan (so far anyway)

NOTE: for what ever reason, not was able to see the partition, no recovery disk, not emergency disk , not boot disk... not fdisk, norton... nothing.... not sure if the RAID was screwed or not....
but I just deleted teh array and started over.

Ofcourse I lost all my data, but most important things were already backed up (offsite)

later

 

[TheMajor]

I dunno man. Theres hundreds of people with RAID on this forum and nobody is posting here