Hello,
I have a computer with (2) 2 TB hard drives configured in a RAID 1 volume with the controller being the Intel ICH10R. Let me know if I need to supply more information on my build. Regardless, the tricky part comes when attempting to install Windows Server 2012 R2 with it. Let me explain:
-----
After creating the RAID volume, I boot through the OS installation media. When prompted to select the partition on which to install the OS, the wizard shows the RAID volume as one partition of 2 TB. Sadly, there is an error tied with the partition stating the following:
"Windows cannot be installed to this disk. This computer’s hardware may not support booting to this disk. Ensure that the disk’s controller is enabled in the computer’s BIOS menu."
No, it has nothing to do with BIOS settings. I had to set the BIOS to RAID instead of AHCI or IDE to be able to create the RAID 1 volume anyway.
-----
Therefore, I assume this is a problem with a lack of appropriate drivers included in the Windows CD. This would make it so that the OS wouldn’t be installed across the RAID volume nicely. So, my questions are this:
Is this likely to be a problem with drivers?
If so, does anyone have any tried and true suggestions for this hardware/software setup?
Thank you
EDIT by Fernando: Thread title customized
@zach.laberge :
Welcome at Win-RAID Forum!
I need some additional informations:
1. How did you create the array?
2. Which Intel RAID Utility version did you use?
3. Does the Intel RAID Utility show the RAID array as bootable? If not, did you unplug all other HDDs/SSDs before trying to create the RAID array?
Regards
Dieter (alias Fernando)
- This specific computer has the Intel RAID configuration utility, "Intel Matrix Storage Manager". With that, I made the RAID 1 array.
2. The version of this is v 8.9.1.1002
3. Yes, the volume is shown as bootable.
@zach.laberge :
Under these conditions you should be able to get the OS installed onto your RAID array.
You should unplug all other devices (except the RAID array and the bootable device containing the OS image), before restarting the OS installation.
Well, yes it should. But wasn’t. As it turns out, I’m having success today so far with the computers I’ve attempted the OS install on. Not sure what has changed.
I’ll let you know of any problems I have.
@zach.laberge
Had a similar issue with my Asus Commando trying to run a Win 7 system image restore on my raid-0 after a SSD failure of the raid. As long as the Raid-0 drives were selected as the first boot device and the first drive in the bios list. I couldn’t get the Win 7 install disc re-image to use the raid-0. Had to change the drive in bios to my image containing hdd then the re-image worked with out issue. Some intel boards are specific as to which hdd to boot to as listed in bios. If any other disc is selected in bios as first hdd other than OS hdd it will fail to even boot the OS.
@Fernando
I tried again today to install Windows 2012 R2 on a computer with nearly identical hardware specifications as listed before. The only difference was that this computer has (2) 1TB hard drives. Same RAID controller, configuration utility, OS, installation method, everything.
The difference comes after I’ve finished the install from the disk and, after restarting, I find the OS hangs on what seems to be the final setup. Once booted up, the OS hangs on the loading screen where there’s simply the Windows logo and a loading animation. There is no error message to identify what may be going wrong. Furthermore, there was no error message when selecting a drive/partition to install Windows on, as stated before in my first post on this thread.
Do you have any suggestions or insights on the matter?
A look into the files named setuperr.log and - more specificly - setupact.log, which are stored within the Windows\Panther folder, may give you a hint to what happened. For details please look >here<.
If you cannot boot into the OS (not even in safe mode), I recommend to boot off a media containing a WinPE version.
Windows can’t read 4TB partitions unless the drive is formatted as GPT. Then the bios will only boot in UEFI mode. If I remember right.
I’m on my phone atm but will double check in abit I’m not 100 % sure on server 2012
You probably mean TB instead of GB.
As zach.laberge has written, the related RAID array had a size of 2 (2x1) TB. So the boot sector should not be the problem in this case.
You probably mean TB instead of GB.
Well yes…obviously
Ps. I said 4TB as I thought the OP had 2x 2TB…can’t read my phone (small print :P), but MBR partition limit is just 2TB…
OK back on my PC…I can see now what’s going on… The OP is either trying to boot from a GPT partition with a legacy bios or an MBR partition with UEFI bios. OP look in boot menu see what compatibility mode is…
Old Intel Chipset systems with an Intel ICH10R Southbridge don’t offer the option to boot in UEFI mode.
Ah that will be the reason then. He’ll have to reinstall as MBR or else find a board which supports UEFI. I have a feeling legacy only BIOS aren’t supported from W8 onward…don’t quote me tho. I always use MBR because it’s more compatible…plus I don’t like secure boot. 
Only snag is the 2TB limit can be annoying with RAID arrays… I have a lot of spare HDD’s lol
Btw OT I installed the new 3.19 Asmedia drivers yesterday and got instant 0x7E asstahci64 BSOD. So I ended up looking at the asstahci64.sys with a hex editor…and guess what. It was completely full of 0’s… no data… lol
Win8/8.1/10 are running fine with old Intel chipset systems, who don’t have any UEFI option.
Yes that’s because your boot partition is MBR. If it was formatted as GPT it wouldn’t boot from legacy BIOS… Same as OP’s issue The controller isn’t the problem anyway the BIOS is. Legacy bios can’t hand off control to an OS installed on GPT partition because the OS is in UEFI mode, that’s what happens with GPT, OS gets installed in UEFI. Then can’t boot.
Thanks for the tip. Much appreciated bit of knowledge there.
I was not able to access Safe Mode whatsoever. In fact, after a few restarts, an error message of 0xc0000001 came up. More on that later…
I was able to access the error log files you mentioned before by booting into the Repair utility on the installation media. However, the content of the logs there wasn’t related to anything about the previous boot errors.
Sadly, I didn’t have time to try WinPE today. You’ll either hear from me tomorrow or next week on my progress with that.
Did u sort out the issue in your first post? With the 4TB partition?
Windows cannot be installed to this disk. This computer’s hardware may not support booting to this disk. Ensure that the disk’s controller is enabled in the computer’s BIOS menu.
This error is what I was replying to. It means you’re trying to install the OS on a GPT partition with a legacy bios. The reason it “may not support booting” is because an EFI system partition is created which is incompatible with a non uefi bios.
U have to format as MBR and make the partition less than 2TB.
To reiterate - you cannot install Windows on a GPT partition using a non uefi motherboard. It will not boot.
EDIT by Fernando: Unneeded parts of the fully quoted text and blank lines removed (to save space)
@Fernando @Pill_Monster
Apologies for not answering before. This morning, after a low-level hard drive format, I was finally able to finish the Windows install. Not sure what configuration it was that was causing this problem in the first place, but happy to see it resolved.
Thanks again for your help, everyone. Have a good one. 
@zach.laberge :
Thanks for your final report. It is fine, that you were able to solve your problem, which obviously has been caused by an inappropriate or corrupted boot sector of your system drive.
To make it easier for other users with a similar problem to find this thread I have customized the thread title.