Need help Here! Comp Troubles(XP)

[TX-CUDA]

OK, here is my dilemma. I think my box is headed south. I can do anything I need to do like FB and such....do pics and such...and run most apps. What I am seeing is troubles with simple stuff like doing the start-programs-system- to try and see the specs on my box. I double click on system from My Computer and it just ....does nothing. Same if I go to do a disk cleanup/defrag. I am seriously thinking I need to ditch this RAID and go to just two separate drives but am not sure what I need to do to get this thing  cleaned....loaded with a fresh XP(SP2) load...and then re-load my apps/programs.
...What is the best way to do a format/clean the drives and then re-load everything? I bought Eric a copy of DooM3 and it won't load.....same for Silent Hunter3....I see the drive read the disks...I see it starting to load....and then either nothing happens...or the box locks. I am really frustrated as Call of Duty did the same thing. I am under the impression that a clean install is needed. Anyone have any suggestions? I will not do the format tonight as once again I want to get rid of the RAID  and need to know how to just load the two separate drives...and then do a new install of XP. In case ya haven't figured it out I am not very familiar with XP in the least!

...any help would be more than appreciated!

TX-Cuda

MSI K8N Neo2 Platinum Mobo
AMD64 3800+ Chip
2Gig GEIL  3200Dual Channel Ram
2WD Raptor Drives
ATi X800 Pro Vid card
Soundblaster Audigy2 Platinum Soundcard
IL2 FB/PF/ (Only Game loaded)



TX-Cuda
Minister of Information

[TX-Deck]

Here's a rough breakdown of how I would go about this...1) Do yourself a favor and download all known drivers and have them on a CD or somewhere handy, you'll need them after you reinstall XP.2) Remove one of the drives from the box completely, the one that you will be using as the secondary drive.3) Boot to DOS and run FDISK, partition the drive and reinstall XP from scratch.  Note:  You are going to need the SATA DOS drivers, which probably came on a floppy with the mobo.  If not, swing out to the MSI website and see if you can locate them.  If you don't have them, any boot disk you load will not recognize the drives.   (Dos boot disks can be created by grabbing the proper utility from www.bootdisk.com)4) After the drive is partitioned, you should be able to boot from your XP cd and load the OS.   Add the second drive after the system is up and running, and it should be recognized as an orphaned drive, at which point you can reformat it and have the system recognize it as a stand-alone drive.5) VIOLA!  Loads of drive space, and a newly formatted XP system on a blazing fast PC.   Good luck man, keep in touch somehow.Anyone else have any input on the situation, please post any advice you can think of.  There are many ways to achieve what Cuda is trying to do, and I'm just elaborating out loud how I would go about it.TX-Deck out.

[TX-CUDA]

...thanks Deck, one thing I was wondering also is do you think I need to pop the battery off the MOBO to clear the bios?TX-CudaMinister of Information

[TX-FlightRisk]

Decks got it!!S~TX-FlightRisk "If my plane is smoking it can mean one thing...I have been hit in one of my ass cheeks and I am cauterizing my wound....."

[TX-Deck]

Save yourself the trouble, just boot to the BIOS and "Load Factory Defaults" or something to that effect.  I'm not even sure this is something you should really have to do, unless you have already been in there changing a bunch of stuff up.Keep us updated...TX-Deck out.

[TX-CUDA]

...haven't changed anything up as far as the BIOS goes. What I am seeing lately is that simple stuff like defrag,adjust sound,etc...just sits there. Something is screwed with this box. I did AD-Aware,SpyBot S&D,and Microsoft's anti Spyware thing and keep all updated and scan on a daily basis as I have all three set to scan at 3AM. Once again I was wondering ...how do you boot to DOS with XP?...or should I say boot from DOS. With ME I could do it in my sleep....but this XP monster is new to me and I am not sure what in the world I need to do. I know that I can go into BIOS after re-booting and set the boot sequence to read off the XP CD to get it to at least load....but should I format both drives while still set in an array?....or should I unplug one of the SATA cables and just format the one drive...and then do the other one once box is loaded with a fresh copy of XP?...You guys please excuse me as I am just a lowly phone man that works on copper and glass(fiber). This box runns some sweet FB/PF with all the eye candy. BUT.....some other things I want to do are not working. So....I guess the best course of action is to do the format/install XP WITHOUT the RAID array.......thanks for the help DECK!TX-CudaSPECS:  Amd64 3800+             MSi K8N Neo2 Platinum             2Gig GEIL 3200 Ram             ATi X800 PRO....Ah, WTF...it doesn't matter what the box has in it if the darn thing isn't working right!!TX-CudaMinister of Information