Vista and RAID

I've got Vista x64 installed on a non-Raid drive, which was installed as the drive configuration was set to "enhanced IDE" in the Bios. (as opposed to RAID or AHCI). Currently my computer is running fine with lots of software installed.

Then I wanted to add a RAID5 array on three 300 GB HDs, so I changed the Bios drive configuration to RAID, set up my drives accordingly. The setup was one 500GB drive partitioned into 60GB (Vista installed on this one) and a 430GB partition (backed up files), and the 3X300GB array as a third drive. I rebooted to the Blue Screen of Death. After trying to repair the OS a couple of times, I gave up on the RAID5, changed my Bios back to 'enhanced IDE' and like one of the above posts mentions, my computer booted up beautifully.

I'm thinking that I should have originally set the BIOS to RAID, even though the OS install was not on a RAID drive.

If I change the BIOS to RAID and re-install the OS on the first partition, will it affect the other partition?

Just to be perfectly clear in my current configuration I have;

1. 500GB Drive Partitioned as;2. 300GBx3 Raid5 Array. Empty

If I configure my Bios for Raid - system will not boot (BSOD), as I suspect it is because I installed Vista on a non-Raid drive without RAID selected in the BIOS.

I don't think there is any issue with the 3x300GB RAID5 (yet), because when I boot up with the install disk it recognizes the two partitions of the 500GB and the 600GB array.

If a re-install Vista on the 60GB partition (non-Raid), with RAID selected in the BIOS (which is what I understand from this thread that is what is required), will it affect the 430GB partition? I know normally it would not, but since the BIOS selection of RAID vs. IDE affects the boot drive, I don't know what will happen to the partition.

(I moved this from another thread which I semi-hijacked ~ sorry).

I use ASUS m/b's, mostly M2's.
I'm sure they are all the same.

When the drive controller is in IDE mode, windows will recognize attached drives without any additional software drivers, but the RAID BIOS does not load.

When you switch the mode to RAID, that enables the RAID BIOS, and you must use it to define attached drives as ARRAYS. That's correct, MUST. Even a single drive must be defined as an ARRAY, or it doesn't exist.

Part 2 is the windows drivers. With the controller in RAID mode, it becomes something Windows cannot recognize without a third party driver.

Try this: Put it in RAID mode, and define your startup drive as a single disk RAID 0
Boot from your Vista Installer DVD. It will get to the point of asking where to install, but won't see any drives.
You'll have the opportunity to load a driver (YEA! No more frantically hitting F6!!!) Do so. Now you can see your drives. Select the partition that currently contains your windows software. The installer will see that it contains Windows Vista and give you the option to repair it. Do So.

I'm pretty sure it will notice the driver isn't there and install it.

Thanks for the fast reply Jim - it makes a lot of sense... unfortunately.

Following your instructions, when I get to the point of install, all the drives are there =/

I suppose the next question is, how does selecting RAID affect the drive, and will it affect the second partition in any way?

Selecting RAID mode alone won't affect the drives.

I've actually picked up a STRIPED raid and dropp it onto another m/b, never even went into bios on the new bd. Machine fired right up.

I assume you used "windows" to partition the drive?
Just define it in the raid controller as a single drive, LD1 of Array 0 or however it works. you do want it to be "the first" so it becomes C:

The RAID bios defines VOLUMES not partitions. Any partitions you have defined and formatted will not change. (unless you change the definition of the volume, if you split your volume into 2, that will toast any prtitions you have defined!!!)

Thanks for the help!