RAID driver not seeing SSD drives on initial O/S install

Discussion in 'Hardware' started by jefflbi, Feb 16, 2015.

  1. jefflbi

    jefflbi Private First Class

    I just got a new ASUS 990 FX 2.0 MOBO and I'm trying to install Win7 Pro to a RAID 1 configuration I created in the ROM BIOS. My problem is that Win7 does not see my RAID config and loading a driver from the supplied ASUS support DVD does not see my drives either. I have followed the instructions in the manual. I set the ports to RAID. There are two types of SATA ports, 2 gray colored and 6 brown colored. The brown ports are set to RAID and I have my CDROM connected to a gray port. I originally had the CDROM plugged into a brown port (6) with ports 5-6 set to IDE as instructed in the manual, but either way my drives are still not being seen when I try to install Win7.

    The manual also says " You must use Windows XP Service Pack 3 or later versions before using Serial ATA hard disk drives. The Serial ATA RAID feature is available only if you are usuingWindows Xp SP3 or later versions.

    Now this is confusing because there are instructions on loading RAID drivers during an O/S install. I've seen a lot of posts on the internet about this issue, but no real solution. Someone said something about defining my hard drives as "Raid Ready" in the bios, but I have not seen that option in any sections of my BIOS, which I have updated to the latest version available.

    My only solution seems to just load Win7 to a single drive, which I can do, then use Windows Mirror, but I would really like to find an answer to the issue at hand.

    Thanks!
     
    jefflbi, Feb 16, 2015
    #1
  2. DavidGP

    DavidGP MajorGeeks Forum Administrator - Grand Pooh-Bah Staff Member

    Hi

    Just to recap on a few things, In the BIOS you have set SATA mode to RAID and save and exited?
    Only have the two SSDs you wish to RAID hooked up if you have any other HDD/SSDs in the PC unplug them for now.

    Then have you at POST, pressed CTRL+F to enter the RAID untility, as this is where you choose the drives you wish to add to a RAID Array and which type as in your case RAID1.

    In your manual its section 5-3
     
    DavidGP, Feb 17, 2015
    #2
  3. jefflbi

    jefflbi Private First Class

    Hello David,
    Thank you for responding. The answer to all your questions is yes. I followed the instructions in the manual to the letter. I also searched the internet and found that many other people are having the same issue. I did an online chat with Asus tech support and they recommended I return the mobo while it's still under warranty, that there is something wrong with the Legacy ROM BIOS. Whether I believe that or not, I don't know, but there is another issue as well. Other than the first boot of the day, every time I boot I get an error message telling me "CPU over voltage". I've changed nothing but the SATA ports in the bios. So I've decided to return the board. I generated an RMA last night and I'll send it out today.

    When I get the new board I will update this post as to whether or not I was able to get the RAID 1 configuration to work.

    Thanks again.
     
    jefflbi, Feb 17, 2015
    #3
  4. jefflbi

    jefflbi Private First Class

    Well I got my replacement mobo and I'm having the same issue. The Win7 install still doesn't see my drives when I have created a RAID1 in the ROM BIOS. I guess there is a limitation to this mobo, or just maybe it's SSDs?
     
    jefflbi, Feb 27, 2015
    #4
  5. DavidGP

    DavidGP MajorGeeks Forum Administrator - Grand Pooh-Bah Staff Member

    Could be a bit of both Jeff, is the BIOS latest version as mobo makers or suppliers dont tend to have latest BIOS by default, just the original?
     
    DavidGP, Feb 28, 2015
    #5
  6. DavidGP

    DavidGP MajorGeeks Forum Administrator - Grand Pooh-Bah Staff Member

    Hi

    Just thinking more on this and my setup as I have used SSDs for over 5yrs now, in that while I used to run RAID0 (fudge RAID but speeds up drive access) I find that RAID and SSDs are not really worth running, in your case while RAID1 is a back-up I would just use a large HDD to store an image file of your SSD OS drive instead, I use Acronis True Image (Free options and various other apps are available) as its the best option for me.

    This route allows you to keep multiple backup images of the same drive. just a thought if RAID1 is not going to work with this mobo, a bit poor if it doesnt.

    Other option is burn the Windows 7 ISO of files to a bootable USB (need at least an 6-8GB one) use this all HERE (I tend to always now install Windows via USB)to do this from an ISO, and then copy the RAID SATA drivers onto the pen drive in the root of the drive and then boot to USB to install and during the install choose install driver and see if that works.
     
    DavidGP, Feb 28, 2015
    #6
  7. jefflbi

    jefflbi Private First Class

    Hello David,
    I did upgrade the BIOS on the first mobo, and it didn't help. I appreciate all your suggestions, but I'll tell ya, I've spent so much time on this so far and have nothing but frustration to show for it. I just installed Win7 on a single drive and I'll just use Windows mirroring. On my current system, which I built 7½ yrs ago, I've never had to reinstall Windows due to a hard drive failure or corrupt o/s, so I'm just gonna hope my luck continues!

    Thanks again for your help.
     
    jefflbi, Feb 28, 2015
    #7
  8. DavidGP

    DavidGP MajorGeeks Forum Administrator - Grand Pooh-Bah Staff Member

    Hi

    No problems and I tend to use the same these days on main SSD for OS and then back that up as you are doing.

    I think your luck will be fine, with backups you tend not to go far wrong, I do tend to use 3rd party apps as I mentioned over Windows inbuilt but both are fine IMO.
     
    DavidGP, Feb 28, 2015
    #8

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