Can not get RAID or ACHI to work on D975XBX2

[bach]

Intel D975XBX2 MB
BIOS: 2333
Processor: E6600
RAM: 800Mhz – 4 GB
Video: 7900GS
Drives: 250GB Seagate SATA 2, 160 GB Seagate SATA 1. Drives connected to Black SATA 0 and 1.
OS: XP Pro


I can not get RAID or ACHI to work. IDE works just fine.

I followed the steps in the Intel instructions:

1. Select SATA mode as RAID [ACHI if ACHI only]. Supposedly, one can select RAID and setup a RAID ready system even if one does not intend to use RAID at this time. I tried the remaining steps once with RAID selected, once with ACHI selected, same results.

2. Boot from XP Pro SP2 install CD

3. Press the F6 key when prompted

4. When Windows asks, I tell Windows to install a driver from the Intel Matrix Storage diskette [version 5.5.0.1035]. There are several driver options. I select the first RAID [or ACHI] driver listed [GB/GR/GH – ICH7]

5. Windows tells me that the Windows driver is newer …blah blah, and I tell Windows to use the driver on the diskette.

6. Windows tells me it will install the driver IASTRO.SYS.

7. Windows proceeds, then states, starting Windows .

8. And I get the blue screen of death with an 0x0000007b error code.

I eventually want to setup RAID and so want to get RAID working. I repeated the process several times and, of course, always with the same result.

[rwolds9]

I believe you loaded the wrong raid driver. What you want is the 82801 GR/GH driver.

[rwolds9]

Also, there is a newer matrix storage driver available. It is version 6.2.1.1002 from January 07. You have to hunt for it but it is on the intel site.

[bach]

82801 GR/GH is hte driver I loaded and I tried again.

I will try next the new version of the drivers.

[BlueMagic]

I wish Intel would have just one designation for their controller chips
instead of ICH8R/7R and 82801 GR/GH.

Hope this is right site.

http://downloadfinder.intel.com/scripts ... bmit=Go%21