[RESOLVED] problems installing win2k on KA7-100 (RAID)

[Erbium]

I've followed almost everything on www.apushardware.com explaining how to set up a raid configuration, but Win2k installation seems to be a problem when trying to format the RAID on NTFS. This is what I've done.
Did everything yesterday, including download of drivers, so everything should be the latest.

1. Flashed Yasin Abbas's bios.
2. Created a RAID array 0 using 2 30GB IBM Deskstar 75GXPs.
3. Using IBM's Disk Manager Disk GO!, it managed to read correctly at 61GB. I managed to fdisk one 61GB partition.
4. Still at IBM's Disk Manager Disk GO!, formatted the RAID not using quick format to FAT32. (I'm not sure if I needed to do this, but did it anyway)

Now it seems like everything is setup right. If I booted into a 3rd Harddrive, with the correct hpt370 drivers installed into win2k, I managed to read the RAID configuration as 61GB. So I guess that's working correctly, only problem is that its on FAT32.

Now the problem comes in when I remove the 3rd Harddrive and try a clean installation of win2k into the RAID. I press F6 to install the hpt370 drivers given by my supplier (read below for explanation). win2k setup reads the RAID as 58GB (??) which is either damaged or unformatted (whatever that means) and tries to reformat using NTFS. This is where I'm stuck. I wait 3hrs for the format to complete, and at the end, it tells me that it is unable to complete the format (doesn't give a reason why). I've done this twice and it turns out the same thing, anyone knows why? I tried booting into the 3rd harddrive and formatting the RAID using NTFS and it comes out the same thing, unable to complete the format.

Other than this, I need an explanation of the HPT370 drivers. I have no idea exactly what version the one my supplier gave me was, but on the outside it says ver2.1, which seems newer than those on the web. The one I have in that disk, contains a total of 8 files, which seems to be what is required to do a clean installation of win2k. But those downloaded from the web, only give me 5 files. If any of you tried downloading ver1.0.3 from the web, it only gives you 5 files, which seems to be enough to update the driver if you already have win2k installed. But the 8 files on a diskette seem to be required if you are doing a clean installation. Anyone knows where to get the latest 8 files for the drivers for win2k or anything which can solve my problem?

Thanks in advance.

[ktubaugh]

Windows always creates a virtual drive... hence the reason why your 61GigHD is appearing as a 58 GigHD.

Try bypassing the RAID setup portion (i.e. don't press F6). Win2k may not need any help finding your RAID partition since you are using a third party utility that installed drivers in DOS mode. The drive has already been designated as your master drive (c , so Windows will probably go with what it sees.

K.