Windows 8 Reinstall - doesn't see any drives

Ok quick lowdown. System was running Windows 8 on an mSATA 120GB drive. Had a 500GB HDD being cached by a 64GB SSD using Intel's Rapid Storage Tech. Using UEFI fast and secure boot.

Upgraded from BIOS A09 to A10 and had issues booting in to Windows. So ran the Windows 8 refresh. All worked fine, back in to Windows, went about installing drivers etc.

Went to install Intel's Rapid Storage Tech so I could use the 64GB as a cache for the 500GB HDD again. Restarted. Intel's software was telling me the drives were incompatible. Further more they had now disappeared from Windows Explorer.

Bit of digging and found that in the BIOS my SATA Operation mode was AHCI. I switched this to RAID. Windows would not load at all after the switch. I'm able to get in to attempt the refresh again but get a drive locked message (common when you search Google, seems to be an issue with the refresh tools not looking at the correct drive or not being able to see the drives, anyway...). I've wasted too many hours already trying to address this issue so now just want to reinstall Windows 8.

I can initiate the install via the UEFI boot from USB stick I created when I first installed Windows 8, however the installer does not see any drives. I have the option to load drivers which I'm guessing is what I need to do? That or somehow get the mSATA drive into some sort of state the installer can see?

Help!

Thanks




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Hi Chris, I think you're right, the default installer needs the RAID driver. Can't give you exact details but as I read it, you need to extract the intel drivers (they are inside the DL package) to a USB and point the installer at it to load them.

HTH!

 

Cheers. When you say DL package what are you referring to mate? The Intel chipset drivers from the Dell support website? Used to do this sort of thing with ease with desktops that were using non-Intel chipsets and raid controllers! But the Intel download centre puts me in a similar state to how my 2 year old boy was this Christmas with all his presents - way too much to look at and wade through! Plus UEFI and Legacy boot thrown in the mix, gah! Things were so much easier back in the day!


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With you there .

Deliberatly vague on the exact DL you need as I've never actually needed it. It was a reply from one of the AW reps with the folder structure to find the drivers. I'm pretty sure they were inside the IRST download but I can't help more than that

Good luck, the whole UEFI thing, along with not having an iGPU, means win8 can wait until there is a better defined path...

 

Ok cheers mate. I think on the IRST download page it had separate downloads in ZIP format with the drivers if I recall. I'll have a look next chance I get to tackle the problem again.

That Enduro issue I've seen batted around here? Didn't effect me as Optimus works fine under Windows 8.


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Cool. I have the 120hz model so no iGPU and I'm not confident that UEFI can work with only the NV card??

The instructions I saw for the disk driver were to run the installer to extract the files and then cancel out.

Good Luck!

 

Ahh I see. No idea about running on just the NV card.

I'll cross my fingers and hope an AW rep responds before my next attempt to fix!


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Hey chris have you tried re enabling AHCI mode, I thought if your primary drive is just the mSATA then you shouldnt need the RAID mode, as the primary boot drive is not raid.

I assume after the bios update the settings were returned to default, which should be ready for UEFI boot off a single drive (no cache mode)

I think the best way is to remove the 2 hard drives? Does disk manager see them? Since your main drive is the mSATA you shouldn't be needing them?

 

He does need RAID mode drivers as I believe he also uses a cache drive on the second HDD. This creates an 'invisible' raid set that is used for the cache

 

Here is what you need to do:

LINK

That's for Windows 7 but it's the same issue. Extract the driver in a USB pen drive, on the root folder and load it from there. The drive will magically appear. You need the IRST driver.

 

And the man I quoted gives us his wisdom! Thanks.

 

No problem Micky! That's why we are here haha.

 

Thanks however those drivers aren't working. I followed the guide. During install at the 'Where do you want to install Windows' part the list is empty so I hit 'Load Driver' and browse to the folder on the USB stick. It comes up with a list of drivers to install and the only one that comes up as compatible with this computers hardware is:

'Intel(R) Mobile Express Chipset SATA RAID Controller'

I proceed to install it and when it's done, the list of drives is still empty

Can I clarify I have my BIOS settings correct for installing Windows 8?

