Win98 Support for RAID

[Hansaman]

Hello, <BR><BR>I am running Win98 (SE) and have two Western Digital 80GB 7200 RPM (8MB Buffer) Hard Drives that I want to set-up in a RAID 0 configuration. My mobo is an ABit KX7-333R. I had a lot of problems setting up the RAID and once I did get it set-up, only one hard drive was being displayed (within My Computer). I have looked over my Win98 books and have not found anything about RAID (whether or not the OS supports it or does not support). Anyone out there know? I am planning to get Win2K Pro or WinXP Pro sometime within the next couple of months, but would like to run a RAID configuration now if possible. <BR><BR>Thanks!<BR><BR>H.

[Colin]

Hey Hansaman...<BR><BR>When you setup RAID 0, you basically making one large drive by combining the two smaller drives. What size HDD is Win98 reporting?<BR><BR>RAID works below the OS level so you don't really have to worry about OS support. <img src="i/expressions/face-icon-small-smile.gif" border="0">

[Hansaman]

Colin!<BR><BR>Thanks for the response. When I had the RAID 0 set-up, my system showed a hard drive of about 73GB. I would think that it would show a number more in-line with the total capacity of both drives. They are 80GB drives. <BR><BR>Thanks!<BR><BR>H.

[Colin]

<br><br><< <i>Thanks for the response. When I had the RAID 0 set-up, my system showed a hard drive of about 73GB. I would think that it would show a number more in-line with the total capacity of both drives. They are 80GB drives. </i> >><br><br>? <img src="i/expressions/face-icon-small-confused.gif" border="0"> ? You're right both drives should add up to equal 160 GB. Are you sure you didn't do RAID 1 (mirroring) instead? That sounds more like what you're using.

[Hansaman]

Colin, <BR><BR>No, I set-up RAID 0. I had to call the tech support folks at the place I bought my ABit mobo from (ABit and the RAID controller manufacture were ZERO help. It was definitely set-up in RAID 0. Right now it is not set-up in any RAID configuration. I have both drives set as single on separate IDE channels (so I have Drive C and Drive D (at almost 80GB each). I do not know for certain but I am thinking that Win98 will not support RAID (at least not fully). I do have WinMe I could upgrade to but would prefer not to. I will likely just hold off until I get Win2K Pro or WinXP Pro.<BR><BR>Thanks!<BR><BR>H.

[bravo3]

it is common for arrays to be defined incorrectly by the raid controller. this happens automatically on the very 1st boot and is further compounded if the drives are fdisked. to correct the situation, <BR><BR>1st: delete all arrays. <BR>2nd: reboot and from the controller's boot menu, define the 2 drives as raid-0 stripe. <BR>3rd: fdisk the newly-created array. note: you should see roughly 150+ mb total as u fdisk.<BR>4th: reinstall the os. windows9x/me fully supports raid arrays btw...<BR>5th: install via-4-in-1 drivers, then install the drivers for the raid controller...<BR><BR>hope this helps,<BR><BR>bravo3 out

[Hansaman]

Bravo 3<BR><BR>Appreciate the suggestions. I will give them a try and post the results. Unfortunately, will not get around to it until NYD at the earliest. Thanks! <BR><BR>Happy New Year!<BR><BR>H.

[Colin]

Hansaman please let us know if that works! <BR><BR>Thanks bravo3! <img src="i/expressions/face-icon-small-happy.gif" border="0">

[Hansaman]

bravo3 and or Colin, <BR><BR>"3rd: fdisk the newly-created array. note: you should see roughly 150+ mb total as u fdisk."<BR><BR>I have a question concerning this item. It may sound like a stupid one but from which screen do I "fdisk"? I set-up the raid array. Then exited out of the RAID Set-up BIOS. At that point, the system continued to boot-up and then stopped because it could not find an OS. Naturally since one was not yet installed. How exactly do I run "fdisk" before reinstalling the OS? <BR><BR>Appreciate the help big-time! <BR><BR>Happy New Year!<BR><BR>H.

[CHE]

First, everybody is right, I've been running RAID on several Win98SE systems over the years.<BR><BR>Second, it's unclear to me if your array capacity (which should be around 150 GB as mentioned) issue has been corrected. With respect to this issue, understand that:<BR><BR>1. A mirrored array may show 73GB instead of ~150 as stated by Colin.<BR>2. You say you are sure the array is striped. Understand, you can "create" a "striped array" with only a single drive, even though it makes no practical sense. I have done it. It is possible that only one of you drives is registered by the RAID adapter, please double check.<BR>3. M$ has a new FDisk as of 2000 that is not native to Win98SE. You need the new FDisk, as the one that shipped with Win98 SE:<BR><BR><a target=new class=ftalternatingbarlinklarge href="http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;263044">Fdisk Does Not Recognize Full Size of Hard Disks Larger than 64 GB</a><BR><BR>..inclduing arrays larger than 64 GB.<BR><BR>Now, to your question. <BR><BR><I>"I have a question concerning this item. It may sound like a stupid one but from which screen do I "fdisk"? I set-up the raid array. Then exited out of the RAID Set-up BIOS. At that point, the system continued to boot-up and then stopped because it could not find an OS. Naturally since one was not yet installed. How exactly do I run "fdisk" before reinstalling the OS?"</i><BR><BR>If you have any drives other than your RAID array attached then make sure you don't mess with the wrong drive from within FDisk. Better to only have your RAID array plugged in and no other hard disks. Create a system diskette. Put the revised FDisk file you downloaded from MS on the system diskette (follow their directions). Insert the floppy into the computer and reboot, it should boot to the floppy in DOS. Type "FDisk". After you create a parition on your RAID array, you fill have to reboot to the floppy again. Then format the array.

[CHE]

Oh yeah, remember these instructions at the bottom of the M$ page I linked:<BR><BR>MORE INFORMATION<BR><BR>This package installs the updated Fdisk.exe to the WindowsCommand and WindowsOptionsCabs folders, on a computer running Windows 98 or Windows 98 Second Edition. If you are starting a computer from a Windows 98 Startup Disk in order to partition and format the hard disk, you should copy the updated Fdisk.exe from the WindowsCommand folder to the Startup Disk, replacing the original Windows 98 or Windows 98 Second Edition version of Fdisk.exe on the Startup Disk. <BR><BR><BR><BR>

[DeanLowe]

<BR><BR><br><br><< <i> I will likely just hold off until I get Win2K Pro or WinXP Pro.</i> >><br><br><BR><BR><BR><BR>To install Win2K or WinXP, you'll need to have the RAID driver on a floppy and install it when prompted by the install process. A partitioning program is built in to the install program of Win2K/WinXP. Sometime it will not let you use FAT32, so if you want to use FAT32 you'll have to use the <a target=new class=ftalternatingbarlinklarge href="http://download.microsoft.com/download/Win98/Update/8266R/W98/EN-US/263044USA8.EXE">new FDISK</a> utility.

[Hansaman]

Appreciate all of the tips, suggestions and help. Still cannot get it to work correctly. I used a new version of fdisk and rebooted but got a message saying "missing operating system". I put the Win98 set-up disk into the floppy and rebooted but got the same message. I have already reconfigured my system to having two 80GB drives (C and D). I will try again when I get a new OS. <BR><BR>Thanks!<BR><BR>

[DeanLowe]

To install Win98, setup the RAID in the RAID BIOS, used FDISK to partition the array, format the new partition with "A:format C: /s" then you'll be ready to install. Insert your Win98 CD and boot fom CDROM or use a Start-up disk and load CDROM drivers.