First time RAID configuration

[clappingcactus]

Hey all, having a problem that's probably obvious to someone who's done this before but is completely baffling me.

 

I'm on an ASUS Z170S motherboard. This past March I set it up with an m.2 SSD with AHCI mode enabled for PCH configuration in BIOS. Today I'm trying to setup a RAID server on the same computer with 4x4TB WD Reds. So I've installed all the hard drives (they're all receiving power - I have LED indicators) and are connected properly (BIOS sees them in SATA ports 2,3,4,5). I switched my PCH configuration mode from AHCI to RAID, went into the Intel Rapid Storage Technology Option ROM Utility and created my RAID5 array, selecting the correct drives (the utility sees the SSD but doesn't see it as part of the array). When I boot now, Windows fails to start off the SSD (citing failing to locate a boot drive). If I switch back to AHCI mode, it works again. 

 

I know that somewhere switching between AHCI and RAID is fucking up the settings of how the SATA ports are treated. Since when the m.2 slot is active, SATA port 1 is disabled. BUT, I have no idea how to get over the problem. Right now I either have a RAID array, or an SSD windows can boot from, but not both.

 

What setting am I missing and where?

[Electronics Wizardy]

Don't use motherboard raid. Use storage spaces in Windows instead. Mobile raid is using the cpu and has no advantages over software raid like storage spaces. Also I'd probably get non red drives as they only really help with hardware raid cards. 

[fjdhdhcyfhf]

try move the drive on sat2 to sata 6. i think my on board raid has the sata 1& 2 ports are one array and sata 3,4,5,6 on another array. I dont use hardware raid though because software raid is much easier & portable

[clappingcactus]

14 minutes ago, Electronics Wizardy said:

Don't use motherboard raid. Use storage spaces in Windows instead. Mobile raid is using the cpu and has no advantages over software raid like storage spaces. Also I'd probably get non red drives as they only really help with hardware raid cards. 

 

11 minutes ago, SCHISCHKA said:

try move the drive on sat2 to sata 6. i think my on board raid has the sata 1& 2 ports are one array and sata 3,4,5,6 on another array. I dont use hardware raid though because software raid is much easier & portable

Thanks to both of your very prompt responses.

 

I just tried your suggestion, SCHISHKA, connecting the drives as 3,4,5,6 did not change the behaviour. 

 

But since two out of two experts agree, I went back into RAID mode and deleted the array, now I'm back in Windows and ready to use software raid. Guess I have a lot of reading to do to catch up on my lacking knowledge.

 

I guess the closest option to RAID5 is Parity with ReFS?

[Electronics Wizardy]

1 minute ago, clappingcactus said:

 

Thanks to both of your very prompt responses.

 

I just tried your suggestion, SCHISHKA, connecting the drives as 3,4,5,6 did not change the behaviour. 

 

But since two out of two experts agree, I went back into RAID mode and deleted the array, now I'm back in Windows and ready to use software raid. Guess I have a lot of reading to do to catch up on my lacking knowledge.

 

I guess the closest option to RAID5 is Parity with ReFS?

Yep parity with refs is basically raid 5 with some advantages like data scrubbing.