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Guide to SATA Hard Disks Installation and RAID Configuration

1. Guide to SATA Hard Disks Installation ..............................2 1.1 Serial ATA (SATA) Hard Disks Installation ................2

2. GuidetoRAIDConfigurations ...........................................3

2.1 Introduction of RAID .................................................3 2.2 RAIDConfigurationPrecautions ..............................6

2.3 InstallingWindows® 10 64-bit / 8.1 / 8.1 64-bit / 8 /864-bit/7/764-bitWithRAIDFunctions .............7

2.4 ConfiguringaRAIDarray .........................................8

2.4.1 ConfiguringaRAIDarrayUsingUEFISetupUtility ...... 9

2.4.2 ConfiguringaRAIDarrayUsingIntelRAIDBIOS ...... 13

3. InstallingWindows®onaHDDunder2TBinRAID mode ..................................................................17

4. InstallingWindows®onaHDDlargerthan2TBin RAID mode ..................................................................18

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1. Guide to SATA Hard Disks Installation

1.1 Serial ATA (SATA) Hard Disks InstallationIntelchipsetsupportsSerialATA(SATA)harddiskswithRAIDfunctions,includingRAID0,RAID1,RAID5,RAID10andIntelRapidStorage.PleasereadtheRAIDconfigurationsinthisguidecarefullyaccordingtotheIntelsouthbridgechipsetthatyourmotherboardadopts.YoumayinstallSATAharddisksonthismotherboardforinternalstoragedevices.ThissectionwillguideyouhowtocreateRAIDonSATAports.

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2. GuidetoRAIDConfigurations

2.1 Introduction of RAIDThismotherboardadoptsIntelsouthbridgechipsetthatinte-gratesRAIDcontrollersupportingRAID0/RAID1/IntelRapidStorage/RAID10/RAID5functionwithfourindependentSe-rialATA(SATA)channels.ThissectionwillintroducethebasicknowledgeofRAID,andtheguidetoconfigureRAID0/RAID1/IntelRapidStorage/RAID10/RAID5settings.

RAIDTheterm“RAID”standsfor“RedundantArrayofIndependentDisks”,whichisamethodcombiningtwoormoreharddiskdrivesintoonelogicalunit.Foroptimalperformance,pleaseinstallidenticaldrivesofthesamemodelandcapacitywhencreatingaRAIDset.

RAID 0 (Data Striping)RAID0iscalleddatastripingthatoptimizestwoidenticalharddiskdrivestoreadandwritedatainparallel,interleavedstacks.Itwillimprovedataaccessandstoragesinceitwilldoublethedatatransferrateofasinglediskalonewhilethetwoharddisksperformthesameworkasasingledrivebutatasustaineddatatransferrate.

WARNING!!AlthoughRAID0functioncanimprovetheaccessperformance,it doesnotprovideany fault tolerance.Hot-PluganyHDDsoftheRAID0Diskwillcausedatadamageordataloss.

RAID 1 (Data Mirroring)RAID1iscalleddatamirroringthatcopiesandmaintainsanidenticalimageofdatafromonedrivetoaseconddrive.Itprovidesdataprotectionandincreasesfaulttolerancetotheentiresystemsincethediskarraymanagementsoftwarewilldirectallapplicationstothesurvivingdriveasitcontainsacompletecopyofthedataintheotherdriveifonedrivefails.

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Intel Rapid StorageTheIntelRapidStoragetechnologysupportedallowsyoutocreateaRAID0andRAID1setusingonlytwoidenticalharddiskdrives.TheIntelRapidStoragetechnologycreatestwopartitionsoneachharddiskdrivetocreateavirtualRAID0andRAID1sets.Thistechnologyalsoallowsyoutochangetheharddiskdrivepartitionsizewithoutlosinganydata.

RAID 10RAID10isastripedconfigurationwithRAID1segmentswhosesegmentsareRAID1arrays.ThisconfigurationhasthesamefaulttoleranceasRAID1,andhasthesameoverheadforfault-toleranceasmirroringalone.RAID10achieveshighinput/outputratesbystripingRAID1segments.Insomeinstances,aRAID10configurationcansustainmultiplesimul-taneousdrivefailure.Aminimumoffourharddiskdrivesisrequiredforthissetup.

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RAID 5RAID5stripesbothdataandparityinformationacrossthreeormoreharddiskdrives.AmongtheadvantagesofRAID5confi-gurationincludebetterHDDperformance,faulttolerance,andhigherstoragecapacity.TheRAID5configurationisbestsui-tedfortransactionprocessing,relationaldatabaseapplications,enterpriseresourceplanning,andotherbusinesssystems.Useaminimumofthreeidenticalharddiskdrivesforthissetup.

