Need help setting up RAID 0 ! ):

[ThatsMyFavourite]

Hi everyone,

 

So I just recently got a second 840 Pro 128 GB to go with the single one I have now, and I'd like to RAID 0 them. However, I've already installed Windows 8 onto the original SSD, and I read somewhere that to get a RAID array going, I need to reinstall Windows, so I've made a backup image already.

Here's the issue - I'm going through the User Guide included with my ASUS P8Z77-V Pro motherboard in an effort to get this RAID array setup, and its telling me to get into the Intel Rapid Storage Technology Option ROM Utility by pressing Ctrl + I at the POST screen, which I'm assuming is the ASUS screen I get when I boot up, that says Press Del or F2 to enter BIOS. However I've booted multiple times while pressing Ctrl + I to no avail, and I just go straight to my OS.

 

There must be something I'm missing here, and any help would be greatly appreciated - thanks.

 

[Elbstrand]

1. Go into your bios (Del or F2) and change the your sata mode to RAID.

2. After the next reboot continue with the steps you already had in mind.

[HEXiT]

yep set sata to raid in bios and reboot. then enter the raid setup menu that the motherboard offers you. also while in bios find and disable the flash screen logo. you will get more information on what your pc is doing at boot.

 

1s inside the drives will need to be made raw so you are gonna loose your o.s installation... the good thing is you can either migrate it off a hdd to the new raid setup after the raid is setup, or reinstall. a reinstall shouldn't take as long as your using ssd's so its not a big deal. just be aware if your o.s is oem you will only be allowed to install it 5 times before you will have to start phoning intel.

[ThatsMyFavourite]

I have my SATA mode set to RAID, but the Ctrl + I thing still does not work during POST.

 

also while in bios find and disable the flash screen logo. you will get more information on what your pc is doing at boot.

 

How would I go about doing that ? This would be from within the ASUS BIOS

[Elbstrand]

I have my SATA mode set to RAID, but the Ctrl + I thing still does not work during POST.

 

 

How would I go about doing that ? This would be from within the ASUS BIOS

 

its probably called "full screen logo" try the "boot" section in bios if there is one. Also check if you set sata mode to RAID on the right controller. As far as i can recall your mainboard got an intel one and an asmedia one. also remember to connect your ssds to the intel ports (the sata 3 kind) on your mainboard (should be the grey ones)

 

after reboot you should see first the post screen and then the intel raid screen (and after that probably again the post screen)

[ThatsMyFavourite]

So I've disabled the full screen logo, and now I get this American Megatrends screen when I boot up. As far as the SATA controller settings go, there was only one option to change its mode, and I changed it to RAID there, and the BIOS is listing my two SSDs as Port 0 and Port 1 (grey) so I think I've connected everything correctly. I tried pressing Ctrl + I at the American Megatrends screen, but was once again greeted by the Windows 8 load screen.

[ThatsMyFavourite]

I've now changed the POST screen to stay until I press ESC, and tried spamming Ctrl + I on that screen, hoping to get this Intel Utility thing to show up, and it doesn't.

[Elbstrand]

I've now changed the POST screen to stay until I press ESC, and tried spamming Ctrl + I on that screen, hoping to get this Intel Utility thing to show up, and it doesn't.

 

the intel bios utility should show up AFTER the regular post screen. like this:

 

[Elbstrand]

try to download&install the latest RST Software first onto your existing windows 8

https://downloadcenter.intel.com/Detail_Desc.aspx?agr=Y&ProdId=2101&DwnldID=22787

(SetupRST.exe)

Maybe your utility needs an update...

[ThatsMyFavourite]

Yeah I got Intel RST running in my system tray right now - I had it installed when I was reading up on the process of setting up a RAID array. I don't understand why it isn't working though

 

EDIT: Would uninstalling the program and then trying the key combination at POST fix it ?

[Elbstrand]

Yeah I got Intel RST running in my system tray right now - I had it installed when I was reading up on the process of setting up a RAID array. I don't understand why it isn't working though

 

EDIT: Would uninstalling the program and then trying the key combination at POST fix it ?

 

is your bios up to date? if not try to flash it to the newest version.

 

other than that take a look in the intel RST programm in windows and try to find out if it gives you the possibility to create a raid there...

 

 

PS. The key combination at post does nothing, only if you are actually inside the intel RST Rom utility, which should follow right after the post on itself, atleast it doest with my mainboard...

[Elbstrand]

 

this is what should appear for a brief time after the post screen

[ThatsMyFavourite]

Quick update: I updated my BIOS to 1905, which basically made it so that I can't boot into Windows once I change my SATA controller to RAID mode. This made me think that it would actually work, but I'm still not seeing a prompt or any mention of the Intel RST utility. I've also tried installing the latest Intel RST software and nothing has changed.

