"dadiOH" wrote in message
...
Andrew Wilson wrote:
"dadiOH" wrote in message
...
Andrew Wilson wrote:
dadiOH
Many thanks for your suggestions. I have tried everything you
suggested with no luck. The system is messed up big time. I have
bitten the bullet and split the two RAID hard drives which obviously
wipes the disks. I have set the system to boot from CD and have put
a Win XP installation disk in. The disk runs OK and installs the
drivers but when it comes to the point where it asks which hard
drive you want to install to three hard drives (the two previous
RAID drives plus my hard drive) are showing but are unrecognised and if
I
try to continue by pressing ENTER I get a blue screen. Could it be
that: 1) Win XP needs drivers for SATA hard disks before
installation and if so how do I achieve this?

Yes, could be, did you ever install such? Normally, they would be
on the disk that came with the mother board but you should also be
able to find them at the mobo manufacturer's site or that of the
system manufacturer (Dell, HP, etc.).

Read some of these...
http://www.google.com/#hl=en&tbo=d&o...=874&bih=54 4

Especially these...
http://en.kioskea.net/faq/2544-insta...ata-hard-drive
http://news.softpedia.com/news/Insta...F6-47807.shtml

2) The hard disks need formatting but how do I do this with no
operating system in place?

You do it from the XP install CD.
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/313348

I *STRONGLY* suggest that you disconnect the two other drives before
formatting or installing; that way, only the pertinent drive is
available. --

dadiOH
____________________________

Winters getting colder? Tired of the rat race?
Taxes out of hand? Maybe just ready for a change?
Check it out... http://www.floridaloghouse.net
dadiOH
Sorry to bother you again.
I have read all the information that you kindly provided. I have
isolated all the hard drives except one but am having terrible
trouble finding Win XP SATA (not RAID) drivers for the machine.
The computer in question is an Advent T9208 which I have established
has an MS 7187 motherboard. The Advent site doesn't list this model
and the MSI site keeps telling me that the MS 7187 doesn't exist or
gives no results. There are other places but these are offering Win
XP SATA RAID drivers which I don't want.
Do you know of a website that will just give me Win XP SATA (not RAID)
drivers that I can put on a floppy and install when Windows starts
loading drivers.

According to this site...
http://www.uktsupport.co.uk/advent/pc/t9208.htm

your computer has a recovery partition (hidden, most likely). All the
drivers would be in that partition. Have you tried the HDD Recovery
System as detailed on that page?

It seems that your MB was made for Medion computers (as well?
primarily?). They have SATA drivers, no idea if they are apropos for you.
http://www.medion.com/gb/service/sta...10013312&gid=2

--

dadiOH
____________________________

Winters getting colder? Tired of the rat race?
Taxes out of hand? Maybe just ready for a change?
Check it out... http://www.floridaloghouse.net
dadiOH
I have split the RAID array which has wiped both disks. What I am planning
on doing is doing a brand new Win XP installation on one drive with my copy
of Win XP with a genuine code and then when that is up and running enable
the second disk and do a Norton Ghost on it which can be updated monthly.
It may be a backward step but the recovery disk on the machine messed
everything up big time which is why I decided to go down this route.
I will try and download those drivers that you suggested onto a floppy and
see if this works.
Many thanks for your time
Andrew