Problem installing RAID on Intel GQ35MP mobo

[idata]

I am trying to install a new Intel DQ35MP, with two Maxtor 500GB SATAII drives. I have configured SATA as RAID. When rebooting to create the RAID set, the option Prss to enter RAID configuration utility is displayed briefly, but it pays no attention to pressing Ctrl-I, it just continues to boot.

How do I get into the configuration utility?

[idata]

Hi John,

This is a bit weird.

# Do a CMOS clear

# Try to flash the bios using the Recovery Mode

Then follow the instructions on my previous post

/message/20109# 20109 http://communities.intel.com/message/20109# 20109

Let me know how it goes,

Regards,

Aryan

[idata]

I cleared trhe CMOS, by removing the battery for 30 seconds, then attemoted reboot in Recovery mode. Computer did not seem to boot up at all (there was no signal going to the screen). I then successfully tried booting in Configuration mode and noted that the time and date had been zeroed. I reset these and saved the changes. I then tried booting in Normal mode.

But - I still have the same symptom. The press Ctrl-I is displayed very briefly, then without a key being pressed (or even if it is), it goes quickly through another text screen (too quickly to read, but is probably disk to port assignments). It then attempts to run Windows and then creashes with a blue screen.

I ran through this whole process twice - with the same result.

Any assistance will be most gratefully received.

[idata]

Hi there,

To go into the RAID BIOS, i used to hold Ctrl before the post appears, and then once the display switches on, i start pressing on the 'I'.

Did you try another keyboard just to make sure everything is fine on the keyboard section.

Well, the BSOD (blue screen) is obvious if you are using a Windows XP, as the F6 Raid Driver is not embedded in the OS, it is embedded in Windows Vista and Seven.

How to embed the F6 drivers in the OS, you will see in my previous post that i mentionned earlier.

Anyway let me know how it goes.

All the best,

Regards,

Aryan.

[idata]

Hoilding down Ctrl and then pressing the relevant letter once the message is displayed is the way I always do it, too.

I have now tried a different USB keyboard. The symptoms are the same. I STILL cannot enter the RAID BIOS.

Any further help gratefully received.

[idata]

Hi there,

This does seems quite strange.

Could you verify in bios in advanced -> drive configuration -> hard disk predelay is not set to 'no'. Just for testing purpose can you put it to 10s or 15 seconds and see if this makes any difference..

Cheers

[idata]

advanced -> drive configuration -> hard disk predelay WAS set to 'NO'

I reset it to 10 but the symptoms were much the same. It may have booted slightly more slowly, but it went through the "Press Ctrl-I" and the port assignments screen almost as quickly - ignoring my pressing of Ctrl-I. I tried this twice. Same result each time.

I then booted up again, to check that the hard disk predelay was still set to 10 (it was).

What next?

[idata]

Hi,

Thanks for the reply. Well that's very strange, I dont know what else to say.

Can you tell me what other components you have connected to the system?

How are the hard drives connected? (which sata ports order)

What is the bios version you currently have on the system?

Let me know and I will see what other suggestions i may have.

Cheers.

[idata]

The BIOS version is JOQ3510J.86A.0559.2007.0726.0425.

The other hardware is:-

a Sony Optiarc AD-7200A DVD/RW - relatively new and previously unused

two Maxtor STM3500320AS 500 GB hard drives - new and previously unused (located in SATA0 and SATA1)

3 GB of RAM - but I assume this is OK, as there have never been any beep codes.

That's it.

[idata]

Hi there,

Thanks for providing the info.

The BIOS that you have is actually the production BIOS that was on the board since it was manufactured (2007). Since then there have been many fixes made in the BIOS to date. Could you update the BIOS to the latest one.

You can download the latest BIOS from the following link: http://downloadcenter.intel.com/Detail_Desc.aspx?agr=Y&Inst=Yes&ProductID=2784&DwnldID=17618&strOSs=38&OSFullName=OS%20Independent&lang=eng

Procedure of how to do the BIOS update depending on the method you choose: http://downloadmirror.intel.com/17618/eng/BIOS%20Update%20Readme.pdf

Please read the instructions carefully.

I would recommend to do the BIOS update by the recovery method. You can also do it using an empty USB stick (non-bootable).

Update the BIOS and let me know how it goes. If you have any doubts about the BIOS update, let me know.

Cheers

[idata]

Hi,

I have tried to update the BIOS, but without success. Perhaps you could kindly tell me what I'm doing wrong (if I AM doing something wrong).

I created a bootable CD following the method in http://www.tacktech.com/display.cfm?ttid=297 http://www.tacktech.com/display.cfm?ttid=297 and creating a CD with just boot.ima and jo1056.bio on it. I removed the BIOS configuration jumper, put the CD in the CD drive and powered up. The target machine briefly seemed to read the CD. However, nothing happened on the screen (the power light on the screen remained orange, indicating that nothing was being sent to it). I waited a while, and it briefly tried reading the disk again. I waited some more. Nothing much seemed to happen.

Then I replaced the BIOS configuration jumper and rebooted. No update had taken place - the BIOS was still the old version.

I tried repeating all of the above, using a non-bootable USB flash key with just JO1056.bio (nothing else) on it. The result was the same.

Have I been doing it wrong? Or is the motherboard simply failing to look for the BIOS upgrade?

[idata]

Update on the above.

