hardware problems on home built pc

Thats good, you are getting somewhere. You just haven't put the RAID drivers on the disk properly. Download the VIA VT6420 (VT8237) SATA RAID Driver Package Version 2.20D WHQL package from Asus for your motherboard and for Windows XP. The filename is VIARAID220d.zip. Extract the files in the .zip file. Format your floppy disk so it is blank. Next, navigate to the files you extracted, open the VIARAID folder, then the DriverDisk folder. Then run the program called MAKEDISK.EXE. This should give you the ability to create the floppy driver disk. I have had problems with this makedisk program before, and it may be necessary to just copy the files from the expanded files manually. But, I'll have to take a closer look at which files you need later. After getting the drivers on disk, just perform the same procedure and 'S'pecify additional drivers and put the floppy in. You might see multiple drivers listed. You are going to look for the SATA drivers, not the RAID drivers if there is a choice. ANd, there may be 2 of each. I honestly can't tell you what to select, because I can't run it here at the time being. It might just be trial and error.

I guess I am confused as to what I need to put on the floppy disc.. the file i downloaded i VIARAID220d as suggested .. I unzipped it but there is a lot of stuff in it, and i'm not sure what I exactly need. There are files for different Windows versions besides the one I have and a bunch of other jazz… I have no experience with this so If you could possibly tell me what I need to put on the floppy from the file i downloaded it would be greatly appreciated..

Sorry for being so computer illiterate when it comes to this stuff

When I unzipped the file it contains the following. I will be as specific as I can. (probably more specific then necessary, Sorry in advance)

-VIARAID220d (folder)
—— VIARAID (folder)
—— Bios (folder)
———— 6420N231.rom (ROM File)
———— 6420R231.rom (ROM File)
———— bios (Text Doc.)
———— Driver Disk (folder)
———— PIDE (folder) <<<<<<<<<<<<<<< I kinda figure IF I need something from here i just pick my WinOS, they all contain
—————— 2003IA32 (folder) <<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<< —————— Win98-me (folder)<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<< —————— Win 2000 (folder)<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<< The same goes for the
—————— Win2000 (folder)<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<< —————— Wint40 (folder)
—————— Winxp (folder)
———— SATA (folder)
—————— Same folders as the PIDE (folder) listed directly above this, but also includes…..
—————— TXTSETUP.OEM (OEM File)
—————— VT8237 (File)
———— MakeDisk (Application)
———— TXTSETUP.OEM (OEM File)
———— VT6420 (File)
—— Mass_Tool (folder)
———— DOS4GW (Application)
———— viasata (Application)
—— PIDE (folder)
———— driver (folder)
——————- here is lists the different WinOS systems again, Imagine if I need one just pick mine
——————- Winxp (folder) <<<<< My OS
————————– viapdsk (Security Catalog)
————————– viapdsk (System File)
————————– viapide Setup Information (Notepad Doc.)
———— component.cif (CIF File)
———— RaidDrv9x.dll (Application Extension)
———— RaidDrv.dll (Application Extension)
———— VIA_STOR.dll (Application Extension)
——– RAIDTool (folder)
———— utility (folder)
——————- win98-me (folder) <<<<<< ——————- win2000-xp (folder)
————————— drvInterface.dll (Application Extension)
——————- raid_tool (Compiled HTML Help File)
——————- raid_tool (VIA RAID Tool)
———— component.cif (CIF File)
———— RaidUtl.dll (Application Extension)
———— RaidUtlNT.dll (Application Extension)
——– SATA (folder)
————— driver (folder)
——————- here is lists the different WinOS systems again, Imagine if I need one just pick mine
——————- Winxp (folder) <<<<< ————————- viaraid (Security Catalog)
————————- VIASRAID Setup Information (Notepad Doc.)
———— component.cif (CIF File)
———— RaidDrv9x.dll (Application Extension)
———— RaidDrv.dll (Application Extension)
———— VIA_STOR.dll (Application Extension)
——- OXO409 Configuration Settings (notepad Doc)
——- INSTMSIA (Installer for the Windows Installer)
——- INSTMSIW (Installer for the Windows Installer)
——- ISSCRIPT (Installer for the Windows Installer)
——- Licence (Rich Text Doc.)
——- PCIENUM (Systrem File)
——- READ ME (Text Doc.)
——- Setup Configuration Settings (notepad Doc)
——- Setup (Setup Launcher)
——- Setup (Windows Explorer Command)
——- setup.iss (ISS file)
——- VIA Integrated Setup Wizard (Windows Installer Package)
——- VIASETUP.DLL (Application Extension)


Sorry to be so in-detail about this.. I tried to attach the file first but it was too big, plus I was not really sure if I was aloud to do something like that on the forum so i didnt wanna get in any trouble. If someone knows please let me know.. I do now want to install the wrong thing and mess something up.


EDIT: I now see the indent button Gosh sorry I can be so oblivious sometimes. I loose my glasses all the top and they are just in the top of my shirt or on top of my head.

Okay before I do that I have another question.. Since the computer no longer is giving me the "BIOS does not be installed" error message, someone else suggested something else.. since upon normal boot with out entering the bios and before windows starts.. the screen where i was encountering this above mentioned error now says…

VIA Technologies, Inc.VIA VT8237 Serial ATA RAID BIOS Setting Utility V2.31
Copyright © VIA Technologies, Inc. All Right Reserved.

