Hello -
I have a Gateway 700XL desktop that I've updated throughout the last 7+ years without incident. I recently lost the OEM HD (120Gig) and the slave HD (250G on a controller) at the same time and replaced the HDs with a matching pair of WD Caviar Blue 500G SATAs and a StarTech 4-port RAID controller card. I want to set the system up with a RAID 0 Stripped Array and seem to be having problems with the existing BIOS on the system.
What is listed now is: MV85010A.15A.0049.P07 and I have found - in a discussion area here - that someone flashed to .P15 and had success with their problem.
I boot the system and it is bypassing the onboard BIOS complete. StarTech said I didn't need to install drivers from their accompanying CD because the card itself has built-in BIOS, just to boot the system and hit CTL+S at bootup, go into the utility and set up the RAID array. I am not getting into the card BIOS at all and it's also bypassing the system BIOS completely. StarTech said the current BIOS were too old and this is an area where I do not feel the least bit comfortable but with instruction will fix the problem.
Please advise as to the latest BIOS download here that I can use (an not fry the whole system) so I can set up the RAID Array. Without flashing the onboard BIOS I cannot use the parts I've bought and will have to return them with no other choice but to buy IDE HDs and abandon the RAID upgrade.
System specs:
Gateway P4, 2.53G single core
2 Gigs Rambus memory
Creative Labs Live Drive Soundcard and Drive
nVidia 6800 Video Card
Memorex DVD/CD burner
Allied 500W PS with 2 SATA connectors
USB PCI card
Firewire PCI card
The soundcard, video card, PS, Memorex burner, USB and Firewire cards are all upgrades/additions I've done over the years. I was running Windows XP Pro *retail* (took the OEM version off) and was planning on upgrading to Windows 7 Ultimate which the Windows 7 Advisor said would work perfectly. The system is capable of running Windows 7 and then some - I just have no idea how to find the right BIOS update download and also flash the BIOS without an OS or even HDs in the system.
Any and all input is greatly aprecicated. Also, please remember I am "on the clock" if I have to return the two HDs and controller card to TigerDirect.
Thanks so much!