SSD plus RAID1 Gigabyte Z170XP Help please

[andyc34]

I have Windows installed on a SSD SATA drive. BIOS SATA option is set to ACHI mode.

I now have 2 SATA hard drives to create a rais1 array to keep all my data on.

I wish to keep the SSD drive with windows on it's own, and have a RAID1 array for data on the same system.

I used Ctrl+I, created a raid array, changed the SATA bios option to RAID, but then my system refuses to boot.
My SATA SSD drive is not in the boot drive options list.

I have reverted to BIOS Setting ACHI so I can boot up again.

What do I need to do to get the SSD and a Raid array working please..

[dmdilks]

The AHCI & Raid are basically the same controller but they are different. What you have to do is install windows using the raid controller. You could PM shadowsports and he would know what to do. http://forum.giga-byte.co.uk/index.php?action=profile;u=132428

[shadowsports]

Hey Guys,

Andyc34
Implementation on this board.
Z170x controller supports AHCI or RAID.  It does not support "mixed" mode at BIOS level which means you cannot switch the operate mode of the controller and boot normally.  Since windows vista, drivers other than the controllers active operate mode set at install are automatically disabled.  In vista, the fix was to reinstall.  When 7 was released, MS addressed the issue allowing users to switch from IDE to AHCI to support native SATA which was becoming mainstream.  I've read that the change can be made in windows 8 and 10 using msconfig and enabling Safe Boot (checkbox) on Boot tab.  Restart, enter BIOS, change operate mode to RAID, save.  The driver is changed when you boot into SAFE mode.  Confirming this, you then, uncheck the SAFE boot box and restart.  I strongly recommend making a back up of your system before attempting this. 

In RAID mode, only the disks connected to SATA3_1~4 and marked as RAID members in the RAID Configuration Utility (CTRL+I) will operate as RAID.  Single disks will operate in AHCI mode as standalones since they are not array members.  Hope this helps with your issue.     

[Reservoirdog]

did this work for you Andyc34?
i am asking, because i have the same problem/situation...
how can i boot in safe mode, if my bios doesn't see my SSD when switching to RAID mode?

[dmdilks]

did this work for you Andyc34?
i am asking, because i have the same problem/situation...
how can i boot in safe mode, if my bios doesn't see my SSD when switching to RAID mode?

Sorry you can't run both at the same time. If you make it Raid you will still get the performance out of your SSD as if you were running AHCI. Even if you run two different OS like I do you have to run either AHCI or Raid. I run mine in Raid.

[Reservoirdog]

thx for your answer, but that wasn`t my question...
currently, i can only use my nvme-SSD with Windows on it in AHCI-Mode, when i switch SATA-Mode in BIOS
i cannot select the SSD for booting. shadowsports pointed to a possible solution to this:
set windows to boot in safe mode while switching in bios to RAID-mode.
My question: How does the Bios know, that Windows is set to "Safe-mode" in order to make my SSD
available to boot using RAID-mode.

edit: tried it few minutes ago.
in the moment i change SATA-mode in BIOS, my nvme-ssd (Samsung 950pro) isn't visible anymore (thus i cannot boot from it), is that a Gigabyte-problem? I heard of people using 2 nvme SSDs in RAID, so i think this should be possible. what am i doing wrong?

[shadowsports]

Greetings,
Chris, I received your PM.  Your situation is a little different than andyc34's.  He was running 2 SATA disks connected to standard SATA ports.  Yours is a 950.  I'm fairly confident now after working with several different m.2 drives on various boards/chipsets from different manufactures that implementation of nvme isn't the same as standard SATA.  This is likely why (and I haven't tested this yet) switching the operate mode doesn't work for these drives.  You'd think it would work since its the same bus, but many of them won't detect unless you install as UEFI.  You then have the option of MBR or GPT, but still need the UEFI option for windows to "see" the thing connected to the controller.  I'm waiting on a HP Zbook that I plan to put a m.2 in.  One of my colleagues hasn't been able to get it to POST with the m.2 attached.  I think we got a Samsung 951 for it.  He was going to update the BIOS this weekend and tell me what happens.  My Z97 is only x2 and my RAID is 850 Pro's.  I don't have a system to test this theory with I'm afraid.  Your attempt was helpful however.     I don't think this is Gigabyte specific.  I've seen this on z97 and X99's on Asus as well. 