Press Key into User Window (So I pushed it and kept pushing it)<< normally nothing has happened here besides)…
Scan Devices, Please wait…
Serial Ch_0: No device
Serial Ch_1: Fujitsu << the SATA"

This time something entirely brand new opened up! A new magical screen The heading of this new screen says…

VIA Tech. VT8237 SATA RAID BIOS Ver 2.31

One big problem though… I have no idea what to do here now i will describe the screen now and the problems which I encounters while on it….

Upper Left Side of SATA RAID BIOS
>Create Array
>Delete Array
>Create/Delete Spare
>Select Boot Array
>Serial Number View

Upper Right Side of SATA RAID BIOS
Create a RAID array with the hard disks attached to VIA RAID controller
F1: View Array/disk Status
down/up arrow: Move to next item
ENTER: Confirm the selection
ECS: Exit

The bottom half of the screen of the screens identifies the Serial Channels, their drive names, their array name, their mode, size (GB), and Status.. mine are as follows…

Serial_Ch0 Master ; No Drive
Serial_Ch1 Master ; Fujitsu ; (no array name)<< it does not say that its just blank under that title ; Sata for the mode ; 111. 79GB ; Status: HDD"

This is what I am loosing my mind my about now though.. I was gonna see if I was able to find what you where talking about when you said the thing about what RAID consisted of and to set mine to JBOD..

I try to press F1… nothing happens
I try to use the up/down arrows… nothing happens
I hit the ENTER key… nothing happens
I hit the ESC key.. it asks.. "Do you really want to exit the utility? (Y/N)"

I was gonna post what it said underneath all the headings in the upper left corner of this main SATA RAID BIOS utility screen but it seems I cannot select them.. I am unfamiliar with this screen, so maybe I am just stupid and doing something wrong. I am going to try and reboot the computer get to this new BIOS screen again and post back my findings.. If there are any other ideas before then they would be much appreciated.. Thank everyone so much for all the help so far and all the patience

I am going to exit the utility, I know the keyboard is working correctly because I can hit ESC to exit the utility and i hit TAB to enter this utility, but i do not understand why nothing will highlight or change beside the option to exit the utility.. It feel like every time I make some head way with this machine i hit another big brick wall.. Ha Ha Ha

I am going to exit the utility, I know the keyboard is working correctly because I can hit ESC to exit the utility and i hit TAB to enter this utility, but i do not understand why nothing will highlight or change beside the option to exit the utility.. It feel like every time I make some head way with this machine i hit another big brick wall.. Ha Ha Ha

Well, frankly, there was no wall if you continued to follow my directions. But, you are like curious George and keep exploring stuff that isn't relevant. But, such is how you learn. So let me explain. (you remind me of me - I'll select every option just to see what it does even when I KNOW it isn't important)

You are entering the RAID configuration utility. This is where you would, if you could, setup a RAID array. You cannot setup a RAID array, because RAID stands for Redundant Array of Inexpensive Disks. The keyword being DISKS, with an S - plural. You have only ONE disk.

You can't do anything in there until you have more than one disk, and a compatible configuration of disks at that. If you want to read about RAID arrays are, in more detail, there is lots of information on the internet you can find. But, for this computer, and for your purposes, you need to just ignore this option.

Hope that helps.

Okay thanks you.. Lol.. That is a perfect explanation of how I am about computer also. (curious George) Lol.. I have a bad problem with that.. Thank you for explaining the difference, I am not at my house with the unit now so i will try what you suggested when I am back at my house later tonight. And again thank you so much for your time and patience with me.

Format your floppy disk so it is blank. Next, navigate to the files you extracted, open the VIARAID folder, then the DriverDisk folder. Then run the program called MAKEDISK.EXE. This should give you the ability to create the floppy driver disk

Okay I ran the MAKEDISK.EXE.. it is now installing windows on the Fujitsu STAT HDD

Looks like it should all go good from here.. (crossing fingers)

I would like to clarify something though… So if I put two of these SATA drives on the unit, that is when I could use the..

VIA VT8237 Serial ATA RAID BIOS Setting Utility V2.31

I would love to utilize that feature at a later time on this unit, but I will look into all that another time. When XP has finished installing on the SATA drive, I will make sure it boots off that SATA drive correctly.

Thank you all so very very much for all of your time and patience with me.. I know I can be a pain sometimes.. Curiosity killed the cat, but it has saved my computer!! (hopefully) ha ha ha

That's good. Yes, you can use the RAID features if you want to. I suggest that you understand the benefits and the drawbacks of each and the overall necessity of using a technology like that. Generally, a personal PC is not going to have any use for RAID.

Generally, a personal PC is not going to have any use for RAID.

Not sure about that. I would agree if using RAID0, striped because the loss of 1 drive means the loss of all data. But RAID1, mirror, can be useful for anyone because the loss a drive results in 0 loss of data. Mirrored RAID save me more than once. The down side to mirroring is each Gb of drive space cost double (or triple, if you keep a spare drive handy), but if like me, the value of my data is worth much more than the hardware. I use a mirrored array and every couple months, I pull one drive and swap in the spare. They automatically sync up and I store the spare in my bank safe deposit box.

Now hard core gamers often use striped arrays for the performance benefits, but again, the loss of one drive can be catastrophic. I would advise again using a striped array for any system that will also be used for work, school, or personal business.