reformatting an 8790 with SCSI array ... Do you still need help with this?

superjones · 02-11-2006, 04:05 PM

My brother's 8790 pooped out (gotta love windows) and we need to reformat it. I have a copy of WinXP pro, but i dont have floppy drive to use to install the 3rd party SCSI driver the windows installer needs to recognize the primary hard drive. Is there another way I can install the SCSI drivers, or bypass this and install a fresh copy of Windows?

doggie96 · 02-11-2006, 04:18 PM

there should be an option to turn off raid in the bios, I would look

G-Omaha · 02-11-2006, 08:17 PM

You can disable the raid - There are two very small dip switches that are located under the HDDs. These (both) need to be pushed to the down position. This effectively disables RAID.

You CAN NOT install RAID without an external and compliant USB FDD on the 8790.

Once the dip switches disable RAID, you should be "good to go" with a normal ATA configuration. Did it last week after the Primary HDD on a RAID-0 configuration crapped out on me.

superjones · 02-13-2006, 01:48 PM

I opened the case and checked under the HDD but I could not find any switches. I also disabled RAID in the bios, but when i try to format it still doesnt recognize that there is a HDD there. Could this be because of the SATA hdd?

doggie96 · 02-13-2006, 02:19 PM

if its sata then you do need a usb floppy

G-Omaha · 02-13-2006, 09:10 PM

The 8790 DOES NOT support SATA drives - just ATA ones.

The switches are located between (and under) the 2 drive inclosures. It may be fully or partially hidden by some black insulation material. Poke around and you will find them.

Again SATA drives simply will not work.

superjones · 02-18-2006, 06:40 PM

Ok, I downloaded the promise RAID driver for the 8790 from sagernotebook.com. I have a USB floppy drive, but I'm not sure what part of the driver to put on the floppy to use during the WinXP install. What do I do with the driver?

Wesley · 04-16-2006, 07:02 PM

Do you still need help with this?

02-11-2006, 04:05 PM	#1
superjones Registered User Join Date: Feb 2006 Posts: 5 Credits: -348	reformatting an 8790 with SCSI array My brother's 8790 pooped out (gotta love windows) and we need to reformat it. I have a copy of WinXP pro, but i dont have floppy drive to use to install the 3rd party SCSI driver the windows installer needs to recognize the primary hard drive. Is there another way I can install the SCSI drivers, or bypass this and install a fresh copy of Windows?

02-11-2006, 04:18 PM	#2
doggie96 We got mutha**in snakes Join Date: Jun 2005 Posts: 1,094 Credits:** -18	there should be an option to turn off raid in the bios, I would look __________________ Asus W3j- Stock, 2gb ram, rockin along Winbook SI- old, worn, partially broken, and retired Seagate 5gb Pocket HDD

02-13-2006, 02:19 PM	#5
doggie96 We got mutha**in snakes Join Date: Jun 2005 Posts: 1,094 Credits:** -18	if its sata then you do need a usb floppy __________________ Asus W3j- Stock, 2gb ram, rockin along Winbook SI- old, worn, partially broken, and retired Seagate 5gb Pocket HDD

Thread Tools
Show Printable Version Email this Page
Display Modes
Linear Mode Switch to Hybrid Mode Switch to Threaded Mode

Similar Threads
Thread	Thread Starter	Forum	Replies	Last Post
Ata & Scsi?	BolasAzules	Alienware Area-51 and Aurora Notebooks	3	04-27-2005 03:49 PM
8790 owners - do you ever lose disks from your RAID 0 array?	aussie	Sager 8790 Tech Support (Tech problems only)	4	03-22-2005 08:47 AM
SCSI or ATA?	earthvacation	Sager 8790 Tech Support (Tech problems only)	0	02-01-2005 09:22 AM
SCSI support	loobie	Sager 56XX Tech Support (Tech problems only)	3	10-13-2003 01:32 PM

Notebooks For Sale

User Links

Latest Pricing

Top Posters

Todays Top Posters

Fastest Benchmarks

Latest Benchmarks

02-11-2006, 08:17 PM	#3
G-Omaha Nevermore Join Date: Feb 2003 Location: Cyberspace Posts: 5,709 Reviews: 1 Credits: 1,122	You can disable the raid - There are two very small dip switches that are located under the HDDs. These (both) need to be pushed to the down position. This effectively disables RAID. You CAN NOT install RAID without an external and compliant USB FDD on the 8790. Once the dip switches disable RAID, you should be "good to go" with a normal ATA configuration. Did it last week after the Primary HDD on a RAID-0 configuration crapped out on me.

02-13-2006, 01:48 PM	#4
superjones Registered User Join Date: Feb 2006 Posts: 5 Credits: -348	I opened the case and checked under the HDD but I could not find any switches. I also disabled RAID in the bios, but when i try to format it still doesnt recognize that there is a HDD there. Could this be because of the SATA hdd?

02-13-2006, 09:10 PM	#6
G-Omaha Nevermore Join Date: Feb 2003 Location: Cyberspace Posts: 5,709 Reviews: 1 Credits: 1,122	The 8790 DOES NOT support SATA drives - just ATA ones. The switches are located between (and under) the 2 drive inclosures. It may be fully or partially hidden by some black insulation material. Poke around and you will find them. Again SATA drives simply will not work.

02-18-2006, 06:40 PM	#7
superjones Registered User Join Date: Feb 2006 Posts: 5 Credits: -348	Ok, I downloaded the promise RAID driver for the 8790 from sagernotebook.com. I have a USB floppy drive, but I'm not sure what part of the driver to put on the floppy to use during the WinXP install. What do I do with the driver?

04-16-2006, 07:02 PM	#8
Wesley Registered User Join Date: Sep 2004 Posts: 33 Credits: -329	Do you still need help with this?