Quote Originally Posted by djt View Post
I’m not sure what you mean when you say “RAID/AHCI mode”. In the BIOS I can only choice RAID or AHCI, not both.

What I can’t figure out is that when I load Windows XP/32 Bit, I have no problems at all with the RAID drivers so it can’t be a BIOS setting.


Asus Maximus Formula SE / BIOS 901
Core 2 X6800
Corsair XMS2 Dominator 4GB DDR2 800 (PC2 6400/C-4)
Evga 8800 Ultra “Superclocked”
Creative X-Fi Fatal1ty
2x WD 10,000 RPM Raptors (74GB) (RAID 0) -Windows Vista Ultimate/64 Bit
2x WD 10,000 RPM Raptors (150GB) (RAID 0) -Windows XP Pro/SP2
PC Power and Cooling 1000Watt SR
SilverStone TJ-09 (Black)
Enable RAID, w/ boot rom enabled and 32sec delay, write protection off for now (on later if you need).

AHCI (Advance Host Controller Interface) uses all the performances of the RAID controller but as single or multiple disc in non RAID fashion. (NCQ, speed boost etc.)

Since RAID is AHCI plus more, it is perfectly fine to just always use (Enable) RAID weather running an array or not. This is known as an Intel RAID ready install mode. Where later in Windows, one can continue the RAID install
by migrating it form a single disc to the 2nd and so on as desired.

I'm just used of doing it this way since new on ICH5R, but I'm sure many here do it from initial fresh install and can help get it going this way too.

Just remember that if doing fresh install and using RAID ready, to use f6 floppy during install, after 1st loading to desktop, run chipset INF, followed directly by Matrix Storage Manager Utility if migrating to RAID array in Windows, followed by set up as usual from there. I'd make sure system is fully set up in terms of drivers, updates and such before migration (no yellow makrs in Device Mannager).

Good luck!