Help installing raid 0 using Samsung 850 EVO SSDs on Dell XPS 8300

jimbo45 said:

Hi there

It's not so easy as that -- since in order to BOOT the RAID device the BIOS setup needs in the RAID controller to be able to set one of my devices as a bootable device.

Si as I said in some cases you need to set up the HARDWARE RAID first - done as part of the BIOS setup menu normally-- otherwise you can't boot from your RAID devices.

Once the RAID controller recognises the boot device then the driver can be integrated into Windows so it's available at normal Windows Boot.

BTW the bootable edition of Free macrium (stand alone boot recovery system) can load RAID drivers so Macrium is fine for backup / restore.

Like all these things it's a question of what hardware controller you have -- also \I don't really like things like nlite --was fine for XP and Vista days but Windows 10 is a bit different.

Cheers
jimbo

I don't use Nlite normally either but in this case it was necessary to install Windows 10 with the correct Driver for my ICH10R as if you try to manually downgrade the Win10 Built in Driver , you get a BSOD and can no longer Boot Win10 , which means a reinstall of Win10 and again the same issue over and over , I tried this 3 times with different drivers before learning of the issue with the ICH9/10 Chips at the WinRaid Forums.

[Guide] Integration of drivers into a Win7/8/10 image

KB

Gshep,

It sounds like you're missing a critical step here: You need to create the RAID-0 volume.

My steps for this entire operation would be:
0. Download latest Intel storage drivers. Install them, and also extract the driver files to a USB thumb drive (Just in case you need them for a full install of Windows. *Slipstreaming takes more time to do than it does to simply manually load them in during installation.*)
1. Create backup
2. Verify backup
3. Re-verify backup
4. Create backup disaster recovery disc
5. Reboot system
6. Enter system bios and set SATA to RAID mode
7. Save & Reboot bios
8. Enter raid bios (this is often a separate bios from the system bios. It depends on your motherboard.)
9. Create RAID-0 array from SSD's (at this point, all data on both SSD's will be destroyed !!)
10. Reboot, and use your disaster recovery media to install to your newly created 1 TB RAID-0 volume
11. Once the restore is completed, reboot into your OS
12. From Windows: right-click Computer > Manage > Disk Management > right-click C: > Extend Volume > Extend to the maximum size it will permit.

It sounds like Steps 8 & 9 are what you missed.

Steps 10 - 12 allow you to restore from backup without wasting time doing a fresh install of Windows. If, for some reason, you had desired a fresh install of Windows, then replace steps 10 - 12 with steps necessary to install Windows. At this point, you'll be happy to have your USB thumb drive with Intel drivers on it.

If all goes well, you can restore your OS from backup to your new RAID-0 volume, and then simply grow the ~500 GB partition into a ~ 1 TB partition.

That is another way to do it ( though I am not sure he has the two SSD's installed yet?) especially if you want/need to convert the Disks to GPT at the same time , I had to do this recently too, I used Macrium Reflect to get Win10 .1670 installed, on one of my computer's.

see here :

Solved Small Wrinkle in Anniversary Update....MBR Disk - Windows 10 Forums


*** Raid is built Into Win 10 for many Raid Controllers , Intel in particular, so there is no need usually to slipstream drivers any longer unless you are on OLD Raid Chipsets.

ltwally said:

Gshep,

It sounds like you're missing a critical step here: You need to create the RAID-0 volume.

My steps for this entire operation would be:
0. Download latest Intel storage drivers. Install them, and also extract the driver files to a USB thumb drive (Just in case you need them for a full install of Windows. *Slipstreaming takes more time to do than it does to simply manually load them in during installation.*)
1. Create backup
2. Verify backup
3. Re-verify backup
4. Create backup disaster recovery disc
5. Reboot system
6. Enter system bios and set SATA to RAID mode
7. Save & Reboot bios
8. Enter raid bios (this is often a separate bios from the system bios. It depends on your motherboard.)
9. Create RAID-0 array from SSD's (at this point, all data on both SSD's will be destroyed !!)
10. Reboot, and use your disaster recovery media to install to your newly created 1 TB RAID-0 volume
11. Once the restore is completed, reboot into your OS
12. From Windows: right-click Computer > Manage > Disk Management > right-click C: > Extend Volume > Extend to the maximum size it will permit.

