Hello everyone.
I am trying to build my first RAID configuration and I am not able to make Windows 7 installation to recognize the RAID0.
My motherbase is an Asus P8Z77-V (a Little old, I know hehe. Let’s see if Coffee Lake convince me to update) and I have the latest BIOS (2104) version installed.
I set the SATA mode to RAID, then save changes and reset, then create a RAID0 with the included tool of the asus UEFI bios, with 2 SSD’s (previously used for the OS, but not in RAID). I also set the CSM to UEFI first.
Then, when I enter into the Windows 7 installation program, I load the drivers downloaded from Asus website. They have 2 different drivers:
“Intel Rapid Start Technology Software V2.1.0.1002 for Windows 7/8 32bit & 64bit.” and "V11.0.0.1032 ".
None of them work in order to make Windows 7 installer to recognize the RAID. I have the installer with x86 and x64 versions and I have tried both drivers versions on both Windows versions. With the x64 driver and x64 Windows version, the installer gives an error message, stating that the installer will only use signed drivers. I cannot understand why I have this message, because in the Asus website it says that the drivers are WHQL. With the x86 driver and x86 Windows version, I do not have any error message, but once the driver is supposedly installed, the RAID still does not appear.
Thanks in advance for your support!
Hello again.
I have tryed downloading the RST v12.8.0.1016 and finally the OS installing software did recognize the RAID0.
BUT (why there always has to be a “BUT”?) it shows: "Windows cannot be installed to this disk. This computer’s hardware may not support booting to this disk. Ensure that the disk’s controller is enabled in computer’s BIOS menu"
I have already checked this, and in my BIOS it appears “Bootable”. I am also loading the windows 7 installer by USB as UEFI (not the non UEFI booting option).
What may I am doing wrong? Please give me a hand 
@Kamizake25 :
Welcome to the Win-RAID Forum!
Win7 has an in-box Intel RAID driver, which should be able to detect your Intel RAID array without any problem.
Questions:
1. Are you shure, that you created the RAID0 array correctly? Did the Intel RAID Utility show the array as bootable?
2. Did you format or secure erase the RAID array members, before you created the array?
3. Have the RAID array members ever been within a RAID array before?
4. Do you have removed all HDDs and SSDs except the RAID array members, before you started with the Win7 installation?
5. Does your mainboard BIOS offer a “Safe Boot” option? If yes, is it enabled?
Regards
Dieter (alias Fernando)
Hi!
Thanks for the welcome. I answer below
1. Are you shure, that you created the RAID0 array correctly? Did the Intel RAID Utility show the array as bootable?
In the BIOS, when I select the RAID, it says “bootable: yes”. Anyway, I have to check if it really is or not. I won’t have access to my PC until Monday 
2. Did you format or secure erase the RAID array members, before you created the array?
Nope 
How can I do this now? I do not have any other PC to connect the SSD’s by the SATA cable. I have an USB HDD case, does this serve?
3. Have the RAID array members ever been within a RAID array before?
Nope
4. Do you have removed all HDDs and SSDs except the RAID array members, before you started with the Win7 installation?
Yes, I removed a WD Black HDD
5. Does your mainboard BIOS offer a “Safe Boot” option? If yes, is it enabled?
I am not sure, I will have to check
Zitat von Kamizake25 im Beitrag #4
Nope
How can I do this now? I do not have any other PC to connect the SSD’s by the SATA cable. I have an USB HDD case, does this serve?
A bootable USB Flash Drive would be ok as well.
The problem may be the boot sector, which is on your previously used non-RAIDed system drive.
This is what I suggest to do:
1. Delete your just created RAID array by using the Intel RAID Utility.
2. Boot off an USB Flash Drive and do a quick format of both SSDs, which are designed to be members of the Intel RAID array.
3. Recreate the RAID array.
4. Try to get Win7 installed onto the RAIOD array.
Hi Fernando.
That worked perfectly!! Sorry for the late answer, but I could not try your advices until yesterday night. Even more than perfect, since I did not need the additional RAID drivers for the installation, Windows 7 installer recognized the array by itself.
I have one more question now though, hehe. Is it possible to eliminate the ctrl+I screen that appears after the BIOS POST? It does not bother a lot, but this will reduce my power on time.
Thanks a lot for your help!
EDIT by Fernando: Unneeded parts of the fully quoted post removed (to save space)
Not as long as you have set the Intel SATA Controller to RAID mode and don’t boot in UEFI mode.
Why haven’t you installed the OS in UEFI mode?
Not as long as you have set the Intel SATA Controller to RAID mode and don’t boot in UEFI mode.
Why haven’t you installed the OS in UEFI mode?
Well, I have to say 2 different things. I indeed wanted to install the OS in UEFI mode. When I press F8 during BIOS POST in order to launch the Windows 7 installer, it appear 2 options for USB unit (1 of them preceded by [UEFI]) and I have to choose the UEFI one. This is clear, but:
I stated in the CSM "only UEFI" (in order to avoid a non-UEFI installation) and I choose the USB with the Windows 7 installer, a message stating that "there is no operating system" appears.
Therefore, I put the CSM back to "both, UEFI first" and then, when F8, I have both (UEFI and non-UEFI) options (as expected). I choose the UEFI one and Windows 7 installer start working. This seems to me that it skips the UEFI installation mode and load the non-UEFI one.
Do I have to create any special kind of bootable USB? I do not know why BIOS doesn’t boot by the USB when I have UEFI only.
Excuse my ignorance, but I did not know that I have to use the Rufus tool in order to créate the UEFI bootable file.
I have read the following guide:
https://www.eightforums.com/installation…html#post335416
By the other way. Which are the advantages of installing in UEFI mode? I have been researching a little, but haven’t found anything clear. Is this?:
•The simpler power-on self-test sequence.
•The support for avoiding the 2TiB disc size limitation.
•The extra pre-boot recovery and servicing mechanisms, such as the EFI Shell (on machines that have it).
The first one is noticeable? Will it eliminate my Ctrl+I screen after BIOS POST?
@Kamizake25 :
When you install the OS in UEFI mode and force the usage of EFI BIOS modules (instead of LEGACY Option ROM ones), the Intel Rapid Storage Technology RAID Utility will be available within the BIOS and has not to be handled as an external utility via CTRL+I.
So you can easily avoid the CTRL+I popup window by the appropriate BIOS settings (no LEGACY mode Option ROMs for storage devices should be loaded). You can do it by completely disabling CSM (Compatibility Support Module), but this requires, that your BIOS resp. your discrete graphics card contains the needed GopDriver (= EFI module instead of vBIOS=Option ROM). So if you cannot disable CSM, you should make sure, that the storage Controllers will use an EFI module.
Hi Fernando. Thanks again for your answers.
Now it is more clear, one last doubt. I have a MSI GTX 1080 Gaming X and, from what I have read, modern graphic cards are UEFI compatible from stock, so I do not need to do anything else. Is this right?