Last 4 days I was doing only one thing: trying to install Windows on Serial-ATA discs. I bought two Seagate’s new 80GB Baracuda discs in order to use them in stripped mode (RAID 0). As a matter of precaution, I installed latest BIOSes for the Abit NF7-S motherboard, version .21.
Accidentally, that also installed new BIOS for SiliconImage SATA RAID adapter (version .43). That was a huge mistake. Apparently, there’s a bug in that BIOS that disables Windows Win2k3 to boot from stripped set. If you install on separate discs, all goes well.
Funniest thing is that Windows install goes OK up until the moment it needs to restart to continue. Then it just hangs.
After many searches on Google and Abit forums (I posted a question here) there was not a single answer that resolved the problem.
It finally got into my mind to try different BIOS. So I reverted to Abit mobo BIOS version .19 which reverted RAID adapter BIOS to .12 and – behold the miracle – all went well. Silicon Image managed to screw up working BIOS routine between versions. And they claim that .43 is the last version for that particular adapter. Lovely.
After those frustrating days, I can now enjoy significantly quicker disk subsystem – apps loads quickly, Win is up quicker then ever…
I knew it would be quick, I just did not expected to spend that much time on a perfectly stupid issue.
Thank you very much. This really solves the problem!