No RAID option w/ Intel Mobo D945GTP BIOS

[frogman_pep]

As the subject states I'm trying to figure out why there is no RAID option available when much documentation states this board/bios has the capabilities.

Mobo: Intel D945GTP (Intel Download/Documenation Mobo page)
BIOS: NT94510J.86A.4092 (Even reverted back to NT941510J.86A.1788 as there was mention of having to do that first in some circumstances, but to no avail)

Have followed the steps layed out here and can't get by Enabling RAID in BIOS b/c the option does not exist. Is there something I'm missing?

[ibleet]

Did you load the raid drivers when prompted prior to installing windows?

[frogman_pep]

I tried doing that as well, but w/o first enabling RAID in the BIOS and then creating a RAID volume it didn't seem logical and did not work either.

I don't get the Ctrl + i option b/c there is no Intel Matrix Storage Manager status screen that appears.

[ibleet]

Enabling RAID in the BIOS:
The RAID option must be enabled in BIOS before the system can load the Intel RAID Option ROM code.

1. Enter the BIOS Setup program by pressing the <F2> key after the Power-On-Self-Test (POST) memory test begins.
2. Select the Advanced menu, then the Drive Configuration menu.
3. Switch the Drive Mode option from Legacy to Enhanced.
4. Switch the RAID option to Enabled. (Terminology can differ by board model; may show as SoftRAID or Intel® Matrix Storage Technology.)
5. Press <F10> to save the BIOS settings and exit the BIOS Setup program.

If you do not have any settings in the BIOS to turn on RAID, double check your desktop board model to make sure it is supported.

[frogman_pep]

Thanks ibleet for all your time. I should have posted the menus that are avaiable but was a lil'tired and frustrated last night . The three options I fiddled with under Advanced -> Drive Configuration are 'Use Automatic Mode' (Enable | Disable), 'Use Serial ATA' (Enable | Disable), 'ATA/IDE Mode' (Legacy | Enhanced).

The documentation here @ page 11 states the ICH7R controller allows for RAID 0, 1, 0+1, & 5 arrays. Upon rechecking the documentation now, I read the text at the top that states, "Not every manufacturing option is available in all marketing channels. Please contact your Intel representative to determine which manufacturing options are available to you." So I'm left thinking either this option is not available on this particular board, or back when I was using this board as a regular workstation a year or so ago (planned on using this for my Server 2008 Box w/ a RAID 5 array) I had a CheckSUM and SPD tolerance error that I could not recover from, at the time. Now could that have damaged the ROM (whatever technical term applies), or can any of you think of another reason why the RAID option is not showing. Thanks again.

[DMB2000uk]

In the BIOS under: Advanced -> Drive Configuration -> Configure SATA as; your should have the third option of "RAID".

If it's not there, are all your drives plugged in and powered up, and if they are maybe you should consider reflashing the motherboard BIOS.

Dan

[frogman_pep]

No third option for 'RAID' and yes all 4 drives are powered up and showing in the Drive Configuration menu. I have reflashed the MB bios, even went to a previous version, checked BIOS (same), and then reflashed to the latest and greatest ;). Plus all the drives show when an OS is running. An alternative that popped into my head is to reflash the BIOS using the iFlash utility, instead of the Express BIOS (inside of Windows), although this was proving difficult setting it up with my Vista 64-bit machine, and don't have a floppy for my 32-bit laptop so. Do u think trying this method would be worth it?

[DMB2000uk]

Well that's where manual says the raid option is, you sure it's definitely that model motherboard you have?

Dan

[frogman_pep]

Fo sho. Although it's a little perplexing b/c on the board it says "Intel Desktop Board D945GTP, D945PLM". So I checked out the D945PLM manual and there is no mention bout RAID capabilities @ page 10, so I fired up Windows XP 32-bit (installed that so I could use the Express BIOS the iFlash was just not working out and u can't use an Express BIOS in Windows Server) and checked out the System Information, D945GTP is the model that shows, so I'm going to put this aside for a couple more days and hopefully someone can relay some insight/ideas. Also found that Intel will not respond to emails/telephone calls about this board, a shame because of all my working boards around 10 this is the only one with RAID 5 capabilities, supposedly [EDIT] When searching through my manuals I forgot to check the board that I'm using for my designer machine, guess what that has RAID 5 capabilities, looks like I'm going to have to redo 2 systems now, unless someone comes through with a solution in the next few days.[/EDIT]

Thanks to everyone, not a bad lil'forum y'all got going round here.

[DMB2000uk]

What does the motherboard tab on CPUz read your motherboard as being?

Dan

[frogman_pep]

Forgot about that lovely tool CPU-Z, haven't been teching in a while. It says D945GTP and the Southbridge states its an ICH7/R (which I saw somewhere (seemed creditable) that the R stands for RAID and if it was just ICH7 that'd mean RAID was not possible. Hey Dan, check out my edit from the last post. Or lemme tell ya thanks again.

[DMB2000uk]

Well everything's pointing to your board being able to support RAID, so I'm at a loss as to why it's not showing up.

On the off chance; after the initial post screen, is the intel matix raid controller initialising? (You press "Ctrl" + "i" to get into it's settings).

If not, I don't know what else to suggest.

Dan

[frogman_pep]

"I'm at a loss," same here, same here. No the intel matrix raid controller is not initializing, which is why I was wondering if the ROM chip (or whatever the proper term is) could have been damaged.

[turnsoutitwas]

Only the D945GTPLKR & D945GTPLR support RAID

The D945GTPL, LA D945GTPL & D945GTPLK don't
http://www.intel.com/products/motherboa ... /index.htm

[frogman_pep]

And that wraps it up. Thx turnsoutitwas (ironic screen name for this matter). I scoured through my boxes and the label on the box states it is the D945GTPL, thus not allowing RAID configurations. At least this adventure made me re-fire it up and get it working again.