Hello,

I have a computer with (2) 2 TB hard drives configured in a RAID 1 volume with the controller being the Intel ICH10R. Let me know if I need to supply more information on my build. Regardless, the tricky part comes when attempting to install Windows Server 2012 R2 with it. Let me explain:
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After creating the RAID volume, I boot through the OS installation media. When prompted to select the partition on which to install the OS, the wizard shows the RAID volume as one partition of 2 TB. Sadly, there is an error tied with the partition stating the following:
"Windows cannot be installed to this disk. This computer's hardware may not support booting to this disk. Ensure that the disk's controller is enabled in the computer's BIOS menu."
No, it has nothing to do with BIOS settings. I had to set the BIOS to RAID instead of AHCI or IDE to be able to create the RAID 1 volume anyway.
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Therefore, I assume this is a problem with a lack of appropriate drivers included in the Windows CD. This would make it so that the OS wouldn't be installed across the RAID volume nicely. So, my questions are this:
Is this likely to be a problem with drivers?
If so, does anyone have any *tried and true* suggestions for this hardware/software setup?

Thank you

EDIT by Fernando: Thread title customized

1. This specific computer has the Intel RAID configuration utility, "Intel Matrix Storage Manager". With that, I made the RAID 1 array.
2. The version of this is v 8.9.1.1002
3. Yes, the volume is shown as bootable.

Well, yes it should. But wasn't. As it turns out, I'm having success today so far with the computers I've attempted the OS install on. Not sure what has changed.

I'll let you know of any problems I have.

@zach.laberge

Had a similar issue with my Asus Commando trying to run a Win 7 system image restore on my raid-0 after a SSD failure of the raid. As long as the Raid-0 drives were selected as the first boot device and the first drive in the bios list. I couldn't get the Win 7 install disc re-image to use the raid-0. Had to change the drive in bios to my image containing hdd then the re-image worked with out issue. Some intel boards are specific as to which hdd to boot to as listed in bios. If any other disc is selected in bios as first hdd other than OS hdd it will fail to even boot the OS.

@Fernando

I tried again today to install Windows 2012 R2 on a computer with nearly identical hardware specifications as listed before. The only difference was that this computer has (2) 1TB hard drives. Same RAID controller, configuration utility, OS, installation method, everything.

The difference comes after I've finished the install from the disk and, after restarting, I find the OS hangs on what seems to be the final setup. Once booted up, the OS hangs on the loading screen where there's simply the Windows logo and a loading animation. There is no error message to identify what may be going wrong. Furthermore, there was no error message when selecting a drive/partition to install Windows on, as stated before in my first post on this thread.

Do you have any suggestions or insights on the matter?

Windows can't read 4TB partitions unless the drive is formatted as GPT. Then the bios will only boot in UEFI mode. If I remember right.

I'm on my phone atm but will double check in abit I'm not 100 % sure on server 2012

Zitat von Fernando im Beitrag #10

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Zitat von Pill Monster im Beitrag #9

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Windows can't read 4GB mbr partitions the drive has to formatted as GPT.

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You probably mean TB instead of GB.

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OK back on my PC...I can see now what's going on.. The OP is either trying to boot from a GPT partition with a legacy bios or an MBR partition with UEFI bios. OP look in boot menu see what compatibility mode is.....

Ah that will be the reason then. He'll have to reinstall as MBR or else find a board which supports UEFI. I have a feeling legacy only BIOS aren't supported from W8 onward....don't quote me tho. I always use MBR because it's more compatible.....plus I don't like secure boot. :P

Only snag is the 2TB limit can be annoying with RAID arrays... I have a lot of spare HDD's lol


Btw OT I installed the new 3.19 Asmedia drivers yesterday and got instant 0x7E asstahci64 BSOD. So I ended up looking at the asstahci64.sys with a hex editor...and guess what. It was completely full of 0's.. no data... lol