How do I do this???

[LRG51]

I'm lost...

I have Windows XP Pro. Want to do a complete... clean install. Forget saving anything... I have new hard drives, etc. Have a Raid card... 2 DVD recorder drives. Still have old 40GB drive with Windows XP Pro installed. Questions are... what is the best configuration... master, slave, etc.

Also want to format the larger drives to totally use their storage capacity.

I have a legitimate.. although early version of Windows XP Professional.

Although I'm a seasoned PC user... I want to know the best configuration and install procedures for my setup. I'm basically having trouble formatting the 160 and 150 MB drives to maximize their storage. I can only get to 131 or so GB on the format. How would you do this?

Where can I get a step by step tutorial? Help!!

 

[allteltec]

If your copy of XP Pro is pre SP1 you will only get 132 gb, you could slipstream your copy to sp2 and then you sould be able to go bigger then 132 BG. Check here for a easy way to Slipstream

http://www.neowin.net/forum/lofiversion/index.php/t223562.htm

 

[micker377]

131 gig partitions are normal for original XP. When you install SP-2, the OS will recognize the full size (you may have to update the BIOS). When all this is installed, you can go to "Drive Maintenance" and allocate the un-used space on the hard drive. As for arranging drives, first read the install instructions on the optic drives. Some require both drives on the same cable, and some don't allow both on the same cable. If there is nothing stated, just put both DVD's on the secondary IDE cable, and any other IDE drives on the primary cable. The Raid board will have it's own install set-up (boot order, etc.).

 

[linney]

During Windows installation, drives larger than 137GB are only recognized as 137GB

http://wdc.custhelp.com/cgi-bin/wdc...mwmcF9wYWdlPTEmcF9zZWFyY2hfdGV4dD1XRDI1MDBKQg

HOW TO SET UP A RAID ARRAY

http://www.pctechguide.com/tutorials/RAID.htm

RAID Tutorial

http://decentdownloads.x-istence.com/Forum/lofiversion/index.php/t21.html

 

[Jump1ng]

I wouldn't recommend you to use the drives in a raid setup for home use. It's just not worth the hassle. I have ran two sata drives in raid 1 at home but usually when I upgrade the motherboard drives something would happen with the raid drivers meaning you have to fix it as it stops windows from booting properly.

Also I never saw any real increase in speed with the raid 1 setup, it works great at work on servers to use a raid setup but usually here you have hotswappable drives and one drive is used for redundancy so you can keep the server running incase one drive fails.

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Make the best use of what is in your power, and take the rest as it happens.

 

[bcastner]

You have a working 40Gb drive?

Do yourself a favor. Slipstream SP2 into your copy of Windows XP: thread779-1013670

Get that done with the 40gb, and worry about the other two drives later.

 

[LRG51]

Thank you. Your replies have been very helpful. I'm going to give 'em a try.