vpcz13c5e need AHCI but stuck with Insyde problem

Hi,

i deleted the fakeRAID array with ctrl+i, flashed the advanced BIOS on my z13 and enabled AHCI.
I tried a few different approaches with installing Linux on the quad ssd's (256GB) using mdadm and everything was running fine.
On my last attempt i had GPT partition table on each ssd but i run into more problems with the Grub Bootloader then i could handle and decided to restart my Linux install and use MBR this time which i know worked.

I then did fdisk all four ssd's back to DOS partition table and created the same two partitions on each ssd but this time after rebooting i was stuck with the Insyde Logo.

I had read that disconnecting the ssd cable from the motherboard would help to get into the BIOS where i then switched from AHCI to RAID. Booting worked again.

I went back into the BIOS and switched back to AHCI and was stuck with Insyde Logo again.
I don't see the HDD LED blink either.
I need to unplug the ssd cable to be able to switch to RAID so i can boot from the ssd's again.

Switching the Partition table from MBR to GPT and back to MBR must have done something bad that i do not understand yet.
Maybe someone here knows why AHCI stopped working and hopefully can point me to the right direction.

 

I used my VAIO Care Rescue/Backup DVD's and reinstalled the win7 with the BIOS fakeRAID all disks as RAID0.
AS SSD score at 250.
Rebooted, reset/deleted the fakeRAID Array and switched to AHCI. This time i am not stuck on Insyde BIOS Logo.

Well i know now how to fix this problem but i do not know what exactly caused it.
Not having to go through the rather lengthy WIN7 Rescue reinstall would be nice, any ideas?

 

Leave SSD mode set to RAID and only brake RAID array in option Rom if you don't need it. With JBOD you should be able to setup your system with a fakeraid or single drive and your desired software. With new kernels you can even install linux on a Intel RST raid easily, no need to fiddle around with the settings. Just load mdadm and install to /dev/block/md-0 or similar, I used MBR mode. Install grub to the same virtual device. Works all without problems. This way I dual boot into debian / windows 8 on my VPC-Z11.

 

Thanks for the reply p0ro. I did not had to unplug the SSD's again since my post

I was running Ubuntu 12.04 (alternate Install) the same way you described for almost a year with bumblebee around 10 to 13W (powertop) but i had to send the z13 in again due to overheating crashes and was going for a different installation/distro approach this time when i run into this SSD problem.
Reading your post reminds me that i need to check when running JBOD which controller is enabled, AHCI or IDE?

 

Guess i was bit premature there, i am stuck on Insyde Logo again after trying out the SYSLINUX Bootloader.

I used the MBR Setup described here Extlinux - Funtoo Linux

Code:

dd bs=440 conv=notrunc count=1 if=/usr/share/syslinux/mbr.bin of=/dev/sda
cp /usr/share/syslinux/menu.c32 /boot/extlinux/
cp /usr/share/syslinux/libutil.c32 /boot/extlinux/
touch /boot/extlinux/extlinux.conf

Something must have went wrong during,
dd bs=440 conv=notrunc count=1 if=/usr/share/syslinux/mbr.bin of=/dev/sda

Any ideas?

ps
To tired right now, i'm going to reset everything tomorrow, install the dumbed BIOS file back and check if i can use JBOD/AHCI with original VAIO BIOS

 

Enable RAID in BIOS. Don't touch bare sata devices when they are part of a raid array. Dd'ing anything to /dev/sdx breaks raid stuff. Write your mbr or whatever to /dev/md0 after mounting the fake raid. If you are going without raid boot into the Intel RST console (ctrl+i) and delete everything from there. Then you may write to your individual drives. Don't touch ahci or ide anymore, there is a reason that Sony disabled that feature. Ahci is still active when you set raid anyways.

 

Forgot to come back and post that i went for the JBOD solution and that dmesg shows that AHCI is enabled.
The dd'ing of the SSD's didn't brake the boot process this time and i wasn't stuck with the Insyde Logo.