RAID Configuration help needed!

Su Burrows · 27 Apr 2021 at 11:26

Hi,

I bought a PC from here moon's ago for a client and it's been brilliant - however (we are talking 6 years!) the CMOS battery died and the RAID config has all been reset in the BIOS and so, guess what, the PC won't boot now.

It's a long time since I configured it and whilst my background is tech, it seems with age the holes get bigger in the head and things get forgotten. If anyone on here can help jog my memory on how to reconfigure, happy to share details of hardware, and help get this computer booting again I'd be forever grateful!

Thanks in advance - meanwhile I shall continue exploring the internet and recesses of my mind!

Su

watercooledman · 27 Apr 2021 at 11:29

Change the setting in the bios from ide or ahci to raid

Su Burrows · 27 Apr 2021 at 12:16

There isn’t a raid option! Looks like it only sees one of the 2 disks as well in the BIOS - is that because they were mirrored? The bios config just doesn’t give me RAiD options at all - there weren’t any hardware problems prior to the bios reset - but now comes up with pxe-e61media test failure - ive checked all cables etc… no joy

watercooledman · 27 Apr 2021 at 12:24

Check cables are connected

Su Burrows · 27 Apr 2021 at 12:27

Done all of that - removed and re-seated cables (it was working before CMOS battery was replaced so not sure why the cables would now be a problem?)

Steampunk · 27 Apr 2021 at 17:43

Spec of the system might be helpful if you want a diagnosis over the internet. Are you using the onboard RAID controller in the chipset, or a separate RAID card in a PCIe slot?

In those circumstances I would go with watercooledman and look to switch the storage settings in the BIOS from the default settings to back to RAID.

OldKitMan · 27 Apr 2021 at 18:01

If it was simple RAID1 then chances are it might boot if you swap the sata cables over. Try each disk in turn individually as well. If it was RAID0 then you're out of luck.

andicole0 · 27 Apr 2021 at 18:08

Most on board raid setups have a separate config in the bios. Usually early in the bios start you get to press something like CTRL I to enter it. Worth reading the motherboard manual at the manufacturers web site.

Su Burrows · 28 Apr 2021 at 09:24

Thanks everyone! I'll get back to you with the spec / MB, and will try the Ctrl-I! Sorry for the rushed messages, should have put more detail in to begin with!

Su Burrows · 4 May 2021 at 07:05

Ok, I think I've broken it - having not touched it (or any RAID since 2014!) anyway... here is the situation:

Motherboard: Asus H81M-K
2 x 2TB Disks

CMOS Battery died / replaced.
Booted but came up with PXE-E61media test failure.
I removed, re-seated the cables.
Same message.

No RAID options in the BIOS where I would have hoped to have seen them (Under SATA config?) or anywhere else.
Upgraded BIOS to latest version. - Nothing changed.
Reset BIOS to defaults - Nothing changed.

Desperation (and stupidity / ignorance) = I have a full backup of the server and they need it back up for files. So I attempted to reinstate as 'normal' (i.e. no RAID) and rebuild one of the disks seeing as I'm pretty sure I've lost it anyway with my messing about and now it won't install Windows as it was a GPT configuration... so reset the disk to normal MBR... and

Well... those of you who have had the patience to read this far will be shaking your heads and saying to yourselves 'why oh why oh why'.

But if anyone has any advice on how to even get Windows booting so I can get them a machine back of sorts - even without RAID - that would be great. Meanwhile I'll continue to read forums and dig deep into the recesses of my technical knowledge and see what I can come up with (not a good idea but not sure what else to do!).

Thanks in advance!

Steampunk · 4 May 2021 at 10:22

Su Burrows said:
Ok, I think I've broken it - having not touched it (or any RAID since 2014!) anyway... here is the situation:

Motherboard: Asus H81M-K
2 x 2TB Disks

CMOS Battery died / replaced.
Booted but came up with PXE-E61media test failure.
I removed, re-seated the cables.
Same message.

This just means no boot device or network boot available.

Su Burrows said:
No RAID options in the BIOS where I would have hoped to have seen them (Under SATA config?) or anywhere else.
Upgraded BIOS to latest version. - Nothing changed.
Reset BIOS to defaults - Nothing changed.

