Wow. Hundreds of threads about booting issues. Did not find one like this. Or I did not recognize it. This is my first post, hope to get it right the first time.
Environment: GigaByte Motherboard GA-81945P-G - Circa 2006. Intel 945P Express chipset. Pentium 4 3Ghz Processor. GigaRaid storage controller running IT8212 chipset. Only have XP drivers for this chipset, can't find anything newer - loads when Windows 7 install disc asks for them just fine. Using 2 brand new EIDE 500GB drives, configured as Raid 1. No issues setting that up and as I said, Windows 7 finally installed after I disconnected everything but a mouse, keyboard, new PNY GeForce 9400 GT Graphics Card (Direct X 10 Capable), 3GB of DRR2 memory and these two drives. Nothing else connected. Install completed.
So I finally get Windows 7 to install (was an upgrade disk, not new install disk), installed once, hung several times as I disconnected every device I could think of, and then reistalled over itself to finally get the product key to take. After 7 tries, got it to take and could cruise around the bare environement. No issues. Then, removed Windows install disk and Raid controller driver floppy (yes, floppy). Rebooted. I see the drive config come up fine (two drives, Raid 1), interrupt settings just fine. Then it hits priority to check boot from CD/DVD (none in the drives on this boot) and then it hangs. Drive light activity for HDD lights hard blue. And stays that way from what I can tell would be eternity. Can't get it to take safe mode (F8). Nothing. I am worried this is a noncompatible RAID controller issue but what does not make sense is that Win 7 took those XP IT8212 drivers and installed Win 7, no complaits.
Any ideas. 16 hours and 400+ bucks into converting from XP for WHAT? I hope Win 7 is amazing!.
Thanks for any help. Sorry for being verbose but I hope it helps.
Environment: GigaByte Motherboard GA-81945P-G - Circa 2006. Intel 945P Express chipset. Pentium 4 3Ghz Processor. GigaRaid storage controller running IT8212 chipset. Only have XP drivers for this chipset, can't find anything newer - loads when Windows 7 install disc asks for them just fine. Using 2 brand new EIDE 500GB drives, configured as Raid 1. No issues setting that up and as I said, Windows 7 finally installed after I disconnected everything but a mouse, keyboard, new PNY GeForce 9400 GT Graphics Card (Direct X 10 Capable), 3GB of DRR2 memory and these two drives. Nothing else connected. Install completed.
So I finally get Windows 7 to install (was an upgrade disk, not new install disk), installed once, hung several times as I disconnected every device I could think of, and then reistalled over itself to finally get the product key to take. After 7 tries, got it to take and could cruise around the bare environement. No issues. Then, removed Windows install disk and Raid controller driver floppy (yes, floppy). Rebooted. I see the drive config come up fine (two drives, Raid 1), interrupt settings just fine. Then it hits priority to check boot from CD/DVD (none in the drives on this boot) and then it hangs. Drive light activity for HDD lights hard blue. And stays that way from what I can tell would be eternity. Can't get it to take safe mode (F8). Nothing. I am worried this is a noncompatible RAID controller issue but what does not make sense is that Win 7 took those XP IT8212 drivers and installed Win 7, no complaits.
Any ideas. 16 hours and 400+ bucks into converting from XP for WHAT? I hope Win 7 is amazing!.
Thanks for any help. Sorry for being verbose but I hope it helps.