Hello forum, I am the new guy and quite a noob when it comes to storage management (3 months research, trying to re-enable RAID0 that came configured on my desktop). I have had several failed attempts to get iRST working as before, and have came to this point in which I am in AHCI mode, on windows 10, and have made a couple hardware changes since losing my original configuration (new PSU, GPU, 2 additional Wifi adapters 1 Pci-e card adapter and 1 usb3.0, as well as a 240gb ssd). My computer came setup with intel Matrix Storage manager, and before my first attempt to upgrade to windows 10 (days before the offer was closed) I was prompted to install the iRST driver while browsing the dell support site. Unfortunately, I have no way of finding what version was installed, but when running windows 10 compatibility checker I don’t recall it saying iRST was going to be incompatible. Some information about my hardware: Dell Inspiron 3847 (dell 088dt1 motherboard), 4th generation i7-3847 processor, and my current driver is Intel(R) 8 Series/C220 Chipset Family SATA AHCI Controller (version 14.8.0.1042, listed under IDE ATA/ATAPI Controllers), currently running windows 10 (factory installed windows 7, clean installed windows 10 in uefi). My Questions are mainly, how do you enable the raid option in bios if it isn’t there? Should I be in ATA or AHCI mode when reinstalling windows/the f6 drivers (is this even how I go about getting the raid option rom?)? And what is the process of installing the drivers/software in relation to windows 10 clean reinstall. I think if I could figure that out the other forum posts will be more than enough for me to setup a raid0 configuration and make me the happiest guy in town. Thanks in advance! -Nick
@RaidNoob :
Hello Nick,
welcome at Win-RAID Forum!
Since the BIOS options regarding the support of different SATA modes by the on-board SATA Controller are layed down within the BIOS itself and the OS doesn’t have any impact on the integrity of the BIOS, I really doubt, that your Dell system lost the RAID option by a failed Win10 upgrade.
Please enter the BIOS, go to the “Advanced” section and search within the “Storage Configuration” sub-menu for the option “SATA Mode Selection” (the names may be slightly different with your special Dell system). What we need to know is, which different setting options you have and how they are named.
Another question:
Which storage drives (HDDs/SSDs) do you want to use within your Dell system and which ones of them do you want to get members of a RAID array?
By the way: A “Software RAID” will be created by the OS (not by a specific Intel MSM or RST RAID Utility) and doesn’t require to set the on-board SATA Controller to “RAID mode” within the BIOS. Disadvantage of a “Software RAID” is, that you will not be able to boot off it.
Regards
Dieter (alias Fernando)
My Sata mode options in bios are: ATA or AHCI. So my issue is from flashing bios (and now that you mention the OS thing I feel kinda silly)? I currently have a Seagate hdd (ST1000DM003), a PNY CS1311 240GB SSD. My optical drive also shows within RST currently, I’m sure there is a reason for that, I just don’t know it 
I am going to be purchasing another PNY 240gb ssd later on today when the shop opens. I planned to have all my drives configured for raid0, but don’t quite know how to go about setting that up before installing an OS, or do I do that before clean installing win10? I appreciate your help!
Since your current mainboard BIOS obviously doesn’t offer this option, only the manufacturer of your mainboard (Dell) is able to give your system the ability to set the on-board Intel SATA Controller to "RAID mode".
It doesn’t make much sense to buy a second 240 GB sized SSD, because you will not be able to ceate a bootable RAID0 array with your current system.
I used to have a RAID option, is there a way for me to flash to an earlier bios?
Why not?
Anyway I doubt. that Dell has removed the earlier supported RAID option from the latest BIOS.