The RAID option should be in the BIOS if you go into advanced mode, then go to advanced -> SATA config -> SATA mode selection. Then you can choose RAID.

If you kept one drive unplugged to keep the data on it safe while you fiddled about with the other, you should plug that one in alone and boot from it after the changes in the BIOS. This should work as from what you have said you have never actually gone into the BIOS and reset its SATA configuration back to RAID. Any working drives that will still have the data but you won't be able to boot from it until you do this.

When other drives are plugged in, you may need to adjust the boot order in order to boot from it and rebuild the mirror using the Intel RST application. Make sure you know what drive is what and what is on it so you don't copy the broken one onto the saved one.

It is possible that it lost its RAID settings due to the dead CMOS battery. I have also seen a Windows update reset this setting on more than one PC in the last year. It is also possible that someone decided to update the Intel RST RAID drivers. I have seen old machines that will not boot with newer drivers, but those drivers are required by recent (last year) Windows updates and will leave the system in an unbootable state and you have to revert to a ACHI setup.

Su Burrows said:
Desperation (and stupidity / ignorance) = I have a full backup of the server and they need it back up for files. So I attempted to reinstate as 'normal' (i.e. no RAID) and rebuild one of the disks seeing as I'm pretty sure I've lost it anyway with my messing about and now it won't install Windows as it was a GPT configuration... so reset the disk to normal MBR... and

Well... those of you who have had the patience to read this far will be shaking your heads and saying to yourselves 'why oh why oh why'.

But if anyone has any advice on how to even get Windows booting so I can get them a machine back of sorts - even without RAID - that would be great. Meanwhile I'll continue to read forums and dig deep into the recesses of my technical knowledge and see what I can come up with (not a good idea but not sure what else to do!).

Thanks in advance!

If you want to go down that road, make a Windows boot USB from Microsoft, boot off that, format all partitions as part of the installation. You will lose all your data from that drive.

Su Burrows · 4 May 2021 at 19:18

Thank you! There are no RAID options under SATA Config... only IDE, ACHI or disabled. Underneath that it gives the option to disable or enable 'hot plugs' that's it. It only sees one drive there too (and the CDROM).

I attempted to do that - Windows Boot USB... install... it wouldn't allow me to delete the partitions - error was it was part of a GPT config... the only way I can / could delete partitions and re-format was via DISKPART in a CMD Prompt window from the 'Install Windows' screen ... did that, rebooted and it doesn't even boot to the USB now, just goes straight into BIOS... have changed the BOOT priority... it sees the USB there, but boots straight into BIOS...

I'm on verge of ...

Steampunk · 4 May 2021 at 19:48

Su Burrows said:
Thank you! There are no RAID options under SATA Config... only IDE, ACHI or disabled. Underneath that it gives the option to disable or enable 'hot plugs' that's it. It only sees one drive there too (and the CDROM).

I'm pretty sure that's where it should be. If you can't switch the BIOS into RAID, you're not going to be able to access those disks on that machine.

Su Burrows said:
I attempted to do that - Windows Boot USB... install... it wouldn't allow me to delete the partitions - error was it was part of a GPT config... the only way I can / could delete partitions and re-format was via DISKPART in a CMD Prompt window from the 'Install Windows' screen ... did that, rebooted and it doesn't even boot to the USB now, just goes straight into BIOS... have changed the BOOT priority... it sees the USB there, but boots straight into BIOS...

Did you format the USB as a UEFI image, and then boot it as UEFI boot device? You should be able to use the CLI from that to clear a disk with diskpart, then reboot (again as a UEFI boot device) and install Windows. Make sure your disks are set to ACHI in the BIOS.

If that doesn't work, them I'm out of ideas. You really need someone who can do this stuff hands on as it should be fairly simply to do it in person, not so much with instructions over the internet.

CuriousTomCat · 4 May 2021 at 20:04

Su Burrows said:
Motherboard: Asus H81M-K

I didn`t think the H81 boards had RAID. Are you sure it`s not an H97? Or does it have a separate RAID adaptor in a PCI slot?