Member Avatar for ep2002

Hi there,

We are installing Windows XP on a brand new SATA RAID system with the HDs being 200 GB & windows is having problems in the final stage of install.

We get the blue screen of death. It says there is something wrong w/ the HDs.

HELP! LOL

Thanks


Michelle

  • 3 Contributors
  • 2 Replies
  • 116 Views
  • 17 Hours Discussion Span
  • Latest Post Latest Post by MartyMcFly

Dani AI

Generated

As described, a Windows XP setup that bluescreens toward the end on a 200 GB SATA RAID most often points at the old 137 GB (LBA28) addressing limit or at missing/incorrect RAID/SATA drivers during installation. was right to flag firmware/BIOS, and ’s partition idea will work as a stopgap—this note explains how to diagnose the root cause and fixes that preserve the full disk.

Diagnosis and action checklist:

  • Check what the motherboard/RAID BIOS reports. If the controller utility itself shows ~137 GB, the firmware/BIOS lacks 48-bit LBA support and must be updated (motherboard and RAID controller firmware).
  • If the controller shows the full ~200 GB but XP setup bluescreens, the installer is likely using an incompatible storage driver. Obtain the vendor RAID/SATA driver (INF files) and load it during setup via the F6 prompt or slipstream it into the XP CD (tools such as nLite are commonly used).
  • For a quick test, switch SATA mode to IDE/Compatibility (not RAID) to see whether setup completes; this isolates driver vs firmware issues. Note that switching modes can break an existing RAID array—do this only for troubleshooting.
  • As a temporary workaround create partitions smaller than ~137 GB (as suggested). This avoids addressing limits but is not ideal for long-term RAID use.

Troubleshooting tips and cautions:

  • Photograph or record the BSOD stop code and any driver filename shown; that often identifies the exact driver at fault.
  • Try installing to a single drive (non-RAID) to confirm whether the RAID layer is responsible.
  • Flash BIOS/firmware only with vendor-provided updates and stable power; follow the vendor instructions exactly—incorrect flashing can brick hardware.

References on why the limit exists and modern SATA modes: Logical block addressing and Advanced Host Controller Interface (AHCI).

Recommended Answers

All 2 Replies

Member Avatar for chrisbliss18

Usually your BIOS on the motherboard is what causes the 137GB limit. Flash your BIOS to the latest version. That should fix the problem.

Member Avatar for MartyMcFly

Why not create two partitions of 100gb each, not only will this solve the problem, but add better HDD efficiency.

Edit - It's much easier as well!

Be a part of the DaniWeb community

We're a friendly, industry-focused community of developers, IT pros, digital marketers, and technology enthusiasts meeting, networking, learning, and sharing knowledge.