It sounds like Steps 8 & 9 are what you missed.

Steps 10 - 12 allow you to restore from backup without wasting time doing a fresh install of Windows. If, for some reason, you had desired a fresh install of Windows, then replace steps 10 - 12 with steps necessary to install Windows. At this point, you'll be happy to have your USB thumb drive with Intel drivers on it.

If all goes well, you can restore your OS from backup to your new RAID-0 volume, and then simply grow the ~500 GB partition into a ~ 1 TB partition.

Hi there

In the RAID setup check whether there's an option to set one of the arrays as a bootable device.

If you don't want to use 2 X SSD as a single logical volume - set both up as RAID 0 as INDIVIDUAL logical volumes -- should work fine IMO --but only set one as a bootable device in the RAID setup.

If you could post some pics of the BIOS RAID setup then that would be very helpful if you have any more problems.

RAID itself works fine if controllers initialized properly -- and again the problem with installing AFTER a windows install is that you need to ensure that the HDD's are seen in Windows as their correct configuration when windows goes through its setup. If you start installing Windows BEFORE initialising the RAID configuration you will just see a JBOD ("Just a Bunch of Disks") or even no HDD's at all !!!..

Again it really depends on your hardware controller of course.

GPT or MBR is based purely on Windows file systems --nothing to do with the RAID setup - you can set either GPT or MBR depending on your preference and HDD hardware - but that's got absolotely nothing to do with RAID

For example here on a Linux system I have the following seen by the OS

2 Logical volumes - 9 and 7 TB -- XFS file system --doesn't need GPT or whatever -- so there's nothing in HARDWARE that requires GPT / MBR but just the Windows (rather old-fashioned and increasingly archaic file systems of FAT / NTFS). these are 2 arrays of 2 HDD's each. (/dev/sdb and dev/sdc)

1 logical volume =- SSD as bootable device - 256 GB (/dev/sda)

(For linux users -- install package system-storage-manager -- although designed for LVM it gives a much better readout of what you've mounted etc, As ROOT run command ssm list from a konsole).



Cheers
jimbo

Kbird said:

there is no need for that ........ and no data is lost ... if you use the Intel RST Software in Windows...... if the drives are of equal size ....which they are in this case, it's fairly easy, you can also set the Stripe size etc (64K) while doing it . In my case the 2 SSD's aren't even the same brand ..a Crucial M4 and a Plextor M5 both at 128GB though.

Certainly it may have been easier for me as I already had Raid Enabled , as I have a Raid0 Data Array too , I am using RST Driver and Software Package 11.7.4.1001 , since Drivers in the 13 series Corrupt Data in Windows 10 on the ICH10R.

Personally , on this old machine as it is only SATA2 capable It didn't double the speed in AS SSD Benchmark but it certainly looks like it helps in some areas but I am no expert on this.

Happy to post more if you still need help.....

KB

I'm thinking I'll 50% improvement with a raid 0.

GShep said:

I'm thinking I'll 50% improvement with a raid 0.

I saw improvement , so I think you will too just not as much as the SSD's would allow if on SATA3 , assuming you have ICH10R like I think?

KB

KBird,

I would very much appreciate your reading my plan.

1. Build ISO image with Raid drivers. Write onto thumb drive.
2. Run backup and store backup saveset a couple places outside the system partition.
3.Boot and turn on Raid option in BIOS
4. run setup from ISO. <--- seems like I'm missing a step between 3 & 4.
5. check to see if raid volume exists. If so restore system partition to it.

Thanks,

GShep

Seems good but yes a few Missing items..... and slightly different than me as you are saving existing Data and installing Raid at the same time. I am assuming you have the ICH10R like me ? you did not confirm this fact but........

- Read how I did it a few weeks ago it in my earlier link with TopGun's instructions so you end up with your existing Data on C : but the GPT partitions created properly (familiarization)

- make Full C Drive Backup set with Macrium before proceeding with anything !