[Effetredici]

thx for your answer, but that wasn`t my question...
currently, i can only use my nvme-SSD with Windows on it in AHCI-Mode, when i switch SATA-Mode in BIOS
i cannot select the SSD for booting. shadowsports pointed to a possible solution to this:
set windows to boot in safe mode while switching in bios to RAID-mode.
My question: How does the Bios know, that Windows is set to "Safe-mode" in order to make my SSD
available to boot using RAID-mode.

edit: tried it few minutes ago.
in the moment i change SATA-mode in BIOS, my nvme-ssd (Samsung 950pro) isn't visible anymore (thus i cannot boot from it), is that a Gigabyte-problem? I heard of people using 2 nvme SSDs in RAID, so i think this should be possible. what am i doing wrong?

Hi, i have the same problem in my system (GA-Z170X-UD3 firmware F4 + Samsung SSD 950PRO). When I change the SATA mode in BIOS I can not find the SSD.

[Reservoirdog]

So, we are two now...
I will try to have SATA-Mode in "RAID" mode, and do a fresh UEFI Win10 install
on the nvme-ssd. I think our problem has sth. to do with MBR vs GPT and UEFI vs. non-UEFI...

[Reservoirdog]

little Update:
I tried to do a fresh install of Win10 (SATA-Mode set to RAID), and what a surprise,
the 950Pro NVM SSD wasn't found in Windows Setup...
So, NVMe only in AHCI mode? Are these Gigabyte-guys kidding?

[shadowsports]

Chris,
Was your boot (install) media designated as UEFI?  Either as UEFI:USB Win10xxx or UEFI:DVDxxx (just examples)?   

[Reservoirdog]

Yep, it was... UEFI USB Stick...
Still, Windows Setup didn't see the NVMe SSD, even after giving Setup the
Samsung NVMe driver seperately...
Made the cross-check and switched to AHCI-Mode, no problems...could have installed to NVMe SSD.
Today I gonna try changing MBR to GPT partition schema on the NVMe SSD, maybe this will change anything.

Otherwise I'm lost, I tried all possible BIOS-changes (CSM enabled/disabled, several UEFI settings etc.).
Changing SATA-Mode to RAID, and NVMe SSD is gone...

[dmdilks]

Have been do some reading on this. Plus I don't know if you tried this or it will help. I found this in one of the forums.

If CSM is enabled, you must set Launch Storage OpROM Policy to UEFI Only to allow booting from a PCIe M.2 drive, or RAID array. (Storage Boot Option Control)

[Reservoirdog]

Thx, but I finally worked it out...Whootwhoot...
so, SATA-Mode = RAID, CSM disabled (all "legacy" options disappear).
Boot with UEFI-USB-Stick, and in Windows Setup:
Load Intel RST 14.7 x64 RAID Drivers via USB-Stick. Finally NVMe SSD appears, and your are able to
install to it.
I don't think it will work for people, who don't want to re-install Windows.
So, I don't think there is any SW out there, which can clone an old
install of windows on a NVMe SSD in GPT and with creating the necessary UEFI Boot-Code.

Having these settings set in BIOS/UEFI, I could then build my HDD-RAID Volume using
the section "Intel RAPID STORAGE RAID" which only appears, when having OS-Type set to Windows8/10 and
CSM disabled.

Many things i learned, coming from an "easy" Z77X Board...
will have a beer now, cheers and best regards

[Effetredici]

Thx, but I finally worked it out...Whootwhoot...
so, SATA-Mode = RAID, CSM disabled (all "legacy" options disappear).
Boot with UEFI-USB-Stick, and in Windows Setup:
Load Intel RST 14.7 x64 RAID Drivers via USB-Stick. Finally NVMe SSD appears, and your are able to
install to it.
I don't think it will work for people, who don't want to re-install Windows.
So, I don't think there is any SW out there, which can clone an old
install of windows on a NVMe SSD in GPT and with creating the necessary UEFI Boot-Code.

Having these settings set in BIOS/UEFI, I could then build my HDD-RAID Volume using
the section "Intel RAPID STORAGE RAID" which only appears, when having OS-Type set to Windows8/10 and
CSM disabled.

Many things i learned, coming from an "easy" Z77X Board...
will have a beer now, cheers and best regards

Thank you !! Be careful, you can not install the samsung' driver. Even the magician software ver. 4.9 does not see the hard disk.