Any IT guys around???

[Chefcook]

I have added an second hard drive to my laptop, and I am trying to set it up in RAID 0 striped configuration. I cant get into any raid settings everything is greyed out? I also cannot convert the drives back from Dynamic, I am the admin on this computer. Any ideas???

 

[Manan]

I recommend a direct msg to ArmedProgrammer. He is awesome on that kind of stuff.

 

[Chefcook]

I have started the whole process from scratch. GRRRRRRR...

 

[Manan]

Isn't that the way it goes??

 

[Chefcook]

yea generally...

 

[Chefcook]

I got it really screwed up now LOL. I have reformatted 3 times. I went back and reviewed my Lab Sims from class and I feel like i know what I am doing but I am following the directions and its not working out the things I need to do are greyed out I don't get it....

 

[IncendiaryGunner]

What operating system... standard/home edition?

If I remember correctly the standard/home editions do not enable the creation of windows software raid arrays...

 

[Chefcook]

I am or was running Windows 7 Ultimate. Trying to fix the f uped partitions i removed the hard drives thinking I could just set up one and then add the other and format as i wished. After I switched them now I have nothing... No matter what I try I get a black screen with no options. The machine is dead...HELP!!!!! It is finals week and we can not be down a machine...

 

[IncendiaryGunner]

I am or was running Windows 7 Ultimate. Trying to fix the f uped partitions i removed the hard drives thinking I could just set up one and then add the other and format as i wished. After I switched them now I have nothing... No matter what I try I get a black screen with no options. The machine is dead...HELP!!!!! It is finals week and we can not be down a machine...

Wait, did you actually format or alter the drive with your Windows installation? Windows should not allow you to format an active drive, unless you used the installation disc or a third party piece of software...

I am confused about what you mean by black screen... does your computer post properly when you turn it on, but then not boot the OS?

If you did not format the drive containing your Windows installation, try removing the hard drive you added - reverting your hardware to the configuration when it previously booted properly.

As far as raid configurations, as a general rule you install all the hardware and then format all the drives in an array to create the array, before data is stored. You would normally do this before installing the operating system on a raid array, or during the operating system install if the operating system handles the software raid array.

 

[Chefcook]

Wait, did you actually format or alter the drive with your Windows installation? Windows should not allow you to format an active drive, unless you used the installation disc or a third party piece of software...

I am confused about what you mean by black screen... does your computer post properly when you turn it on, but then not boot the OS?

If you did not format the drive containing your Windows installation, try removing the hard drive you added - reverting your hardware to the configuration when it previously booted properly.

As far as raid configurations, as a general rule you install all the hardware and then format all the drives in an array to create the array, before data is stored. You would normally do this before installing the operating system on a raid array, or during the operating system install if the operating system handles the software raid array.

What I mean is now it does nothing. I removed both hard drives installed one back in and tried to reinstall windows. Then nothing. I put both drives back is like they were before and nothing. Black screen nothing with 3 blinks on the lights caps lock ect.....

 

[Chefcook]

Wait, did you actually format or alter the drive with your Windows installation? Windows should not allow you to format an active drive, unless you used the installation disc or a third party piece of software...

I am confused about what you mean by black screen... does your computer post properly when you turn it on, but then not boot the OS?

If you did not format the drive containing your Windows installation, try removing the hard drive you added - reverting your hardware to the configuration when it previously booted properly.

As far as raid configurations, as a general rule you install all the hardware and then format all the drives in an array to create the array, before data is stored. You would normally do this before installing the operating system on a raid array, or during the operating system install if the operating system handles the software raid array.

Yea I know but it wouldn't let me all options were greyed out...

 

[IncendiaryGunner]

What I mean is now it does nothing. I removed both hard drives installed one back in and tried to reinstall windows. Then nothing. I put both drives back is like they were before and nothing. Black screen nothing with 3 blinks on the lights caps lock ect.....

Even without the presence of a hard drive you should get more than a solid black screen at post... it should go through the post sequence at startup initializing all your hardware and giving you BIOS options. If you do not get this, then you might have a hardware issue.

You might ensure you did not jostle the video card loose, and that the monitor is still plugged in all the way. If you still get no video than you may have to look into the possibility of damaged hardware.

 

[Chefcook]

Even without the presence of a hard drive you should get more than a solid black screen at post... it should go through the post sequence at startup initializing all your hardware and giving you BIOS options. If you do not get this, then you might have a hardware issue.

You might ensure you did not jostle the video card loose, and that the monitor is still plugged in all the way. If you still get no video than you may have to look into the possibility of damaged hardware.

I just checked it again nothing loose 4 blinks on the lights indicates a graphics problem.

 

[donnie1581]

what kind of laptop is it?

 

[Chefcook]

Its an HP dv7, I got an appointment with Nathan aka .38special for tomorrow afternoon he is really good with laptops if anyone can figure it out he is the man...

 

[Caleb]

I would have to see it in person to see what's wrong, I didn't read through the whole thread but you said you were trying to stripe the two hard drives? Does your motherboard support such an option?

Usually your motherboard has to support raid or you'd have to get a raid card to have that option...

 

[Caleb]

After reading the thread, it sure sounds like an hardware problem.... I doubt wiggling the graphics card loose. There's a chance north bridge took a dump(static discharge possible), failure of the north bridge will not allow computer to post, thus blank screen.

Future note, you set up raid via bios and install raid drivers during windows installation.

 

[Caleb]

Also, a bad CPU will also keep a computer from posting but bad memory will post but fail memtest86

 

[Chefcook]

Turned out to be a bad stick of ram...