RAID0 or Raptor?

[Steve Mavronis]

My new computer shipped with 500gb RAID 0 and I had planned to redo it as 2 non-RAID 250gb drives. In the end I left it configured as RAID 0. My attempted redo as non-RAID didn't work so well because I found out a day later doing research that Vista setup doesn't recognise 2 separate hard drives installed according to Microsoft. It only saw the second drive volume as Disk1 (instead of the first drive volume as Disk0) to load the OS into the partition and failed with a "Windows is unable to find a system volume that meets its criteria" error. I found out a day later doing some online research that I should have disconnected the second hard drive until after setup and then add it back. Anyway, I bought a 500gb Lacie external hard drive on sale at Best Buy for $100 to do file/image backups with so I'm covered there. Here is my setup:

Gateway FX530S Gaming PC
- Specifications:
Intel Core 2 Quad Processor Q6600 2.40GHZ 8M Cache
Intel 975X w/10/100/1000 Intel Integrated LAN
2GB Memory
Microsoft Windows Vista Ultimate 32-bit
Microsoft Office 2007 Home and Student
500GB SATA II/300 7200RPM 8MB Cache RAID 0 (2x250GB Hard Drives)
48x/32x/48x CD-RW/DVD Combo Drive
16x Double-Layer Multi-Format DVD Writer DVD+-/R+-RW/CD-R/RW
768MB Nvidia 8800GTX Graphics (Factory Overclocked)
Gateway 22" Widescreen High Definition LCD Display
TV Tuner Asus/ViXS Combo-210E NTSC/ATSC
Sound Blaster X-FI PCI Card
Logitech X-230 2.1 32 watt Speakers w/Subwoofer
3 Year Warranty
- Peripherals:
Lacie 500GB External Hard Drive Backup Storage
Microsoft Wireless Laser Keyboard 6000 v2.0
Logitech MX518 Gaming Grade Optical Mouse
Logitech Premium Stereo Headset
Epson Stylus Ultra Hi-Definition RX580 Photo All-In-One

 

[butter]

Here is my setup:

Gateway FX530S Gaming PC
- Specifications:
Intel Core 2 Quad Processor Q6600 2.40GHZ 8M Cache
Intel 975X w/10/100/1000 Intel Integrated LAN
2GB Memory
Microsoft Windows Vista Ultimate 32-bit
Microsoft Office 2007 Home and Student
500GB SATA II/300 7200RPM 8MB Cache RAID 0 (2x250GB Hard Drives)
48x/32x/48x CD-RW/DVD Combo Drive
16x Double-Layer Multi-Format DVD Writer DVD+-/R+-RW/CD-R/RW
768MB Nvidia 8800GTX Graphics (Factory Overclocked)
Gateway 22" Widescreen High Definition LCD Display
TV Tuner Asus/ViXS Combo-210E NTSC/ATSC
Sound Blaster X-FI PCI Card
Logitech X-230 2.1 32 watt Speakers w/Subwoofer
3 Year Warranty
- Peripherals:
Lacie 500GB External Hard Drive Backup Storage
Microsoft Wireless Laser Keyboard 6000 v2.0
Logitech MX518 Gaming Grade Optical Mouse
Logitech Premium Stereo Headset
Epson Stylus Ultra Hi-Definition RX580 Photo All-In-One

the price(s) please?

 

[Geoff]

My new computer shipped with 500gb RAID 0 and I had planned to redo it as 2 non-RAID 250gb drives. In the end I left it configured as RAID 0. My attempted redo as non-RAID didn't work so well because I found out a day later doing research that Vista setup doesn't recognise 2 separate hard drives installed according to Microsoft. It only saw the second drive volume as Disk1 (instead of the first drive volume as Disk0) to load the OS into the partition and failed with a "Windows is unable to find a system volume that meets its criteria" error. I found out a day later doing some online research that I should have disconnected the second hard drive until after setup and then add it back. Anyway, I bought a 500gb Lacie external hard drive on sale at Best Buy for $100 to do file/image backups with so I'm covered there. Here is my setup:

Thats not true, Vista can see multiple hard drives. You need to disable the RAID array from the RAID utility. But if you disable the RAID while theres data on it, then your OS and data will not become usable.