Windows 10: My PC keeps going into BIOS as soon as I enabled raid settings. How do I fix this?

Since my PC was crashing a lot when I was playing games, I went into BIOS settings and enabled RAID thinking that nothing would happen, but now I can’t even access windows anymore since I’m stuck on BIOS settings, and also if I do end up leaving BIOS settings, an error pops up saying “checking media presence”

:)

 

Windows 11 doesn't boot after enabling RAID on BIOS

I have a new system that came with a single M.2 drive. I installed Windows 11 on it - everything was working fine. I figured I'd install Office and all of my other apps and only later move the drives from my old system to the new one.

After a couple of days, when the OS was ready, I moved all of the drives into the new system. Here's a list of drives (in addition to the preinstalled M.2 drive that runs the OS):

1x WD 3TB HDD

1x WD 1TB HDD

1x Samsung 1TB SSD

2x WD 2TB HDDs - Mirrored to each other using RAID1

After physically moving the drives, I enabled RAID in the BIOS (which immediately recognized the RAID1 configuration on the 2 relevant drives).

Since then Windows won't boot with the RAID turned on in BIOS (I get a bluescreen with an error message about an inaccessible boot device).

If I turn off the RAID setting in BIOS, windows boots up normally, but shows me 2 drive that contain the same information (my RAID1 drives) - so I lose the RAID functionality.

I tried reinstalling windows with the RAID setting turned on in BIOS, but when setup asks me which drive to install windows to, only 2 drives appear: the Samsung SSD and the 1TB HDD. All other drives (M.2, both RAID drives and 3TB HDD) don't appear at all in the list of possible target drives for the installation.

I really don't want to lose my RAID setup - it's used to increase safety of priceless family pictures and other sensitive, irreplaceable data...

Any ideas how to solve this would be greatly appreciated...

 

Windows 11 doesn't boot after enabling RAID on BIOS

Had the same issue and the solution is as follows:

1. Using msconfig set the boot option to safe boot

2. Reboot and load the BIOS (with MSI should be via pressing delete)

3. In the BIOS, under Advanced Mode, go to settings, Integrated Peripherals and change the SATA Mode to RAID

Now I don't remember if you will need to reboot back to the BIOS or you can do the next step right away...

4. Under the RAID settings (should be same location in the BIOS settings you went to step 3), you will need to disable VMD Global Mapping and disable any Root Ports Mapped (technically you only need to disable this for the boot drive, but probably easier to just disable all of them for this step)

5. Now save and reboot to Windows and Windows should load in safe mode.

6. Using msconfig set the boot option back to normal and reboot.

7. Install in Windows, Intel RST and using that map the VMD ports and create you RAID array there.

Basically... While I am not technically savvy enough to know exactly what is happening, my understanding is turning on RAID mode usually just requires Safe Mode for windows to recognize that, however the VMD mapping is changing something with how the system sees all the drives as there is another layer of sorts between the system and the drive and windows can't figure it out automatically. By disabling the VMD mapping, the drives appear to windows in a way it can load (needs to be done in safe mode where Windows will update the necessary registry setting). Once Windows is loaded you can then run Intel RST to do the VMD mapping via their app which provides Windows with the correct drivers/info it needs to recognize the new configuration properly. - I am sure someone else more knowledgeable can explain technically more correct what is happening, but end of the day my steps should work.

End result should be getting your RAID set up as expected and everything running properly.

 

RAID

Okay, So once I do those steps, this one image will work with AHCI and RAID (depending on the hardware/BIOS settings) on any computer. I will make a VMware image after doing those steps and let you know.

Update coming soon. Thanks for the assistance. Most appreciated.