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Larkin600

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Larkin600

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August 7th, 2007 01:00

RAID or NO RAID

I have a Dell XPS/410 with a SATA II 250G HD, no raid configuration at all. I don't want to use the RAID ON option given in my BIOS. I would rather use the AUTO/DETECT, but whenever I do my computer will not bootup because it says it can't locate the C: drive. What s the simpliest solution to this problem? Why was this computer setup this way. It seems like this computer was meant to be used with a raid configuration. I certainly wasn't told this when I purchase it. Can anyone help me with this?


Message Edited by Larkin600 on 08-07-2007 10:25 PM
  • GioAguilar

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    Posted August 7th, 2007 04:00

    Your computer it is readyto take benefit of the most of its features, RAID is one of them.
    If you want to disable the RAID ON and be able to use the computer with no problems, you'll need to install Vista (clean) to use the AUTO/DETECT.
  • Larkin600

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    Posted August 7th, 2007 06:00

    Okay I understand. I'll try a clean install just as you said and see if that works. Thank you very much for the helps with the AUTO/DETECT ON.
  • twotiers

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    Posted August 7th, 2007 14:00

    Larkin600,
     
    Have a look at this post:
     
    It might do just what you want.
     
    If not, nothing lost, as you can still clean install.
     
    Hope it works for you.
  • GioAguilar

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    Posted August 7th, 2007 14:00

    Cool, don't forget to change it to AUTO DETECT before the clean installation
  • mxytplk

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    Posted August 7th, 2007 22:00

    Larkin600,
     
    Unfortunately, despite all of the trouble that it causes, Dell continues to ship non-RAID systems with the infamous Intel Matrix Storage Manager / iastor.sys driver enabled, and without the easy ability to disable it.
     
    If you have not earlier done a clean install (to rid yourself of Dell garbage-ware), you should do so.
     
    If you did a clean install earlier, and simply want to revert to the non-RAID drivers, you (usually) can do so by following the instructions at the link provided in the above post.
     
    The following link provides my own version of those instructions.  They worked for me.
     
    Now, wouldn't it be nice if Dell were to offer an option to not enable RAID drivers on a non-RAID system?
     
     


    Message Edited by mxytplk on 08-07-2007 04:40 PM
  • Larkin600

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    Posted August 8th, 2007 02:00

    Hey, thank you'll for all the great info. The things you'll suggest will no doubt work. I'm just so happy there is a solution to this madness. Again thank you'll very much. I really do appreciate the help. Yeah you're right. Dell should have that option for it's customers to choose raid or non raid. It's seem as though they've make that decision for us. I guess the Research and Development Team really dropped the ball on this one. Everyone knows you stand to gain more customers when you give the people what they want. I do understand to you can't always please everyone but when a customer such as myself and all these other nice people on the forum starts complaining about the same thing it sounds like a wakeup call to me.


    Message Edited by Larkin600 on 08-07-2007 10:44 PM
  • Larkin600

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    Posted August 10th, 2007 00:00

    I performed a clean install with the AUTO DETECT on in my computer's BIOS and I finally got rid of the raid configuration. Everything seems to working okay. Thank you guys for the help. It even boots  a great deal quicker. With a few other tweaks I made it almost runs like Window XP, not quite as fast but that I can live with.
     
     
     
     
     
    Dell Xps/410
    Windows Vista Home Premium 32bit
    Intel 6600 Core Duo 2.40GHz Processor
    250G SATA II HD
    2Gs of RAM
    ATi Radeon X1300 Pro 256Mb Video Graphic Card
    Sigmal Tel Audio Card
     
  • reddice

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    Posted August 10th, 2007 01:00

    RAID is a big waste. I have 2 hard drives in my computer (not a Dell) and the speed is good. The idea of having 2 hard drives is that I can have Windows on the c drive and my important data, games and other things on the d drive. With RAID you have 2 or more hard drives that show up as one drive. What is the point of having multiple hard drives when you have then as one.

    Try to convince my cousin which runs RAID and I notice no speed difference. RAID is the number one reason why you have problems installing windows.
  • GioAguilar

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    Posted August 10th, 2007 03:00

    Happy to hear all working fine...
    About the RAID, depending what RAID configuration it is on use, RAID 1 it only give "data protection" what a waste of time, what if Windows crash, which is the most common, not a HDD failure.
    RAID 0 "best performance" I experienced a little of that great experience but no to great to be honest.
     
    It just the way they sell the option