GA-Z170X-Gaming 7,NVMe SSD disappears when switching SATA-mode from AHCI to RAID

[Reservoirdog]

Already posted in http://forum.giga-byte.co.uk/index.php?topic=16678.msg98567#msg98567 but i thought
i would open a new thread, though problems are similar.

-Upgraded hardware to GA-Z170X-Gaming7 and Intel i7-6700k
-Got a working install of Win10 on a SATA-SSD (this one works in both BIOS-SATA-Modes, AHCI and RAID)
-Got a new Samsung Pro950 NVMe SSD, and cloned my Win10 install on the new one using Acronis
and after problems with that I successfully used Samsung Data Migration Tool
-NVMe SSD works great and boots as long as BIOS-SATA-Mode is AHCI
-Got 2 WD-Black which i used as a RAID-1 before, so I want to switch back to BIOS-SATA-Mode "RAID"
-When I switch SATA-Mode to RAID the NVMe-SSD disappears in BIOS and thus i cannot boot from it anymore.
Switching back to AHCI, everything is fine.

why is the nvm-ssd disappearing when switching to RAID, but the old SATA-SSD does both?
is this a problem related to the Gigabyte-Board/Bios?

[dmdilks]

I might be wrong but I have been doing this for 30 yrs. You can't use both at the same time as far as I know. See the thing is when you clone the drive it sounds like you didn't have the array drives activate did you?

Again I will say this there is really no performance difference between the AHCI controller and the Raid controller. In the bios you can only choose one at a time

SATA Mode Selection
Enables or disables RAID for the SATA controllers integrated in the Chipset or configures the SATA controllers
to AHCI mode.

RAID - Enables RAID for the SATA controller.
AHCI - Configures the SATA controllers to AHCI mode. Advanced Host Controller Interface (AHCI)
is an interface specification that allows the storage driver to enable advanced Serial ATA
features such as Native Command Queuing and hot plug. (Default)

[Reservoirdog]

thx for your answer,
i don't want to use "both at the same time"...
I just don't get why my nvm-ssd disappears when switching SATA-Mode to RAID.
All the other devices (hdd's and SATA-SSD) work/display in both modes, AHCI and RAID.
The nvm-ssd only shows up when SATA-Mode is configured to AHCI.
I think it has to be related to MBR vs. GPT, as well as true UEFI or not...
Will try to install Win10 on nvm-ssd when SATA-Mode is configured to RAID. (Install with GPT and UEFI)

[dmdilks]

  i don't want to use "both at the same time"...

That is right you can't run both at the same time. When I set my M2 drive up on a X99 board. I set it up using the Raid controller. I even disconnected all of the drives other the DVD & M2. Because I did want a dual boot.

I want to use the F12 key to choose which OS I want to boot too. Once I got windows 10 installed then I connected all the drives again. Now when it boots the M2 shows up on the Raid screen with the other drives.

What I'm trying to say to you & the OP. That when you install the windows on the M2. You didn't have it set Raid it was set to AHCI. The m2 drive is on the AHCI and the other one is on the Raid controller.

It has to be either AHCI or Raid not both. The two controllers do not work together. If you want a Raid setup then everything has to be on that controller.

Plus I haven't try this yet. You might only be able to use the UEFI DVD or UEFI USB to install it. If you are using two different OS you might not be to use the Windows 8/10 feature

Now if you are only installing windows 10 then yes set it up to the Windows 8/10 feature. Boot to the UEFI DVD or USB. With the Sata controller set to Raid.

Now over on the other thread where shadowsports is trying to do for you. Is see if you can change it from AHCI to Raid in safe mode. That is with out having to install windows again.

This is right from the book:
When installing different types of M.2 SSDs (including SATA SSDs, PCIe x4 SSDs, and PCIe x2 SSDs), be
sure to refer to the supported configurations in the tables below according to the operating mode of your
SATA controller (AHCI mode or RAID mode).

[Reservoirdog]

thx for your reply,

What I'm trying to say to you & the OP. That when you install the windows on the M2. You didn't have it set Raid it was set to AHCI. The m2 drive is on the AHCI and the other one is on the Raid controller.

You are probably right, my last system (from which my Windows-Install comes from) had two discrete controllers.
one which i used for ssd (AHCI I assume), and one which i used for my HDD-RAID (RAID-Mode of course).

But that doesn't explain, why my SATA-SSD (not the new nvm) shows up and works using both modes (AHCI/RAID).
the new nvm (which got the windows cloned from the SATA-SSD) only works (shows up) in AHCI.

my next try will be to set SATA-MODE to RAID and install Win10 freshly using GPT and UEFI.
If this works, and i can boot from it, i will configure my HDD-RAID again. that's why i cannot live with
AHCI, I have to get up my HDD-RAID again...

all these problems aside, how about the CSM-setting?
Have you had it enabled or disabled when you installed Win10 on SSD?

[dmdilks]

Boot Option Priorities
Specifies the overall boot order from the available devices. Removable storage devices that support GPT format will be prefixed with "UEFI:" string on the boot device list.
To boot from an operating system that supports GPT partitioning, select the device prefixed with "UEFI:" string.
Or if you want to install an operating system that supports GPT partitioning such as Windows 7 64-bit, select the optical drive that contains the Windows 7 64-bit installation disk and is prefixed with "UEFI:" string

You want to boot up on the UEFI DVD or USB

Windows 8/10 Features
Allows you to select the operating system to be installed. (Default: Other OS)

You want this set to wondows 8/10



You want this disabled but this one really doesn't matter unless you want everything UEFI.

CSM Support
Enables or disables UEFI CSM (Compatibility Support Module) to support a legacy PC boot process.
Enabled Enables UEFI CSM. (Default)
Disabled Disables UEFI CSM and supports UEFI BIOS boot process only.
This item is configurable only when Windows 8/10 Features is set to Windows 8/10 or Windows 8/10 WHQL.

[Reservoirdog]

thx for your hints,
Update: I tried installing Win10 while having SATA-Mode set to "RAID"
result: NVMe SSD not visible in Windows Setup
so, having SATA-Mode set to "RAID" disables my NVMe SSD.

What's going on?
Only thing i didn't try, was to unplug all the other drives... but, seriously, wtf?
Samsung 950 pro only works in AHCI mode?
How did people get a RAID0 from 2x 950 Pro's?
I don't get it...

[dmdilks]

Go to your book and in chapter 3 page 67 it will tell you how to do it. Follow what they tell you and it should work.

[Reservoirdog]

Go to your book and in chapter 3 page 67 it will tell you how to do it. Follow what they tell you and it should work.

You got to be kidding in thinking i haven't read this chapter...
creating a RAID of my HDDs isn't the problem, my problem is
the NVMe SSD disappearing when switching to RAID-Controller-Mode..
Also, technically, the SATA-mode-setting should have nothing to do with
the SSD, because the SSD uses an own interface, NVMe!
Anyone out there, who runs a single 950pro on a z170x gaming with SATA-Mode = RAID?

[Reservoirdog]

Copy and Paste from the other Thread:

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

[dmdilks]

I just setup my board and had no problems at all. The drive doesn't show up in boot option, but it does in the list of sata drive. I have mine set to raid too. I have the Z170x gaming 3.

Boot from the UEFI DVD, Set it windows 8/10, didn't touch the CSM, set the storage to UEFI, & set the Sata controller to Raid. I'm still say it has to do with the NVMe dirve. I'm using a Crucial MX200 M.2 Type 2280SS (Single Sided) 250GB SATA.