Can't Install Boot Records to RAID0 SSD

[Poseidonas]

Hello Onions

See my specs for the hardware

In the mobo BIOS I turned off all my onboard SATA ports, and set my USB DVD drive as first boot item, then the RAID array on the Adaptec RAID card as only hard drive.

I got 2 Crucial m4 SSD's in 64GB capacities, updated with latest firmware 000F via burned bootable ISO on my desktop when plugging them individually to mobo directly (successful firmware update on first attempt for both)
-installed them onto my Adaptec RAID card
-created array, 16K cluster
-marked as bootable
-booted off my Win7 Ultimate SP0 dvd
-loaded (one) adaptec driver
-chose the 118gb "drive"
-got it installing
-Copying Windows Files: 100%
-Expanding Windows Files: 100%
-then an error popped up:

"Windows could not set the offline locale information. Error code: 0x80FF0000"


When I reboot and not start the process again, I get a warning that BOOTMGR is missing (hence no boot record)


The SSD's aren't faulty, chkdsk'd them via USB adapter to my laptop (/f /r /b /x), and reformatted/reverified using adaptec BIOS.
-No cables are loose
-No scratches on DVD
-tried 16K, 32K, and 64K clusters
-tried installing the OS onto one of the SSDs with RAID array broken, and it wouldn't continue (as if it's detecting another set of drives on another channel)

In Adaptec RAID BIOS *defaults*:
-Array Based BBS Support is ON
-Write Cache (Legacy/Non-Legacy Configured) is ON
-Device Security Lock is ON
-Allow Read Ahead is ON
-SMART is ON

After researching this, I came to the conclusion that I am not setting up a mobo BIOS setting, RAID card BIOS setting, or not loading a driver (there is only 1 available!).

Any clues would be appreciated.

[will_perdikakis]

Do you have any other HDD, SSD installed? List your boot order here.

I have seen this before when I did not have the boot order correct.

[codydewey]

Insure your array is set to boot or bootable in the adaptec bios.

Try booting PC with no drives other than your array plugged in. Leave only 1 stick of ram in the slot, load drivers off your adaptec CD if possible and try to install windows.

If you can get the files installed and its just a boot issue, make sure your Win partition is set as primary in boot order, boot to win 7 disk repair mode, either run a repair or go to command prompt and type :

Bootrec /FixMbr
&
Bootrec /FixBoot

then restart.

[Poseidonas]

Do you have any other HDD, SSD installed? List your boot order here.

I have seen this before when I did not have the boot order correct.

I do have other HDD's present, but I disabled the SATA ports connected to them, or removed the drives from the front bay (I have 2 that are hot swap)

I know that for proper OS setup, I must have the setup the least confusing to the software as possible, as I learned from my past experiences.

The current boot order is:

1. USB DVD drive (memorex slim MRX-650LE v1)
2. RAID:1220SA#0-#0 S

This is with a American Megatrends BIOS v2.61 (latest firmware on mobo, SSD's, and RAID card)

The motherboard has a AMD SB750 southbridge, and AMD790FX northbridge. That southbridge is linked to the onboard SATA ports

This is the SATA layout (mind you I kept the SATA ports disabled in BIOS throughout process, but enabled them to boot off burner in case it would give me a different conclusion)

SATA 1: Western Digital 500GB Caviar Blue (my D drive which contains most software installs and downloads)
SATA 2: UNUSED
SATA 3: Antec front-bay cage housing a WD VR 150GB drive (disengaged during system setup)
SATA 4: Antec front-bay cage housing a WD 500GB Caviar Blue (disengaged during system setup)
SATA 5: Plextor PX-880SA burner

After I get the OS up and running, the boot order will have the RAID array as #1 with the remainder disabled for bootup. I don't keep the optical drives listed in case I accidentally leave a bootable disc present.

Insure your array is set to boot or bootable in the adaptec bios.

Try booting PC with no drives other than your array plugged in. Leave only 1 stick of ram in the slot, load drivers off your adaptec CD if possible and try to install windows.

If you can get the files installed and its just a boot issue, make sure your Win partition is set as primary in boot order, boot to win 7 disk repair mode, either run a repair or go to command prompt and type :

Bootrec /FixMbr
&
Bootrec /FixBoot

then restart

Yep, the array was set as bootable in the adaptec bios. I never tried booting with the regular drives connected or connected+active. My drivers I am loading off a USB thumbdrive, not a CD.

I attempted to utilize DISKPART, but that claims there is an issue creating a partition on the volume designated for my RAID.

Here is what I'm going to try to do:
-burn drivers for adaptec to a CD instead of using a USB device
-attempt to install the OS onto one of the SSDs attached to the adaptec card, set as bootable, and intentionally not listing the 2nd SSD
-if this still occurrs, I will use DISKPART to create the RAID0 array and then try again

If anyone has any more ideas in the meantime, please post. I'll be leaving soon for work so no updates from myself till late tonight.

[Poseidonas]

So here is the update.

None of the previous tips worked.

I currently configured it as a RAID1 array, and chose the "clear" command to write 0's to the drives

If this fails, then I'll need to bypass my Adaptec 1220SA RAID card, and connect the 2 SSD's to the motherboard directly.

I will then set up RAID0 and attempt the installation again. Then RAID1 if that fails.

If that fails, I will try installing Windows to a single SSD.

I will also be attempting to install Windows 8 RC and Windows Server 2008 if Windows 7 fails. Hell, I might even try the x86 edition for kicks.

This is getting ridiculous.

I'll post results tonight or tomorrow now that I have a day off to spend fiddling with this. I'm hoping its something minor that I overlooked so that no new hardware needs to be purchased

[Poseidonas]

RAID1 worked with the Adaptec 1220SA RAID card.

OS installed perfectly fine and booted up. All drivers, but one, were preinstalled. Installed the GPU driver and ran the WEI test just to see what my score would be: 7.1 (5.9 with hdd's)

Noticed when I restarted, the Adaptec card stated that while each drive pass SMART, the array is "Degraded."

started CHKDSK on the drive array, and it passed with no errors.

Running "verify media" command in adaptec raid bios....

If one failed now, this would explain RAID0 failure. *sigh

[Jukens]

Its always best to disable/unplug any hard drives besides your ssd raid0 configuration or windows setup can and will install the mbr onto one of your other drives.