Asus A8N SLI RAID showing both drives as "degraded"

Check if hard drive is shown in bios.

try to tap F8 a couple of times AFTER bios post message, it should bring up windows boot menu. Try safe mode or, if possible, repair your windows. If this doesn't work, try to get a cd/dvd of your particular windows and try to repair it.

The fact that you installed a new hard disk may be the issue ..If it is a sata hard drive you will need a raid or driver for it ..or something like that ..or just go to bios and select the bus for the hard drive to work in native mode (or ide ) ..and install the operation system ..
If you installed it ..but you also have the other one ..make sure they are compatible ..and also go to bios and select the one with the operation system as first boot device ...
There can be the possibility that your ram memory is not supported well ...make sure even if it fits ..that the value of the frequency written on it is not larger than the one your motherboard supports ..usually it have to be the same or smaller ..if it is larger it may be casing problems ..Usually restarts and blue-screens ..or not booting at all ..
In case you just changed the hard disk ..and the memory ..and you got rid of the other hard disk ..than you need to install the operation system ..make sure you get a boot-able disk ..and install it from scratch ..and if you use a sata hard disk ..try to load the raid driver or the ahci on the start (when the installing system asks for them or says to press a key for to install as 3rd party ) ..or go to bios and disable the raid for it ..and enable it back after inatalling it in native mode.. load driver and restart ..
I basically try to say that your hard disk may need a raid driver for to be seen ..and if it does not have a operation system on ..it needs to be installed.
you may also use the old hdd if it has an operation system on it ..and install windows from it ..but on a new partition on this new hard disk ..after that remove the old one ..or format and use as storage ..

On many systems with RAID1 support built into the mobo chipset, that system includes some RAID management software in BIOS. You won't see it until you turn on RAID capabilities in the BIOS and add a drive. But you might find all the details you need in manuals on the matter from Dell, so look for those. They could have come with your machine, or you may have to search their website and download.

On systems I've seen you create and manage RAID arrays using that built-in software, NOT Windows tools. In fact, some RAID1 management tools would allow you to convert a single stand-along HDD to a RAID1 array by adding a matching HDD unit and then having the system copy all the data to the second drive. This is almost the same as the process to repair a damaged RAID1 array by replacing one faulty drive with a new one and rebuilding the array.

HOWEVER, Windows ALWAYS needs a RAID driver installed in it to use any RAID array. If you are simply booting from a "normal" stand-alone disk into Windows and then using a RAID array as a data storage system, the RAID driver installation can be done any time after Windows is running as you set up the new storage system. BUT Windows in ANY version cannot BOOT from a RAID array unless the RAID driver has been installed at the very beginning of the OS installation. This implies that, if you want to convert your single disk into a RAID1 2-disk array and use ONLY that as the HDD resource in the machine, you will need to re-install Windows, this time including the required RAID driver install at the beginning, in order to boot from that array.

I have read that there may be ways to convert a non-bootable RAID array into bootable by some complicated editing of Windows registry and boot files in order to force it to load the right driver at the right time from the right spot on a HDD, etc. But I am not SURE that would work. It's definitely for the adventurous knowledgeable techie.

So here's a quick guide to installing hardware RAID on a motherboard that features a RAID controller. These steps assume you are performing a clean Windows 7 install rather than an upgrade, and they might differ depending on your system set-up, but the general principles should be the same.

1. Download the RAID drivers for your motherboard from the manufacturer's website and save them to a memory stick.
2. Back up all your important data!
3. Turn your PC off and unplug it.
4. Install 2 hard disks preferably with identically capacity into your PC.
5. Turn on your PC, press the delete key or F2 key when prompted to get to the BIOS menu.
6. Find the option to select the RAID mode, save your settings and exit BIOS.
7. On reboot you should see a new menu option to enter the RAID controller settings. Enter the key combination when prompted to get to the RAID controller menu.
8. Create a new RAID array selecting either RAID 0, or RAID 1.
9. Select the disks that will form the array, save the settings and exit.
10. On reboot press the delete key or F2 key when prompted to get to the BIOS menu.
11. Check the boot sequence of your PC and ensure your optical drive is top of the list.
12. Insert your Windows 7 disk into the optical drive and exit the BIOS.
13. On reboot press any key when prompted to boot from the optical drive.
14. Windows 7 should start installing.
15. Select your localisation settings and click next.
16. Click "repair your computer" and click the "load drivers" button.
17. Insert your memory stick and browse to the correct driver and install.
18. Exit back to the Windows 7 install menu click "Install now" and on the next screen click "Custom (advanced)" to perform a clean install.
19. When you are asked where you want to install Windows 7 you should see that the 2 RAID hard disks are now visible as just 1 drive.
20. Add a partition to the new drive so Windows with be able to recognise it.
21. Continue installing Windows as normal.

