How many of you have broken the raid 0 configuration on a Z1

Hi, I'm recently the proud owner of a vaio VPCZ1390X from the outlet and am loving it more and more everyday

Question: I was wondering if any of you have broken the raid 0 configuration. i was thinking of using one drive for OS and another for storage, is there any downsides other than a slight performance hit? do I need to secure erase the drive or something similar for best performance. I'm also hoping to take advantage of the garbage collection from the single drive.

 

The performance hit can be as much as 2:1.

I'm not aware of anyone who has complained about the Sony/Samsung garbage collection that's built into the raid configuration on the Z1.

 

There are several threads on this. Check my profile, I started many of them.

 

I ran my computer in ACHI mode for a while because I wanted to dual boot with another OS. The performance in Windows was not reduced much at all. The Toshiba drives in RAID got a 6.4 WEI, on Toshiba drive by it's self got a 6.2 WEI. I didn't take any actual good benchmarks.

Breaking the RAID 0 will be hardly noticeable in terms of real world speed. You can tell on the benchmarks though.

 

Nice thing about breaking the raid is that you gain TRIM support (I think)... Which could keep your SSD up to speed better on the long run...

 

^No, you need to change the controller to AHCI, which can only be done with a mod'ed BIOS. Same thing applies to SECURE_ERASE

 

Not true. TRIM and SECURE_ERASE work fine over IDE emulation. Done it on my Z.

 

Detailed steps pls

 

^Latest versions of RST are supposed to support TRIM in raid mode for drives that are not part of a RAID array. Ambroos is probably right here.

 

News to me, testing to confirm happens tonight.

Is there a thread on it or should I make one?

 

Anyway, I modded the bios this morning, took me less than five minutes, probably the easiest bios mod that i ever did. Am currently installing all the drivers in sequence

ps: I didn't do secure erase, was not sure how to and if it was really needed in the first place

 

A proper SECURE_ERASE ATA command effectively resets the drive and gets you as close to factory performance as possible, mostly in regards to writes.

This shouldn't be confused with "secure erases" that overwrites data several times.

 

how would I go about doing that?

 

I'll write up directions in a new post sometime later today.

If the newer RST versions allow us to do this without BIOS hacks, should be rather easy.

 

Doesn't look like I'm going to get the SECURE_ERASE write up done.

I ran a secure erase from gparted on both drives, and now I can't get them back into RAID0. In fact, I can't get into the Intel Option ROM at all now. It just gets bypassed. Both drives are visible and test OK within gparted, just can't get into the option ROM to set them up.

Running through the Windows installer, only one drive shows up. That drive loads Windows fine, but when I installed the RST, it shows the single drive and no RAID controller. This means that the Option ROM isn't being loaded at POST.

I think the unlock process got munged. I'm not too worried about resolving the problem, there are lots of potential fixes, but I may have just made a $1000 boo-boo. Good times

Don't have time to dink with it anymore tonight, but as of now, my Z2, she is broken

 

^Sad. Truly.

 

Condolences Zoinks. I have no doubt you will be able to remedy the problem.

 

Dorked around with the drives yesterday, still no Option ROM.

Until I figure out what happened or what I did wrong, I recommend against running SE commands (normal or enhanced) on the Z2.

 

I have faith, you will get there. Meantime, I think we need to change the title of this thread to: "how many of you have broken [your Z2 SSDs]"!

 

^You try repeatedly hitting "ctrl-i" on boot regardless of whether or not you see the prompt? Maybe the prompt just hides itself if it doesn't see 2 eligible drives, etc.

 

Oh yeah, many times. The Option ROM doesn't load at all.

I pulled the CMOS battery this morning to see if that helps at all. I still have several things left to try.

 

Perhaps the option rom doesn't load if only one drive is detected. Are you able to see and normally partition and format both disks via gparted or another tool? If so, perhaps it will bring the option rom back to life?

 

I'm pretty sure the issue is with the primary drive. Deleted the protected space on the drive, methinks.

I am able to view, test, partition and format both drives in Ubuntu. I can only see the second drive in Windows.

 

This sounds too obvious to be useful, but sometimes under duress people skip the obvious: would a restore to original factory image cure all ills?

 

It is on the list

 

Neat, recovery doesn't work at all. It gives a permission error and gacks before it even starts.

Prognosis is grim

 

Alternatively, it sounds as if the prognosis is Ubuntu. On one hand, that does impose certain limitations. On the other hand, it also has certain advantages. Not having Windows(TM) being foremost.

 

Meh, loonix is how I got in this situation in the first place.

I 'll write up the steps I took once I get this sorted. It'll be a what NOT to do instructional.

 

maybe try to clean the partition tables in windows (or gparted, if possible)?

 

I wiped the drives in every conceivable way.

Now for some trivia. What is the only way to guarantee a 100% functional laptop?

 

I give up! What is the way?

 

Ouch! Or should that be

There´s a clue in his sig.

 

^We have a winner

 

Have you made sure the option to show the Intel Option ROM is enabled in the BIOS? I've erased both my Z13's SSD's from GParted with Secure Erase, and managed to set up the raid afterwards just fine...

You could always try reflashing the BIOS from a USB drive...

 

Um, yeah dude. You can't turn it off and it is set to show on post. There aren't any BIOS updaters for the Z2 yet.

 

Aren't you glad i didn't buy it from you for $3,200 when I PM'd you?

 

That would be very helpful and appreciated. What not to do guides can be every bit as valuable as other guides. Depending on circumstances, even more so.

I hope you can get your Z running correctly.

 

I don't do PM's, get too many.

The OG Z2 goes to the Little Woman, once I get the drives working. I'm about 3 steps from sending it in for service. I'm going to swap out the drives next.

I thought of waiting for the Z22, but I'm impatient. They had a gold one at the Sony store, but it wasn't the highest model... and it was gold. I'd take blurple over gold any day.

As for breaking the Z2, couldn't have happened to a nicer guy . At least it will prevent others from making the same mistake. Back in the late 80's, my Dad used to tell me I better make lots of money to cover my gizmo habit. Luckily for me, I do. Thanks Pop

 

???
...

 

Little Woman goes over better than Old Lady.