-Advanced
SATA Operation [RAID]

-Boot
Windows 8 Fast Boot [Enabled]
USB Hot Key Support [Enabled]
Secure Boot [Enabled]
Load Legacy Option Rom (greyed out)
Boot List Option (greyed out)
Secure Boot Mode [Standard]

I'm launching the Windows 8 installer under UEFI Boot from a USB stick.

So confused about why the drives don't show up!? I'm guessing if I changed SATA Operation Mode to AHCI it'd list the drives, however don't I need it in RAID in order to use my 2nd SSD as the cache for the HDD!?

Thanks again.






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Did you use Windows 8 or 7 drivers?
You need the 8 ones.
If that does not work try disabling Secure Boot.
If that does not work try in Legacy instead of UEFI.

 

7...

I'm such a fruit loop...

Downloaded 8 ones from Intel. Sorted! Thanks.

One plus outta this headache of the last two days however, is I managed to upgrade the firmware on my Crucial M4 and OCZ Vertex 4 SSD drives!

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I'm up and running again now, however I'm a little wary about installing the IRST software again just in case it balls up...hmm...

 

Should be fine now you have the correct driver but you can always configure it on the raid bios screen that comes up before the main bios. The IRST software is only for configuring it and is not needed to use RAID or caching...

 

Ahh ok, with you. Problem is not sure how to get to it (CTRL+I if memory serves) as you don't see any of that stuff under UEFI. I'll have a go at repeatedly hitting CTRL+I

 

Yeah, Ctrl-I, I just checked

Worrying that the bios cannot output to the display under UEFI (another 'issue'!) so even if you manage to trigger it you may see nothing. Then you'll have to bite the bullet and install IRST. If you had it working the last time you used RAID boot then there is a chance it is working now, as long as all the drives are in the same place. If you see the drive in explorer then the cache is not on.

 

If you install the Intel Rapid Storage Technology Control Center you can use it to set up the SSD cache in Windows. If you used the RST F6 drivers during Windows setup, the drivers are alrady installed on your system. Running the Windows RST installer will install the Control Center utility. See the information posted here: http://forum.notebookreview.com/ali...ns-troubleshooting-thread-75.html#post9016325

Ultimately, you may need to ditch UEFI/Secure Boot to get the system to work correctly. Follow the instructions that Luis posted for that. There are a number of issues that can arise using those "features" as they are still a work in progress. They are also totally unnecessary. Personally, I would recommend using Legacy boot options, as they are 100% stable and basically trouble free.

 

I did load the drivers when I installed Windows 8, so technically I should be good to go installing the control centre.

I've had my system running the way I want it previously, it's just upgrading the BIOS messed some settings up and caused me a few problems. I'm happy with UEFI and Secure Boot, I had no problem with them last time round to be honest. All I want to do now is get my drive cached again and I'm a happy camper

A10 by the way seems much more stable where UEFI is concerned.


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How did it go? You get a chance to try loading the IRST control?

 

Funnily enough, staring at the screen right now deliberating whether or not I want to cache the HDD again.

Basically, I use the HDD as a storage device for downloads, music, video etc.

I use the Crucial M4 SSD mSATA as the system drive, Windows, applications etc.

I did have a games folder on the HDD when it was cached, I installed all my games there. However I'm wondering whether to just use the OCZ SSD as a games drive and forget about caching the HDD.

Which do you think would be better usage?

I thought I'd run a Crystal Mark test on the HDD before caching it and running the test again to see how much gain there is.


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I have to say I'd try it for your config/needs. You could just have another SSD drive but you already know how much caching added to it. Definitely do some timing tests, maybe some big game loads from the HD?

Do you see the 64gb drive in windows?

At this stage before you get all your stuff re-installed I think it's low risk to try

 

You're right. Can't argue I definitely noticed a positive difference last time round. Anyway, after a few initial tests and I reckon caching the HDD is definitely making best use of the 64GB SSD.

HDD Before caching


OCZ Vertex 4 64GB SSD Before (not used as cache)


HDD After caching First Test


HDD After caching Second Test


The benefit to the HDD from caching is much greater then utilising the SSD on it's own IMHO.

 

Great, it works!

Agree, Some good data there, 2.5 times the speed on a 500gb drive and no having to decide where things go. Simples