How to create an SSD RAID0 with TRIM support using an Intel 6-Series Chipset

BIOS/UEFI Modding BIOS modules (PCI ROM, EFI and others)
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as the title says, im new, so hello everyone my name is Gordon I am from the USA :slight_smile:

not sure if this is where i needed to post, i looked for an intro section but couldnt find one. Anyway, I have been a avid PC builder/modder/gamer/overclocker for quite a few years now. Got my College Degree in Physics, but I found this forum because I was hunting for a way to get my OS onto a SSD raid 0 array without loosing trim functionality. So thats where I will be going with my next post haha thanks guys! looking forward to hearing back from someone

-Gordon

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@ gordonie:
Hello Gordon,
welcome at Win-RAID Forum!

It is very easy for you to get what you want:

  1. Download the latest BIOS for your mainboard from the ASUS Support page and unzip the pure BIOS module.
  2. Run the UBU tool (look >here<) and let it update the Intel RAID ROM module, which is within the BIOS, to the TRIM in RAID0 modded Intel RAID ROM v12.9.0.2006.
  3. Flash the modded BIOS into the BIOS chip of your mainboard by using the EZ Flash tool from within the BIOS.
  4. Insert and connect the 2 SSDs, which are designed to be members of the RAID0 array, to the 2 first Intel SATA3 ports and disconnect all other HDDs/SSDs.
  5. Enter the BIOS and set the Intel SATA Controller to “RAID”.
  6. After having saved the BIOS setting, hit CRTL+I while rebooting. Now you will get access to the Intel Rapid Storage Technology RAID Utility v12.9.0.2006.
  7. Create the RAID0.
  8. Boot off the media (DVD or USB Flash Drive), which contains the Windows OS you want to get installed.
  9. Let the OS Setup create a system partition with an appropriate size (50-200 GB, depending on the complete size of your RAID0 array).
  10. Install the OS onto the just created RAID0 system partition.
  11. Once everything is up and working fine,you can (re-)connect your other drives.

Good luck!
Dieter (alias Fernando)

P.S.: I have moved your post into a better matching Forum section and renamed the title.

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Fernando thank you soooooo much!!! You have no idea how much time you I’ve saved me. I’ve been reading this whole day reading piecing together information on what I needed to do. I was about to start digging through all the guides here, phew thank you.

Okay two questions haha if you don’t mind.

1) my system is running fine now so can I create a system image and run that during setup to save me hassle? I will have to connect another drive with the image to do so

2) Windows 10 upgrade I assume will cause problems? Should I wait?

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This is what I would do:
1. Save your important personal data.
2. Do the upgrade from Win7 to Win10 with your current system (without having connected the new SSDs).
3. As soon as your upgraded Win10 runs flawlessly and has been activated by Microsoft, start with the procedure I have layed down within my last post.
That means: As last step you should do a clean install of Win10 onto your freshly created SSD RAID0 array. There is no need to enter any Key. The OS will be automaticly activated (although you have changed the system drive). I have done it a lot of times - it works!

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Wait I’m a little confused. I don’t think I mentioned but my os is installed on one of my two ssds. And I only have Windows 7 disks so unless I’m using a system image of Windows 10 one I upgrade how Will I directly install Windows 10 once I create the array?


Edit: looking back at your original post you said boot from media containing your OS. Does this mean I need to load Windows onto something other than my ssds, upgrade it to Windows 10 on that drive, setup raid and transfer the OS?

Is that any different than creating a system image on the non ssd drive and reinstalling from that image? Aside from a system image I don’t know how else to “transfer” the OS.

Sorry for my confusion :confused:

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If you want to get Win10 "clean" installed (this is what I recommend to do), you should download the related Win10 ISO file from Microsoft via its Media Creation Tool and prepare a bootable USB Flash Drive containing the Win10 image by using the tool named Rufus.
Since currently your OS (Win7) is installed onto one of the SSDs, I recomnmend to do the following:
1. Upgrade from Win7 to Win10 via Windows Update.
2. Once Win10 is up and activated, do a backup of your system drive and store it somewhere outside the SSDs (just for the emergency case, that you want to restore your current system drive).
3. Format or (even better) secure erase your current system drive (SSD with Win10 as Upgrade).
4. Follow my previously posted advice.

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Ohhh I see I had no idea Microsoft offered such service as a iso file of you have the proper product key. Now I see what you meant :slight_smile: I think I have what I need now, it will be tomorrow before I’m back and able to do it. I will update once I do it. Thank you so much I seriously cannot thank you enough!

Edit: I just had a thought, if this will work on a clean install then that means the Intel RST 12.9.1.0000 won’t be present, is this no longer needed with the modded bios? Or do I need to still load those driver during setup and installation of the fresh OS?

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There is nothing to worry about.
Win10 has the Intel RST in-box RAID driver v13.2.0.1022, which will detect and manage your Intel RAID0 array.
Lsater on you can "doiwngrade" to the better Intel RST driver to v12.9.4.1000 WHQL by running the installer of the Intel RST(e) Drivers & Software Set v12.9.4.1000 WHQL.