- Use Win10 1607 Nlite ISO to do a Inplace Upgrade of Win10 , this should replace the Intel RST Driver with Version 11.2.0.1006 which you integrated into Nlite. Intergrate boot AHCI and RAID Drivers and customise the Boot.wim per that Tutorial too, + creating ISO is not optional here.

the Inplace Tut. here on Win10Forums:

Repair Install Windows 10 with an In-place Upgrade - Windows 10 Forums

- ***check RST Driver Version in Windows

-add extra SSD if not installed yet (use intel ports 0 and port 1 for 2 SSD's)

-Make Bootable NEW FULL Backup Set Disk ie Rescue CD for Macrium Reflect. AND test it, be familiar with the processes using it

-Create a Raid 0 Array with the two SSD's via the Ctrl-I boot menu - use 64KB Stripe for OS Array's
this should/will destroy all Data on the SSD's ,so no going back , you did backup right?.

-On reboot set Bios to boot from USB Key 1st if needed

-Reboot >Ctrl I > check Array is seen as "Normal"

-Reboot and USE THE MACRIUM BOOTDISK to Restore the Nlite Image of C Drive ONLY when that is done you must run Fix Windows Boot Problems from the Menu , it should find C and then reset the Boot order for you....Reboot with Fingers Crossed :)

Hopefully no missed steps above ...but check driver version after doing InPlace Upgrade with Saving your Data Option.

ITWally instructions are much like mine but in your case with the ICH10R (?) you cannot and should not download the latest drivers and install them 1st nor should you try to install the 11.2.0.1006 Driver if a Driver above 12.5 is already in use , as this will likely lead to a BSOD at Boot and an inaccessible Boot Drive.

something weird is going on on the PM page so:

Thanks again for your help and patience. My current obstacle is determining the Intel series etc. Can you tell from the following:

Intel(R) 6 Series/C200 Series Chipset Family 6 Port SATA AHCI controller

Driver version: 9.2.1011

I need to determine the driver version to use.

Any help would be appreciated.

GShep

what is the actual Hardware ID though ? from earlier in the thread.....

Help installing raid 0 using Samsung 850 EVO SSDs on Dell XPS 8300 - Page 2 - Windows 10 Forums

It looks like the MB is using P67 or Z87 then ...ie 6 series.... (H67 from OP)

Possibly .......DEV_1C02 ?

Then like me 11.2 is the fastest according to WinRaid in Raid mode... but you need to do the Nlite Integration for that like me.

Intel RST v11.2.0.1006 WHQL (best performance) or Intel RST(e) v13.1.0.1058 WHQL (much newer)

Do you know what RAID Bios ( called an OROM) is installed on the MB ? , mine is in the 11 series so I wanted the 11 series Driver too for best performance. You should see it once Raid is enable in the bios ,either on the splash screen or via Ctrl-I

KB

Kbird said:

something weird is going on on the PM page so:



what is the actual Hardware ID though ? from earlier in the thread.....

Help installing raid 0 using Samsung 850 EVO SSDs on Dell XPS 8300 - Page 2 - Windows 10 Forums

It looks like the MB is using P67 or Z87 then ...ie 6 series.... (H67 from OP)

Possibly .......DEV_1C02 ?

Then like me 11.2 is the fastest according to WinRaid in Raid mode... but you need to do the Nlite Integration for that like me.

Intel RST v11.2.0.1006 WHQL (best performance) or Intel RST(e) v13.1.0.1058 WHQL (much newer)

Do you know what RAID Bios ( called an OROM) is installed on the MB ? , mine is in the 11 series so I wanted the 11 series Driver too for best performance. You should see it once Raid is enable in the bios ,either on the splash screen or via Ctrl-I

KB

So you are on Driver 9.2 in win10 now? , that is the original MB Driver i Believe so I guess you didn't update it.... normally win10 installs version 13.1.xxxx automatically, so perhaps you are in luck and can just install 11.2 without the Nlite....