Sony AW Raid Question

I purchased a Sony AW230J/H believing it would be easy to convert to a RAID 0 array by installing my 2 Intel SSD drives. Turns out on this particular model they turned the RAID options off in the BIOS so I can't access it, and install a NON-RAID version of Intel Storage! But, striping/mirroring are available in the native VISTA Storage of Manage Computer! So, how can I create a RAID on drives that are already being used to boot into the OS? Or does anyone know any tricks to turn ON the RAID Bios so I can configure it PRE-OS installation? When I right click on the 2nd SSD (unpartiioned) all options for mirrow/striping/etc are available, but no drives to add to it. My primary drive has those items greyed out?

BTW - This machine is SCREAMING fast just working from 1 Intel 80GB SD ($399 a piece from New Egg) and 8GB Ram ($299 from NewEgg). I really need the 2nd for space even if I can't get it striped properly - any help?

 

I'd give Sony a call in the morning.

I'm pretty sure there is some hardware you'll need as well (unless you already have it).

 

I tried Sony when I got it in today, unfortunately they were no help. I talked to 3 different people and if it's not in the BIOS they don't have a clue. I was actually going to send it back until I found it is capable in software. In this case their support is not working out.

 

I did exactly the same on my TT going from one SSD to a raid array installing a second SSD. The trick is that the BIOS is configured to use the AHCI controller of the chipset, installing the raid cable and a second ssd does not turn the Raid controller on. The trick is to install everything and upgrade the BIOS in Vaio control center (or downgrade it does not matter) to force the BIOS to recognize the new config and the Raid option will then show up. You can still go back to any bios version after that the Raid option will always be present.

It will then depend on what you want to do, start from scratch and reinstall evrything or keep your current OS, files and everything (which I did) although it's more complicated especially if you are on XP, Vista will be easier... If you want to go this way, before you do anything Ghost your current partition, if you reinstall everything no pb at all, after you create the Raid array (I suggest stripe size of 32KB) you just install Windows after creation.

 

I'm in control center but don't see anybios changing options, tried vaio update and it just took me to the website with the newer version (which I already upgraded to) ... Any ideas where I can get an older bios mode?

 

my bad I meant check BIOS version in VAIO Control Center and download different version. Hopefully you should find link to your original BIOS version on Sony site. Alternatively you could try reflashing your BIOS with the same version outside of windows to prevent the Sony app refusing to upgrade.

 

does anyone have a copy or a link to an older bios update? And/or instructions how to do this from command line?

-- Edit: Looks like all the Son Vaio bios (for the currently line) is shared.

By the Way - I really apreciate your help, can't tell you enough.

 

Just to cover all the particulars in case you haven't tried this...

Press F2 when the VAIO logo appears to enter the BIOS.

When you have 2 drives in the system, in the BIOS (2nd tab over called 'ADVANCED') there is a show/hide option for the RAID. Change it to 'show' and save changes.

When the system boots with dual drives, you'll see a brief display showing the intel raid controller where you can press ctrl-I to configure your RAID options.

If the system does not detect dual drives (see the MAIN page in the BIOS), then you won't get the option to press ctrl-I when the intel bios shows up.

 

This is only available if the laptop was pre-configured for Raid, otherwise it is stuck in AHCI mode and the menu does not exist hence the trick to reload a different BIOS version to recognize the second drive and then the BIOS will select the RAID controller and make the avanced menu to appear.