P67A-UD5-B3 can't enter RAID BIOS setup utility

[rc4ester]

I'm not very experienced with RAID, but I have been following the manual to try to set it up.   I have an SSD on port 1 sata 3 and BDROM port 2 sata 3.   Ports 4 and 5 I have two hitachi 3tb drives that I'd like to put in RAID 0.  I'm installing the os on the SSD.   Here is what I have tried. 

1) loading windows 7 64bit and updating the bios to latest version
2) in the bios under integrated peripherals --> PCH Sata Control Mode..  I set the value to RAID(XHD)
3) Save the bios and exit
4) it looks to load up the RAID BIOS, but never presents to me the CTRL-I option

Also if I have it in RAID (XHD) mode, windows does not recognize the hard drives.  How can I get my RAID configured?

[Dark Mantis]

Hi and welcome to the Gigabyte Forum.

Have you made sure that you have all the chipset drivers installed properly ?

[rc4ester]

Thank you Dark Mantis! 

Yes, I have installed the Xpress Install which has the Intel Raid Storage Technology drivers.  Is there something else that needs to be installed?

[Dark Mantis]

I take it form your answer that you installed all the drivers etc off the supplied CD. If so this is not  a good idea as they are almost always out of date. You need to got o the website and download and install the latst drivers for your motherboard.

Also I expect you installed all the bundled software at the same time then. If so I would uninstall it unless there is something that you particularly want to keep.

[rc4ester]

Well, I have re-installed windows and downloaded the necessary drivers from Gigabyte.    I am now able to see my 3TB drives in windows, but when I try to use the XHD utility to create a RAID 0 array,  it says that "IRST is not being detected".   I the Intel SATA RAID Driver installed at level 10.5.0.1015 and it's saying it requires at level 9 or higher.  Even when I look inside the device manager it has the correct driver level and says it's working properly.  I am not sure what the problem is for that.   

When I reboot before the OS loads,  I am still not getting the option of CTRL-I to enter the BIOS setup utility.   Any other suggestions?

[Lsdmeasap]

Do not use XHD Setting, set the BIOS like this

eXtreme Hard Drive  ........................Disabled/Auto
PCH SATA Control Mode ..................... RAID
SATA Port0-3 Native Mode ( ............. Enabled

Then on the AHCI BIOS/RAID Screen, right before the IRQ Screen during post, hit Control + I to enter the Intel RAID ROM.

You should also connect your drives like this, sorry if I missed one I just used what you mentioned.

SATA3_0 for your OS

SATA2_2+3 for your RAID disks

BDROM on SATA2_4 or 5

Setup this RAID array after you have the Operating system installed, but use the settings I mention above now, just leave the RAID Disks alone until later.   Once you have the OS installed then you can reboot and create your array, or create it in windows after installing the RST program.  You will have to use GPT partitions instead of MBR for partitions larger than 2TB

[rc4ester]

Thanks for the information... I set it up as you described, but I am unable to use ctrl-I option... The message doesnt appear and if I try ctrl-I it doesn't do anything.   I've also tried setting up in windows, but I am not getting any options in the intel control center or XHD.   It has all the latest drivers from gigabyte.com.. I'm not sure what else to do?

[Lsdmeasap]

First, uninstall XHD program and forget about it 

Second, have you initialized the disks in device manager yet?  They may need initialized in disk management before you can use them in any way.

The Control + I option will appear on the AHCI BIOS screen, right before the IRQ Screens, and should appear anytime you have RAID enabled in the BIOS even if no disks are connected.   So I am not sure you are looking in the right place for the Control + I option, because it's always there no matter what once you enable RAID>

[Dark Mantis]

Disable the Full Screen Logo in the BIOS.