I finally managed to find the ISO update (it's quite well hidden) on the Intel site and used that. Much easier than the other methods I have tried.

The good news is that the BIOS of the motherboard is now at JOQ3510J.86A.1056.2009.0427.2004

The bad news is that the system STILL ignores all attempts to press the CtrI-I key and I still can't get into RAID configuration..

Any more thoughts?

[idata]

Further update.

I tried rebooting three times - hammering away repeatedly at CTRL-I from the time that I powered up.

On the thrid such attempt, I was into the RAID configuration menu.

I configured the two disks as one RADI volume (RAID 1) and am now trying to install XP

We'll see how it goes.

No celebrations yet.

[idata]

Hi there,

Sorry I could not reply to your post earlier. Good that you managed to get to the raid bios and configuring the raid. Everything should be fine now apart from the issue with accessing the raid bios. Sometimes it may be hard to get the control+i, I have not seen it on desktop boards yet, but once i have seen it on a server board but there was no other option that keep trying (that is the way you did), key pressing ctrl+i as soon as you switch on the system, especially after the intel splash screen appear.

The bios update by the recovery method is quite a straight forward method and is the method i normally use since it is the only method you can use, even if you are not getting any video. The information is also well-explained on the links i had given you as well. But anyway, it has worked, so now I'm sure you will be ok in the rest of the procedure.

Remember to install the F6 drivers during XP installation else you would get a blue screen error while the installation proceed in detecting the hard drives.

Cheers.

[idata]

All the problems are not, I fear, over.

Whilst trying to install Windows XP, I have tried:-

• loading the RAID driver off the supplied floppy disk by pressing F6 and loading the driver when asked BUT the installation crashed to a blue screen during the Windows "install devices" phase
• created a slipstreamed disk with XP install and the driver pre-incorporated BUT the installation crashed again in the same place
• tried the first approach again ONLY TO FIND that the installation could no longer see the floppy (a Mitsumi USB floppy drive)

Incidentally, just for the practice, I have been trying to get into the RAID configuration menu (with CTRL-I) every time I have booted in the last two hours. I have never once succeeded.

I'm beginning to think that this is a bit of a flaky MoBo. What do you think?

[idata]

Hi John,

I am very happy that finally you got through the problem. I was out of suggestions on your problem. I never had any sort of problem like this.

Anyway, if you need our help, feel free to check with us, we are glad to help.

All the best,

Regards,

Aryan.

[idata]

Aryan,

Unfortunately, as I have just written to your colleague:-

"All the problems are not, I fear, over.

Whilst trying to install Windows XP, I have tried:-

• loading the RAID driver off the supplied floppy disk by pressing F6 and loading the driver when asked BUT the installation crashed to a blue screen during the Windows "install devices" phase
• created a slipstreamed disk with XP install and the driver pre-incorporated BUT the installation crashed again in the same place
• tried the first approach again ONLY TO FIND that the installation could no longer see the floppy (a Mitsumi USB floppy drive)

Incidentally, just for the practice, I have been trying to get into the RAID configuration menu (with CTRL-I) every time I have booted in the last two hours. I have never once succeeded.

I'm beginning to think that this is a bit of a flaky MoBo. What do you think?"

[idata]

Hi JohnAitch,

I do agree with you, that issue you are having with difficulties to getting to the riad bios is a really strange behaviour from the board.

Something else I have found but never tried it to see whether it's true or not: could you try it: http://support.intel.com/support/motherboards/desktop/sb/cs-020811.htm# ctrli

Well, the blue screen with system crashed that you are getting is definitely related to the F6 drivers.

Please make sure you are pressing the F6, only when the installation prompts you (that is at the beginning of the installation), only then it will work. Normally the Mitsumi usb floppy drive should work as it is on the list of supported usb floppy drive that will work: http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx/kb/916196/

An advice will be to download the F6 drivers from the website and use 'nLite' program/tool to slipstream the drivers into the os installation. I have tried this method it has always worked for me, without failure.

Download the F6 drivers fron this link: http://downloadcenter.intel.com/license_agr.aspx?url=/15251/eng/STOR_all32_f6flpy32_8.7.0.1007_PV.zip&ProductID=2784&agr=Y&sType=&PrdMap=&DwnldId=15251&strOSs=44&OSFullName=Windows*%20XP%20Professional&lang=eng (you will need to unzip it to get the files).

Let me know if you get stuck.

Cheers.

[idata]

Hi John,

Regarding the Ctrl+I, this is definitely something strange. Now regarding OS installation, probably the F6 driver was not slipstreamed correctly.

As a test, you can try Windows Vista or Seven RC as it already has the driver embedded in the OS. In this way, this can confirm you whether you are doing something wrong or not.

Al the best,

Regards,

Aryan

[idata]

I got the RAID menu to appear by setting the Hard Drive Delay to 5 seconds in the bios. Then I reboot and pust Ctrl and i before and during the bios boot, works all the time.

[idata]

Hi, I have the same CTRL-I problem on my DP35DP with twin Samsung HD204UI HDs attached. I tranfered my boot drive to an IDE drive to switch bios from IDE to RAID. This worked and I was able to boot and load the Intel RST drivers. The SCSI/RAID device shows up in my Device Manager as working fine but I can't hit that CTRL-I during the 1/100th of a second it pops up on my screen. My BIOS is the latest as of last week. You are not alone with this "Strange" problem. Any help would be appreciated.