"A disk read error occurred."

Hello,

My MB is an ASRock P45R2000 (ICH10R). The latest BIOS version from ASRock is v1.80 which contains Intel Matrix Storage Manager ROM v8.0.x.

I also own 2 x 4TB WD HDDs and I want to set them up in a RAID1 array. The boot drive is a 1TB Seagate HDD. The OS is Win 7 x64 and was installed with “RAID” option for the SATA controller in BIOS and the BIOS version was the latest from ASRock: v1.80.

According to Fernando’s tutorials I modified the latest BIOS to replace the Intel Matrix Storage Manager ROM with Intel_RST_RAID-ROM_v11.2.0.1527, so that my HDDs would be supported.

I flashed the new BIOS and everything worked fine. I could enter the Intel RST Utility (CTRL+I) and indeed the v11.2.0.1527 is flashed correctly and the size of my 2 x 4TB WD HDDs is seen correctly.

The problem is that when I set the “RAID” option for the SATA controller in the modded BIOS, the OS does not boot: “A disk read error occurred. Press Ctrl+Alt+Del to restart.” The HDDs are in the right order. I’m not a noob. :slight_smile:

If I set the “AHCI” option for the SATA controller in the modded BIOS, the OS does boot but the Windows Repair starts to show up. I did not let it screw things up. If I set back the “RAID” option for the SATA controller in the modded BIOS, again, the OS does not boot!

This is very strange. All the BIOS settings are identical to the ones used before the flashing of the modded BIOS.

So, I flashed back the original BIOS and the OS is booting when I set the “RAID” option for the SATA controller in BIOS!

The only solution that I think of now is to reinstall the OS when using the modded BIOS. I do not trust Windows Repair to do its job running when using the modded BIOS. Maybe future stability problems?

I guess somehow the old version of Intel Matrix Storage Manager is linked to the boot drive? How can I fix this?

Please. Any more thoughts on this matter? I don’t want to reinstall the OS… :frowning:

Thanks.

LE: I forgot to mention that I also tried the Intel RST(e) RAID ROM v13.1.0.2126. Successful flashing of the modded BIOS, but the same boot error appears.

@ jimmyhoffa:
Welcome at Win-RAID Forum!

If I understood you correctly, your system drive with the MBR and the OS is outside the RAID1 array.
Question:
As long as you were runnng your system with the modded BIOS containing the Intel RST RAID ROM v11.2.0.1527, what happened, when you had unplugged the RAID1 array members? Were you able to boot into the OS without any issue?
If yes, I would do the following:
1. Backup your RAID1 data.
2. Break the old MSM RAID1 array.
3. Reflash the modded BIOS.
4. Create a new RAID1 array using the Intel RST RAID ROM v11.2.0.1527.
5. Restore your RAID1 data.

Regards
Fernando

I managed to fix the issue. I’m proud of myself that I remembered the fact that I’m using a Windows Loader to have a “genuine” Windows copy, but I’m not not very proud that I use it.

I know that the Windows Loader modifies the SLIC in BIOS and the boot partition is also altered. The OS checks whether it is activated and genuine every time it boots. That’s why with the modded BIOS the OS gave the disk read error. :slight_smile:

Using the original BIOS, I booted into Windows and uninstalled the Windows Loader. Restarted the system and then flashed the modded BIOS (Intel_RST_RAID-ROM_v11.2.0.1527).

Unsurprisingly, but happily, the OS booted! My RAID runs smoothly now! :smiley:

I hope this will help others.

Thank you for your work, Fernando! Keep it up!

Make sure you’ve choose the right device as the first boot item.

Of course, if your computer disk read error is not aroused by computer internal hard disk problems, they are also possible to happen since you do choose the wrong bootable item in BIOS. For example, you do have install only one internal hard disk that loads computer operating system and set another hard disk or removable hard disk, USB flash drive or external CD/DVD as the first boot item in BIOS, when trying to boot your PC, it is absolutely a must thing to encounter such “a disk read error occurred” problem. Hence, go open your PC BIOS during booting and check whether you have set the first boot item correctly. And then, reboot your PC to see whether it properly start up.
Check this landing page for other work around i find it more informative than others.
https://www.errorsolutions.tech/error/a-…red-windows-10/