Suggest you enter the bios and make a setting change. Open the manual to page 2-24.
The M1573 RAID function set this to [Disabled].
(This will stop the bios from loading the RAID controller.)
See boot menu page 2-31 section 2.6
Set section 2.6.1 Boot device priority as shown.
(The drive with windows installation on it should be in the boot order).
You can also unplug either the data cable or power cable of the slave drive to assure it does not boot. If you still receive a blue screen with the primary drive suggest you re-install windows or boot to the windows CD and create a new partition within the free space of the primary drive. Install windows complete including updating. When finished you'll be able to copy you're data to the new windows. Use windows disk manger program (diskmgmt.msc) in the run window to delete the old windows partition.
Some programs will need to be reinstalled.
Link to Asus; http://www.asus.com/Search.aspx?SearchKey=P5RD1-VM

Cheers'
Mike

If the well meaning teenager took a non-raid configuration and created a RAID array, then any data on the drives was destroyed.

If you reply with the RAID array and HDD status information from the boot screen (THE intel Raid Controller will report the status of the array, degraded, normal or Failed and the status of each HDD member or non-member disk.) With that information I MAY be able to assist in getting the system to boot

Hi m_k_bishop,
You must connect the CD-RW drive to the Secondary IDE connector on your board.
It can not be connected to the Primary IDE port.
(All SATA drives are seen as master drives in the bios).
With that in mind there shouldn't be any data cable connected to the Primary IDE slot.
When you first load the Bios menu screen you should see your CD-RW listed & you should see your SATA drive listed. Go to the title, " BOOT " in your bios.
(If your system has a floppy disk drive connected your Boot menu should read as follows);

First boot device [Floppy Disk]
Second boot device [Your CD-RW drive]
Third boot device [Your SATA drive as shown from the main menu]
No need for a fourth device.

Save the bios & exit. The system will auto restart.

(At boot up re-enter your bios).
Next change the [RAID Mode] to SATA or Enabled anything but RAID.
Once completed save & exit the bios. If everything is connected correctly & you made the changes above your system should see your SATA drive & windows should install.
(Load the windows CD into your CD-RW drive).
The Asus manual lacks the proper information needed for you to make the correct setting changes in the bios.

Good luck m_k_bishop!
Post back if still have trouble... You shouldn't!
Mike

Your NUMBER 1 ENEMY when doing multiple drives in a single case is HEAT!!!! Make 100% sure those drives are COOL!!! if not you will continue to have issues.

Not a lot of details, but here is some basic information, assuming you have a Dell with Integrated RAID

Dimension 9150/9200 and XPS systems have RAID, depending on the model the exact troubleshooting differs. At boot, after the Dell screen, you should get the RAID status listing. RAID 0 will either be normal or failed. Raid 1 can be normal, degraded for failed.

If the RAID array was RAID 0 and one of the drives failed, then all data is lost and you'll have to create a new array then reinstall Windows and drivers

If the RAID array was RAID 1, then you may need to add the new drive to the Array, CNTL+I or CNTL+N at boot (Depending on the system model) add the new drive to the array and reboot. If the system still will not boot to Windows, then you may have a software error too with the OS.

If during troubleshooting, the array was broken in the RAID BIOS, then the array will need to be recreated and Windows/Drivers reinstalled.

hi, you need not have to upgrade the BIOS,, set the SATA HD on the IDE channel in the BIOS, or what options r avilable for SATA controller, if it is set to RAID, you will need a raid utility to format the SATA, or it wont shoe in windows, let ,e know

This maybe a case of a bad boot sector on the hard drive. On boot up try pressing F8 to get you in safe mode, right click on your 'C' drive>properties>tools>error check. and let it do a disk check. If unable to get in safe mode you will need a copy of Windows to enable you to do a repair by setting your pc to boot from cd in the bios and will ask you to press enter to boot with cd. When Windows has installed all set up files, press 'R' for repair and 'NOT ENTER' as this will install windows again formatting the drive. When prompted press enter when it asks for admin password(as there won't be one). Look down the list for 'Repair MBR', press enter and also 'SCANNOW' as this will scan your drive for errors, press enter. Good luck Your