New computer, new problem...

[yaloner]

Hello all,

My computer:
ASUS P5LD2 Deluxe
Pentium IV 3.0GHz Prescott 2M 64-bit Socket 775
2X Western Digital 160GB 7200 rpm 8MB SATA II

My goal:
Installing and running winXP using RAID-1 for mirroring.

My problem:
Can't do it.

I connected the drives, saw them in the BIOS and configured SATA as RAID. The mobo has a dual RAID solution: Intel ICH7R & Silicon Image 3132, I chose Intel with no special reason (I don't know what are the differences between them and which is better), and used Intel's RAID utility to set the two disks as RAID-1.

The next phase was trying to install winXP. At first all seemed fine: I pressed F6, used the ICH7 SATA RAID driver, and formatted the drives successfully (appeared as one drive ? as expected). Windows started to copy files from the CD and that's when things started to go wrong?
At first all was fine, but after copying between 60% and 70% it stopped and I got an error message about a file that could not be copied from the installation CD, I tried again but got the same error for a different file, after the third time I thought the CD might be corrupted and got a different installation CD. The same error occurred again and again with the new CD, each time with a different file but always after completing between 60% and 70% of the files. I decided to check if the optic drive is malfunctioning and switched it with another ? same result.

I have absolutely no idea what should I try next?

What do you think ?

 

[chronokefka]

My advice may not be worth much, but I'd try to install in non-raid with each drive next, to make absolutely sure it's the RAID that's causing the problems. I'm mostly a n00b when it comes to RAID though, so I don't know if doing this could help.

 

[amdskip]

Just curious, what power supply are you running?

Have you tried to rebuild the array?

 

[yaloner]

I cancelled the RAID and tried it again, no luck yet.

I'm using a generic 500W power supply, It was supposed to be replaced later today with a better one. why is that relevant ?

 

[amdskip]

That may very well be your problem.

 

[yaloner]

The entire case will be upgraded today so i guess we'll find out.
would you mind explaining the link between the PSU and XP installation ?

 

[birdpup]

Originally posted by: yaloner
The entire case will be upgraded today so i guess we'll find out.
would you mind explaining the link between the PSU and XP installation ?

You could read Power Supply 101 for more information.

Additionally, there is an Elite member on this forum named mechBgon, who has found that upgrading to a higher quality power supply often solves many system problems. I suppose what is happening is those people with lower quality power supplies that work well, do not have system problems. The statistical-variation few that do have system problems ask for help on this forum and then replace their power supply with one of higher quality. So not all lower quality power supplies are bad but if one is giving you problems, it is best to replace it with a higher quality power supply.

The whole computer system is heavily dependent on a stable power supply so a PSU that does not supply clean power can disrupt the system, causing various and random errors.

 

[yaloner]

Well, I just replaced the memory sticks with new ones and tried to install again,
Went smooth like butter on ice.

I guess that was the problem...

 

[birdpup]

Congratulations on solving your problem and thank you for letting us know what you found. You replaced your memory sticks and not one of us recommended running memtest...

[*]Memory Tests

• memtest86
• memtest86+

 

[yaloner]

Actually the problem was solved by mistake.

The vendor put two horiblly generic mem sticks instead of the two samsung sticks I ordered. So when I installed the ones ordered the problem was magically solved.

He also let me keep the two generic sticks, I wander what sould I do with it...