XP to Vista Upgrade Question

[vanity11]

I'm going to be upgrading shortly here to take advantage of DirectX10. It's not an ArmA-Exclusive upgrade so if we could address my questions and not game performance issues, that would be ideal.

This is my setup.

Main Drive
C: 120GB - holds OS, Programs, etc.

RAID-0
E: 2x 340GB drives that holds games, music, backups.

Can I install Vista on just the C:-drive, keeping my RAID-0 intact? I can't remember if I have a software RAID or a hardware RAID...all drives are SATA drives.

(How can I check if it's software or hardware RAID?)

[TheBigC]

Originally Posted by vanity11

I'm going to be upgrading shortly here to take advantage of DirectX10. It's not an ArmA-Exclusive upgrade so if we could address my questions and not game performance issues, that would be ideal.

This is my setup.

Main Drive
C: 120GB - holds OS, Programs, etc.

RAID-0
E: 2x 340GB drives that holds games, music, backups.

Can I install Vista on just the C:-drive, keeping my RAID-0 intact? I can't remember if I have a software RAID or a hardware RAID...all drives are SATA drives.

(How can I check if it's software or hardware RAID?)

Yes. It is pretty easy to tell if the RAID-0 is working, set it up through your BIOS. Depending on the motherboard it is something like the F10 key during boot up to bring you into the RAID menu. If is setup properly there, Windows should not even notice the 2 separate drives. A physical RAID is better than a software driven RAID, so make sure it is setup this way.

As for Vista working with it, you are good to go. I have a my OS (Vista X64) on my 150 Raptor while I have two RAID 0s (4X 74GB Raptors). The 2 raid 0s are E:\ and F:\ respectively. I actually use a Seagate 320 as my D:\ drive for nothing more than my Documents (minus Music and Movies). Long story short, Vista will do what you are thinking about doing depending on the motherboard allowing it.

[TG_Bubba]

I can not answer your question but my experience was a bad one. I hope you are going with a fresh full install of Vista and not an upgrade. Three of us at work tried the upgrade and it totally ruined our hard drives to a point that we had neither OS available. I had to get a data recovery from my hard drive and do a fresh install of XP all over again.

[vanity11]

Originally Posted by TG_Bubba

I can not answer your question but my experience was a bad one. I hope you are going with a fresh full install of Vista and not an upgrade. Three of us at work tried the upgrade and it totally ruined our hard drives to a point that we had neither OS available. I had to get a data recovery from my hard drive and do a fresh install of XP all over again.

My dad tried that too and had the exact same problem. That was kinda why I was hoping it'll keep the 2 drives seperate.

But I'm pretty sure they're setup in the BIOS, as BigC asked. So if I format my C:-drive and put Vista on, my RAID0 should (hopefully) be fine.

[TheBigC]

From my past experience, there is no real way to upgrade Vista cleanly. It should always be done on fresh hard drive. The RAID has nothing to do with the OS, so if you already have it setup you should be good.

My one piece of advice is to disconnect ALL non OS drives during the install. It will go allot more smoothly. Than add your RAID once Vista is installed.

Just out of curiosity, which version Vista are you going with?

[ScratchMonkey]

Originally Posted by vanity11

It's not an ArmA-Exclusive upgrade so if we could address my questions and not game performance issues, that would be ideal.

Note that TG has a Hardware and Software section for general, non-game-specific, hardware discussion. You'll get the expertise of all of TG there.

http://www.tacticalgamer.com/hardwar...re-discussion/

[jex]

Having been to a recent interview with a company that is a MS partner, I asked if they would be upgrading to Vista and he said MS have basically told them not to bother as Vista was only ever meant as a stop-gap for their next OS release in a year or two. He said Vista is to XP what ME was to 98 - however you don't get DX10. Make of that what you will...