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I have a Dell that came with Raid 0 (I'm pretty sure) that had two 149g HD's. One just failed so I put a replacement in (500g as I couldn't find any 149gs). Bottom line is I want to install XP on the 500g to just run like normal on just the one drive. BIOS doesn't have any options to dismiss Raid config. Anyone know how I can just get the system to start booting from the OS on the 500g drive? HUGE thanks for any ideas...

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— quick diagnosis and practical steps tied to what asked about the model.

RAID 0 stripes data across both disks, so losing one drive means the array is broken and the original data is effectively lost. To use the new 500GB as a normal single disk you must remove the RAID configuration so the controller presents that physical disk as a standalone drive, then do a clean Windows install. Because some Dell boards hide RAID controls, there are a few different routes depending on whether the RAID is firmware (option ROM/"fakeRAID") or a separate hardware card.

Suggested checklist (in order):

  1. Identify the RAID type: watch the POST for a RAID configuration prompt (a short message and key to press), check Device Manager for RAID drivers, or open the case to look for a separate controller card.
  2. If an on‑board RAID option ROM is present: enter that utility at boot and delete the RAID/volume. Deleting the array removes the metadata and makes the disk available as a single drive. Understand that deletion destroys any remaining striped data.
  3. If a separate RAID card controls the pair and the BIOS offers no option: either move the 500GB to a standard motherboard port (or another PC) or remove the RAID card temporarily so the disk appears as a normal drive.
  4. Reinstall XP: boot the XP CD, delete existing partitions, create a new primary NTFS partition, mark it active and install. If the installer cannot see the drive, supply the storage driver via F6 (floppy) or use a slipstreamed XP CD with the driver.
  5. If RAID metadata still prevents use, clear it (for example with DiskPart "clean" from WinPE or an appropriate low‑level tool) — this will wipe the drive.

Cautions: do not delete or overwrite anything if recovery of files is required — professional recovery is the only realistic option for important data from a failed RAID 0. If the RAID utility is inaccessible or the board behavior is unclear, the simplest safe path is to attach the 500GB to a plain SATA/IDE port or another PC, perform a fresh install, then return it to the Dell.

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Member Avatar for freshfitz

what model dell?

Member Avatar for theskindiver

Thanks for you reply. It's a Dell Dimension 8400

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