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1. PleaseusetwonewdrivesifyouarecreatingaRAID0(striping)arrayforperformance.ItisrecommendedtousetwoSATAdrivesofthesamesize.Ifyouusetwodrivesofdifferentsizes,thesmallercapacityharddiskwillbethebasestoragesizeforeachdrive.Forexample,ifoneharddiskhasan80GBstoragecapa-cityandtheotherharddiskhas60GB,themaximumstoragecapacityforthe80GB-drivebecomes60GB,andthetotalstoragecapacityforthisRAID0setis120GB.

2. Youmayusetwonewdrives,oruseanexistingdriveandanewdrivetocreateaRAID1(mirroring)arrayfordataprotection(thenewdrivemustbeofthesamesizeorlargerthantheexistingdrive).Ifyouusetwodrivesofdifferentsizes,thesmallercapacityharddiskwillbethebasestoragesize.Forexample,ifoneharddiskhasan80GBstoragecapacityandtheotherharddiskhas60GB,themaximumstoragecapacityfortheRAID1setis60GB.

3. PleaseverifythestatusofyourharddisksbeforeyousetupyournewRAIDarray.

WARNING!! PleasebackupyourdatafirstbeforeyoucreateRAIDfunctions. IntheprocessyoucreateRAID,thesystemwillaskifyouwant to“ClearDiskData”ornot.Itisrecommendedtoselect“Yes”, andthenyourfuturedatabuildingwilloperateunderaclean environment.

Intel Rapid Storage Technology for PCIe Storage Use cases Prerequisite:*ThePCIeStoragedevicemustbeattachedtoremapablePCIeslotorPCIeM.2connector.*ThePCIeStoragedevicemustbeAHCI-controllerbased.*SystemmustbeinRAIDmode.*ThesystemBIOSmustusetheIntel®RapidStorageTechnologyUEFIdriveoption,LegacyOROMdoesn’tsupportPCIestoragefunction.

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2.3 Installing Windows® 10 64-bit / 8.1 / 8.1 64-bit / 8 / 8 64-bit / 7 / 7 64-bit With RAID Functions

IfyouwanttoinstallWindows® 10 64-bit / 8.1 / 8.1 64-bit /8 / 8 64-bit / 7/764-bitOSonyourSATA/SATA2/SATA3HDDswithRAIDfunctions,pleasefollowtheproceduresbelow.

STEP 1: Setting the BIOS RAID Items After installing theharddisk drives, please set thenecessary

RAIDitemsintheBIOSbeforesettingyourRAIDconfiguration.Boot your system,andpress<F2> key to enterBIOSsetuputility.GotoAdvanced Storage ConfigurationandsettheoptionSATA Mode Selection to [RAID].Press<F10> key tosaveyourchangebeforeyouexitBIOSsetup.

STEP 2: Use ASRock Easy RAID Installer EasyRAIDInstallercancopytheRAIDdriverfromasupportCDtoyourUSBstoragedevicewithjustonesimpleclickinUEFIsetup.Pleasenotethatthisfeatureisnotavailableforallmodels.

A.PluginyourUSBflashdriveintoaUSBport.B.EnterUEFISETUPUTILITYToolandhighlight“Easy

RAIDInstaller”.Press[Enter]toconfirmtheselection.C.Followtheonscreeninstructiontocompletetheprocess. STEP 3: Set RAID configuration Pleaserefertop.8-17ofthisdocumentforinstructionsonhow

tosetRAIDconfiguration. STEP 4: Install Windows® 10 64-bit / 8.1 / 8.1 64-bit / 8 / 8

64-bit / 7 / 7 64-bit OS on your system.

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2.4 Configuring a RAID array YoucanconfigureaRAIDarrayusingeitherUEFISetup

UtilityorIntel®RAIDBIOSsetuputility,dependingontheHDDcapacityandtheOSyouareinstalling.PleaserefertothetablebelowtochoosethecorrespondingRAIDUtility.

OS Windows 7

HDD Capacity Over 2.2 TB Under 2.2 TB

Ultra Fast Boot Not supported Not supported

Option ROM SettingUEFI SETUP UTILITY\Boot\CSM [Launch Storage OpROM policy] = [UEFI only]

n/a

Required RAID Utility UEFI Setup Utility Intel® RAID BIOS setup utility

OS Windows 10 / 8.1 / 8

HDD Capacity

Over 2.2 TBUnder 2.2 TB

Over 2.2 TBUnder 2.2 TB

Ultra Fast Boot

Enabled Enabled Disabled Disabled

Option ROM Setting

n/a n/a

UEFI SETUP UTILITY\Boot\CSM [Launch Storage OpROM policy] = [UEFI only]

n/a

Required RAID Utility

UEFI Setup Utility

UEFI Setup Utility

UEFI Setup Utility

Intel® RAID BIOS setup utility

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2.4.1 Configuring a RAID array Using UEFI Setup Utility

STEP 1: EntertheUEFISetupUtilitybypressing<F2>or<Del>right

afteryoupoweronthecomputer.

