Set up Raid on Studio 540

[LoknathT]

I recently purchased a refurb Studio 540 set up by means of a solitary HD. I would similar to at present set it up in a RAID 0 arrangement. I have 2 innovative HDs (640Gb both) for that reason. The Studio's user setup direct specifies that the 540 supports together RAID 0 and 1. The Technology Manual illustrates how to set up the BIOS and utilize Intel or NVidia utilities to organize the array. On the other hand, I am not capable to locate the setting in the BIOS to facilitate RAID and at whatever time I try to install the Intel Matrix Storage Manager, it gives me an error communication stating that I do not encompass the required HW to install that utility. I comprise and searched on the internet and various boards for additional information in sequence on the topic, by means of no success. I am starting to imagine that for the reason that my original setup from Dell basically had a solitary HD, it's missing something that would permit me to shift to a RAID config (e.g., different controller, alternate BIOS version).

[Filiberto]

In this you have to press f2 to get into BIOS setup throughout boot, on one occasion in the setup revolutionize the disks from ATA to RAID , save & exit. Throughout the succeeding reboot press "ctrl I” to get into the RAID setup BIOS. Subsequent to that you are on your own, I encompass not gone further yet, previous to you for windows 7 previous to changing to RAID. Make a note of you determine to almost certainly have to reinstall your OS subsequent to you are finished. The Intel utility determines to be installable once you encompass configured RAID.

[Aandaleeb]

I have a Studio 540 BIOS 1.09 by means of Vista Home Premium x64 that I desire to reconfigure for RAID I installed an indistinguishable second disk, set the setup BIOS from ATA to RAID mode, and generated the RAID 1 volume in the Intel ROM (Ctrl-I on boot). I then did a reboot by means of the OS Reinstallation DVD in the DVD drive (SATA connected Tsstcorp RS-H653F). The DVD spins up a bit additional than then no boot apparatus is originated.

[mathews]

The instruction booklet for the Studio 540 says this be supposed to work (it concern I determine to have to reinstall the OS), additional than the instructions recommend that every SATA port or drive be able to be set RAID or ATA. My BIOS does not match the manual. As an alternative it gives the impression of being similar to RAID is facilitated on the entire SATA ports or none. Is the tribulations that the Reinstallation DVD would not boot by means of the SATA attached DVD to a RAID facilitated port. If so, it's interesting that the Linux CD boots without several trouble, so it must be a tribulations specific to the Vista Reinstallation DVD.

[Calvin K]

Have you completed several progresses by means of this. I am in the similar situation additional than have not yet had time to start my setup. I have encompassed and got my second drive actually installed other than when I switched the settings to RAID, the boot failed (not from CD additional than from hard drive) so I distorted the settings back and encompass not gotten back to playing by means of this. I'm hoping to save a number of headaches by learning from others' experience.

[Archibald]

The PC would not boot commencing the hard disk subsequent to you switch the BIOS from ATA to RAID mode. This is customary behavior. You determine to necessitate reinstalling the OS if you desire to reconfigure your two drives as a RAID array. I was capable to configure my PC by means of a RAID mirror other than you determine to desire to understand some limitations in the Studio BIOS. Even though the Dell manual suggests every SATA port be able to be configured separately as RAID or ATA, it seems that BIOS changes were completed and the setting affects the entire ports of the on-board SATA controller . By means of the controller set to RAID, the Dell-provided Vista reinstallation DVD would not boot. On the other hand, once you have Vista reinstalled the DVD drive does come into view to work generally. It immediately would not boot the Dell DVD.

[Tionontati]

If you desire to continue, you determine to necessitate to boot the Vista reinstallation DVD from an exterior DVD drive attached to a USB port. Think regarding the exterior DVD drive an investment to utilize by means of a netbook. On the other hand, it might be probable to install a SATA card for the DVD drive. Additional than this would take up a slot and if you go to the entire that tribulations you might think regarding attaching the hard disks to a supplementary sophisticated RAID controller and leaving the DVD and several non-RAID disks attached to the on-board SATA. Almost immediately you determine to be building your own PC, right. Using an exterior DVD drive did run for me and I maintain it handy in case I necessitate repairing Windows. I have not tried creating a Windows recovery DVD perhaps that determine to boot (My Linux utility discs boot by means of no problems).