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6 Posts
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11198
March 29th, 2004 20:00
Enabled booting to a 3rd party RAID controller
I believe the BIOS in the Dimension 2400 (rev A05) that I have is preventing a RAID controller (LSI LOGIC ATA 133-2) from booting. It does not even get to the BIOS of the controller, nor does it list it in the BIOS setup.
Is there a secret sauce key combination that I can use to modify IRQs and select PCI boot devices other than the internal IDE Controller or disable the internal IDE controller?
Otherwise I have to sell 3 Dimension 2400s and go with IBM.
Thanks
JT
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MadThinker
516 Posts
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March 30th, 2004 11:00
If I remember correctly you need to go into the properties for the controller and set the device as bootable. I don't know exactly how to do this but once you get there it should be pretty self evident.
TheTechWolf
6 Posts
0
March 31st, 2004 04:00
MadThinker,
Thanks for the tip. Problem is I never get to the part to hit CTRL-M to enter the RAID controller's setup. In the BIOS POST, the Dell 2400 tries its boot devices and then either can boot, or does not.
I actually connected the 2 HDs and controller into another workstation (an old athlon 500 with Award BIOS) and was able to configure it and saw it is selected to be bootable.
Put the configuration back into the Dell 2400, same problem. Booted from CD to load Windows 2003, saw the controller (with drivers from floppy on F6), performed the text mode install, then when the workstation wen to reboot, same problem...does not see the LSILOGIC RAID Controller as a bootable device.
This is ultra frustrating and any possible solutions are welcome.
Thanks
JT
Majestic
2 Intern
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9.4K Posts
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March 31st, 2004 12:00
TheTechWolf
6 Posts
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April 6th, 2004 15:00
I did try that. I have tried pretty much every possible combination and am convinced that Dell has labotimized their BIOS in those workstations.
It is a shame that they do not provide some sort of secret sauce code us advanced users can use to access more features, or leave them in there by default.
If this motherboard didn't have its BIOS soldered on, I would replace it.
Looks like I am going to have to go with IBM or HP from this point forward.
Thanks
JT