 

This is really frustrating.

[Elbstrand]

Did you disable "fast" boot?

 

Did you try to hold ctrl+i the entire time while booting?

[Elbstrand]

Quick update: I updated my BIOS to 1905, which basically made it so that I can't boot into Windows once I change my SATA controller to RAID mode.

 

sounds like a step in the right direction, did you try and change back to Ahci mode and then back again to Raid?

[ThatsMyFavourite]

Yeah I can boot back into WIndows if I change it to AHCI, otherwise I get a very long boot time in RAID mode, ending with a blue screen. However I'm STILL not getting this dumb Ctrl + I prompt thing. Is there a way I can like restore my motherboard to factory defaults or something? Because I feel like this utility doesn't exist on my machine.

[Elbstrand]

1. There is probably an option in the bios itself most likely on the last page.

One of the other options would be to remove the bios battery for a couple of minutes (the big round silver thing right under the first pcie x16 slot)

Also there should be something in your mainboard manual about "resetting cmos".

[ThatsMyFavourite]

Alright so that BIOS battery reset seemed to work, as I could change my SATA controller to RAID, and spamming Ctrl + I finally brought up the Intel utility, where I created my RAID0. I am now in the process of restoring my system using the image I created earlier, only for it to not boot again with a blue screen, as I think i forgot to add the RAID drivers. So I'm restoring it from the again, hopefully it'll boot this time. (fingers crossed)

[HEXiT]

first you should see the post screen the next screen should be drive detection. on the bottom of the screen you will see CTRL-I this is when you hit that key combo not on the first post screen where you enter bios.

you shouldnt need to add any raid drivers. if your using the hardware raid on your motherboard. as they are built into the the raid 0 handler on the motherboard.

its only when you run a soft raid you need the drivers. you will have to install them during the windows install or after you install windows and use it to set up a raid array.

we need the 0x000000 error and the error descriptor. to find out what the bsod was caused by.

[Lycr]

Alright so that BIOS battery reset seemed to work, as I could change my SATA controller to RAID, and spamming Ctrl + I finally brought up the Intel utility, where I created my RAID0. I am now in the process of restoring my system using the image I created earlier, only for it to not boot again with a blue screen, as I think i forgot to add the RAID drivers. So I'm restoring it from the again, hopefully it'll boot this time. (fingers crossed)

 

With booting into the RAID configuration utility, I found that it only worked with a specific CTRL key, the right one from memory. with your blue screen, you might find changing the SATA mode back to AHCI could fix that, in which case, you need to change the SATA mode within windows, or re-install the operating system. This is the procedure for Windows 7, but it does not seem to work for Windows 8 (Assuming you're running Win8).

 

When I installed my RAID 0, I backed up any critical data that I wanted//needed and re-installed the OS. Works a charm now, but I'm soon switching to RAID 5 for the redundancy.

 

Hope this helps somewhat.

[Elbstrand]

there is a key value in the registry that needs to be changed

 

in the key "HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Services\iaStorV"

set "Start" from 3 to 0

[Elbstrand]

there is a key value in the registry that needs to be changed

 

in the key "HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Services\iaStorV"

set "Start" from 3 to 0

 

(do it before you set raid in bios)

[ThatsMyFavourite]

Well my RAID 0 is now up and running, after a long and hardfought battle. Sadly, I couldn't restore to my previous backup using Windows Image Recovery without it bluescreening when I booted, so I just reinstalled Windows 8 and moved over everything (turns out I can open the drives in WindowsImageBackup as virtual hard drives and take the files I need). Anyways, thanks for coming along for the ride, and I deeply appreciate all the help I've gotten from the community - thanks guys.

[Elbstrand]

Well my RAID 0 is now up and running, after a long and hardfought battle. Sadly, I couldn't restore to my previous backup using Windows Image Recovery without it bluescreening when I booted, so I just reinstalled Windows 8 and moved over everything (turns out I can open the drives in WindowsImageBackup as virtual hard drives and take the files I need). Anyways, thanks for coming along for the ride, and I deeply appreciate all the help I've gotten from the community - thanks guys.

 

Yeah its probably best that you made a fresh install. How is the Speed with your Raid 0 ? Btw don't setup "write back" in RST, "write trough" should be enough for cache. (Don't even know if you need it really)

[Elbstrand]

If you ever have a system crash and your raid 0 fails, take a look at this:

 

http://linustechtips.com/main/topic/17400-recovering-failed-intel-rst-raid0-after-bsod/