Computer specs: Dell DXP061 - XPS 410/Dimension 9200 w/ latest BIOS drivers (build circa August 2007) Windows XP Professional SP3 Intel Core 2 Duo E4400 CPU 2GB PC2-5300 RAM Intel core 2 Duo E4400 EVGA 256MB GeForce 8600 GTS 2 SATA HDs: WD 160GB (main) & Maxtor 400GB (storage) Hi everyone. I recently downgraded from Vista Home Basic that was already pre-installed when the computer was built last year to Windows XP Pro. I definitely like the performance boost and back to the old-school style layout of XP, however I have one problem. I installed all the drivers, and everything is working--but I cannot install the Intel Matrix Storage Manager apps. Before I downgraded, I searched other forums that mentioned in order to do the downgrade for the 9200 series, I would have to do either two things: load the SATA drivers by pressing F6 during XP setup, or changing the BIOS settings and turn off the "RAID ON" option. I chose the latter and turned the BIOS setting to the "RAID AUTODETECT / ATA" in the SATA OPERATION fields instead. Others had mentioned that after I choose this option, I could install the Intel Matrix Storage Manager apps & then turn the setting back to "RAID ON" afterwards in XP. However, the problem is I cannot install the Intel Matrix Storage Manager apps. I've tried the ones from Intel AND the ones from the Dell site. I've tried a total of 4 different apps from these sites. I've tried the newest one from Intel (version 8.5) as well as an older version (8.2.) I then tried the two versions of the Application and Driver from Dell (both are version 7.5). ALL of them say "minimum requirements are not met." I originally thought I needed to turn on RAID ON in the BIOS for the requirements to be met. However, when I revert back to RAID ON. Right before Windows load, there's a quick BSOD screen with the STOP error: 0x0000007B (0xBACC3524, 0xC0000034, 0x00000000, 0x00000000). There are no missing items or exclamation marks in the Device Manager anything like that. I just originally thought the Intel Matrix Storage manager was necessarily needed. Like, before my computer had Vista installed with 2 HDs. Then the setting of "RAID ON" in BIOS was on. However, even during the screen right before the Windows Vista/XP logo loads, it showed that the drives were in "Non-RAID Disk" configuration. But, I thought it was just needed to get like the best possible performance boost for these two drives. I think I had read somewhere (or maybe I was mislead) that putting the settings as "RAID ON" in BIOS gave an edge to the drives even if they were not fully configured for RAID. I dunno'. Well, anyways what setup would you guys recommend in my case? Can I still set the option in BIOS back to "RAID ON" and/or install Intel Matrix App, or is that impossible now? Thanks!

http://www.intel.com/support/chipse... You can't change the settings while operating system is set up on a single SATA drive! That is why you got the error. ************************************ The application can't be run without RAID being set in the BIOS and installed with the installation of the operating system Definition of a Liberal: He has never had to fight for his Freedom He is only good at enjoying it! "IF YOU DON'T STAND BEHIND OUR TROOPS, PLEASE, FEEL FREE TO STAND IN FRONT OF THEM

Were you using the RAID capabilty in Windows Vista? If you weren't, assuming the chipset actually has the RAID capability, you have to wipe both drives if you want to use RAID, and set up a RAID array BEFORE you run Windows Setup - it requires at least two hard drives, connected to the same drive controller with RAID capability (If you have more than one controller they may not all support RAID). Are you SURE your chipset has RAID capabilty? Your actual chipset may or may not have RAID capability. This is common with Intel chipsets. The bios Setup may have settings for RAID whether or not you have it, because the same bios may be used for several different but similar mboards - they may be identical except for whether they have the RAID capabilty or not. If the chipset does not actually have RAID capability, you don't meet the minimum requirements for using the Matrix software for that reason. (If it does, you have to do the stuff in the first paragraph above). If you're not sure if that's your case, look up the detailed specs, or use Intel's Chipset ID utility. Typically if it's chipset has the capabilty the one main chip is ICHxR or ICHx-R where x is a number. It doesn't have the capability if it has no R. You can look up a STOP error by using the exact first part of the message to search with on the web, to find the possible causes and solutions. E.g. using: STOP: 0x0000007B Advanced troubleshooting for "Stop 0x0000007B" errors in Windows XP http://support.microsoft.com/kb/324103

Oh okay. That makes sense. So I guess before in Vista, I was running AHCI mode, but still Non-RAID. Now I am running in IDE Emulation mode (b/c the BIOS setting is turned off) in XP, it seems? And the only option is to reformat again and reinstall the SATA drivers through the F6 disk or slipstream, etc.