# Does RAID "F6 Install Floppy" have to be prepared like a startup disk?



## btarunr (Apr 6, 2009)

I can't get Windows XP setup to recognise my RAID 0. Several RAID floppies failed due to txtsetup.oem related errors. 

Do RAID floppies need to be prepared in the way startup disks are prepared, where files are stored in specific sectors of the disk, or can any floppy that is clean and holds all the required files in the right paths do?


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## eidairaman1 (Apr 6, 2009)

im not sure how it goes but reading the motherboard or controller manual should help you set it up, other thing that needs to be noted is Make sure you are pressing the F6 button asoon as those blue screens appear and make sure the files arent burried in multiple directories. TXTsetup.oem is that a file on the floppy? Ive had a F6 disk fail on me when it was inserted before setup ever made it to the F6 part during install, Either your floppy drive is going bunk or the files you downloaded are corrupt, the other Thing try reinserting the disk during the F6 and select try again.


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## Deleted member 3 (Apr 6, 2009)

They're just drivers on a diskette. I tend to find it easier to include storage controller drivers on the XP disk via nLite.


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## Wile E (Apr 6, 2009)

DanTheBanjoman said:


> They're just drivers on a diskette. *I tend to find it easier to include storage controller drivers on the XP disk via nLite.*


That's the path I was going to suggest. Simplifies matters greatly.


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## btarunr (Apr 6, 2009)

Thought so, thanks!
Speaking of nLite, I have a question:

To install SP3 on Windows XP (SP 0), you need SP 1a (or SP2) installed. How to I go about slipstreaming? Can it allow streaming multiple service packs? Or should I prepare a Windows XP SP1a CD and then use its image to slipstream SP3?


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## Wile E (Apr 6, 2009)

btarunr said:


> Thought so, thanks!
> Speaking of nLite, I have a question:
> 
> To install SP3 on Windows XP (SP 0), you need SP 1a (or SP2) installed. How to I go about slipstreaming? Can it allow streaming multiple service packs? Or should I prepare a Windows XP SP1a CD and then use its image to slipstream SP3?



You can slipstream multiple SPs in a single session with nLite.


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## eidairaman1 (Apr 6, 2009)

I Slipstreamed Windows XP Corp Edition (no SPs) with SP3 and it works pretty well (Yes I have a Legit VLK)-got tired of Retail/OEM editions with freaking Product Activation scheme- if i could id remove all traces of Product activation and Code a VLK into it- if i had that knowledge. i will never install a SP on a OS that has been patched using a previous due to file associations- bugs tend to be more common.


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## alexp999 (Apr 6, 2009)

I never use nlite or vlite anymore, I have experienced nothing but problems, and its usually always Windows Update related, I got stuck in an Update restart loop the last time I used vlite, so I dont bother anymore and just disable stuff post install.

As for the RAID drivers, like has been previously said, they are just files on a disk, and it installs the same way as you manually install a driver in Windows effectively.

I used to load mine onto a floppy, or USB, or even another CD. I dont have a floppy anymore, but Windows seems to natively support Intel RAID controllers.


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## Deleted member 3 (Apr 6, 2009)

alexp999 said:


> I never use nlite or vlite anymore, I have experienced nothing but problems, and its usually always Windows Update related, I got stuck in an Update restart loop the last time I used vlite, so I dont bother anymore and just disable stuff post install.
> 
> As for the RAID drivers, like has been previously said, they are just files on a disk, and it installs the same way as you manually install a driver in Windows effectively.
> 
> I used to load mine onto a floppy, or USB, or even another CD. I dont have a floppy anymore, but Windows seems to natively support Intel RAID controllers.



Adding just drivers and or updates breaks nothing. I do it all the time. I have Windows CD's with drivers and te latest updates for all machines at work. Saves a lot of time when I need to make a new image.


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## FordGT90Concept (Apr 6, 2009)

btarunr said:


> I can't get Windows XP setup to recognise my RAID 0. Several RAID floppies failed due to txtsetup.oem related errors.
> 
> Do RAID floppies need to be prepared in the way startup disks are prepared, where files are stored in specific sectors of the disk, or can any floppy that is clean and holds all the required files in the right paths do?


I format it using a different computer.  Copy the files over, and go.  If the floppy can't be formatted, the floppy disk is probably bad.  Use a different one.

Besides formatting it (default settings work fine), there's nothing special to do.  Oh, there shouldn't be any folders.  The sys and ini files should be in the root directory of the floppy.


Some motherboards really don't like USB FDDs either.  You might have to steal a FDD + cable from another computer to get through the Windows install.  Additionally, most FDD cables don't have proper guides so make sure the cable is properly installed.  If the cable is not installed correctly, the activity light on the drive usually stays solid.


XP does not have native support for SATA/RAID.


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## Deleted member 3 (Apr 6, 2009)

FordGT90Concept said:


> XP does not have native support for SATA/RAID.



It's not that it doesn't support it natively, it simply doesn't have the required drivers for SATA controllers. It does have drivers for various RAID controllers, though those are SCSI/IDE/Fibre controllers.


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## Hayder_Master (Apr 6, 2009)

DanTheBanjoman said:


> They're just drivers on a diskette. I tend to find it easier to include storage controller drivers on the XP disk via nLite.



agree with dan i use this before, go for nLite site and there is guide to how make a windows XP CD with raid setup 
also windows XP SP3 already have this


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## alexp999 (Apr 6, 2009)

DanTheBanjoman said:


> Adding just drivers and or updates breaks nothing. I do it all the time. I have Windows CD's with drivers and te latest updates for all machines at work. Saves a lot of time when I need to make a new image.



I know, but also the last time I integrated RAId drivers it still wanted an external source for the driver 

So I have given up now.


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## btarunr (Apr 6, 2009)

The reason I asked was because in this motherboard CD, the RAID driver is provided as a folder with all the files in the right paths (txtsetup.oem, ahcix86.ini....x86 folder, x64 folder...) and then there's a "makedisk.exe". Running it, will copy those files onto a floppy, and it says "writing track xx", which made me think the files should be present on specific parts of the disk (like startup disks). 

It's all sorted out now.


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## eidairaman1 (Apr 7, 2009)

cool dude, enjoy RAID XP

I know i Enjoy SATA XP CE SP3.


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