How to setup RAID 1 on Dimension 9100?

[Rainbow]

I am using Dell Dimension 9100 desktop and in order to setup RAID 1 configuration I have installed two new SATA drives which are of 160GB individually. I have heard that RAID is configured using BIOS so I have gone into F2-Setup and I see the drives in slots 0 and 1 under drives. I want to know that how do I enable the SATA drives on the boot sequence and how do I go in and set up the RAID configuration i.e. how do I go in and initialize the drives, then set up a RAID 1. Help provide me with the solution.

[Erubiel]

For RAID configuration, you have to initially setup RAID and then install the operating system that you want. I have heard that you cannot do vice verse. So for the steps you could look to the motherboard instruction manual. Then once you are done with it, then you may install operating system. You may possibly become aware of that during the installation; Windows will in addition install the built-in RAID drivers. If, however, the driver is unsuited then windows will not be able to identify your RAID configuration and so for that you have to install it afterwards.

[samar69]

You could do RAID configuration for your hard drives but the hardware should support RAID configuration and then you would be able to certainly have it setup from the BIOS. For that you can moreover visit the motherboard manufacturing website or the provided instruction manual for help or you can yet make contact with the support team if several help essential. But see to it that you have the right drivers from the manufacture of the motherboard to have the RAID configuration on your computer.

[Howitzer]

In order to enable the RAID setup in BIOS, you need to follow certain process. Just get into the BIOS by restarting the computer. After that navigate to the RAID options, in your case for the SATA drives, go to SATA controller and then enable the option of RAID and then save the settings of BIOS. Then your system would get restarted and then let the BIOS screen goes and just after that screen press ctrl + I shortcut in order to start the setup and then from there configure the RAID for your disk drives.

[Yitzchak909]

I have gone through the thing which you want, so in your case download the Intel matrix storage manager and transfer it into a bootable media. Then make sure that you have only this bootable media attached on your computer. Then you have to insert the operating system onto the DVD media. Your BIOS would be defaulted to RAID auto detect mode. Then you have to boot with the OS DVD and then from ongoing instructions when you see the option to load RAID drivers, then you have to specify that bootable media.

[Felix46]

As you boot up with the above instructions then you need to select SATA RAID controller, and then follow OS setup instructions. Then after the new files usually called drivers would get loaded to your system. Then as you get onto the desktop you need to install all the chipset drivers of your motherboard and then install the files of the bootable media which you downloaded. Then all the necessary settings would be applied and you would be able to create the RAID for the SATA hard drives.