STEP 2: Go to Boot CSM andsettheoption Launch Storage

OpROM policyto[UEFIonly].

STEP 3: EnterIntel(R) Rapid Storage Technology in Advanced page.

STEP 4: SelecttheoptionCreate RAID Volumeandpress<Enter>.

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STEP 5: Key-inaavolumenameandpress<Enter>,orsimplypress

<Enter>toacceptthedefaultname.

STEP 6:

SelectyourdesiredRAID Levelandpress<Enter>.

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STEP 7: SelecttheharddrivestobeincludedintheRAIDarrayand

press<Enter>.

STEP 8:

SelectastripesizefortheRAIDarrayandpress<Enter>.

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STEP 9: Select Create Volumeandpress<Enter>tostartcreatingthe

RAIDarray.

IfyouwanttodeleteaRAIDvolume,selecttheoptionDelete ontheRAIDvolumeinfopageandpress<Enter>.

*PleasenotethattheUEFIscreenshotsshowninthisinstallationguideareforreferenceonly.TheactualscreenmaydifferbymodelontheRAIDvolumeinfopageandpress<Enter>.

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2.4.2 Configuring a RAID array Using Intel RAID BIOS Reboot your computer.Wait until you see theRAIDsoftware

promptingyoutopress<Ctrl+I>.

Press<Ctrl+I>.Then, the IntelRAIDUtility -Create RAID Volumewindowappears.

IntheCreateVolumeMenu,underNameitem,pleasekey-inauniquenamewith1-16lettersforyourRAIDvolumethenpress<Enter>.

Volume0

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Use theupor downarrowkeys to select your desiredRAID Level.YoumayselectRAID0(Stripe),RAID1(Mirror),RAID5orRAID10foryourRAIDlevel.Press<Enter>,andthenyoucan select Strip Size.

If you selectedRAID0 (Stripe), use theupor downkeys toselectthestripesizeforyourRAID0arraythenpress<Enter>.Theavailablevaluesrangefrom8KBto128KB.Thedefaultselection is128KB.Thestripvalueshouldbechosenbasedontheplanneddriveusage.

•8/16KB-lowdiskusage •64KB-typicaldiskusage •128KB-performancediskusage After you set disk block size, press<Enter> to set disk

Capacity.

Volume0

Volume0

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AftersettingupCapacity,pleasepress<Enter>.

Press<Enter>under theCreate Volume item.Theutility

promptsaconfirmationmessageasbelow.

Volume0

Volume0

Volume0

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Press<Y>tocompletethesetupofRAID.

Afterthecompletion,youwillseethedetailedinformationabouttheRAIDthatyousetup.

Pleasenote that youareonly allowed to createoneRAIDpartitionata timeunderBIOSRAIDenvironment. Ifyouwantto createanextraRAIDpartition, pleaseuse theRAIDutilityunderWindowsenvironmenttoconfigureRAIDfunctionsafteryouinstallOS.

IfyouwanttodeleteaRAIDvolume,pleaseselecttheoptionDelete RAID Volume, press<Enter>, and then follow theinstructionsonthescreen.

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3. Installing Windows® on a HDD under 2TB in RAID mode

After theUEFI andRAIDBIOSsetup youmay startinstallingWindows® 10 / 10 64-bit / 8.1 / 8.1 64-bit / 8 / 8 64-bit / 7 / 7 64-bit OSasusual.

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4. Installing Windows® on a HDD larger than 2TB in RAID mode

Windows® 7 / 8 / 8.1 / 10 doesnotsupportHDD’slargerthan

2TB.PleasemakesuretouseWindows® 7 64-bit, Windows®

8 64-bit, Windows® 8.1 64-bit or Windows® 10 64-bit.

AftertheUEFIandRAIDBIOSsetup,pleasefollowthestepsbelow.

STEP 1: Copy Intel® RAID drivers into a USB flash disk

You candownload thedrivers fromASRock'swebsiteandunzipthefilesintoaUSBflashdiskorcopythefilesfromASRock'smotherboardsupportCD. (Pleasecopythefilesunderthefollowingdirectory:

32bit:..\i386\Win7_Intel.. 64-bit:..\AMD64\Win7-64_Intel.. STEP 2: Install Windows® 7 64-bit / 8 64-bit / 8.1 64-

bit / / 10 64-bit OS Press<F11>tolaunchbootmenuatsystemPOSTand

choosetheitem“UEFI:<Opticaldiskdrive>“toboot.

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StartWindows® Installation.When you see “WheredoyouwanttoinstallWindows?”page,pleaseclick“LoadDriver”.

Plug theUSB flashdisk into yourUSBport; select“Browse” to find theRAIDdriver.Then choose thedirectoryyouhavecopiedinthefirststep.

Please keep theUSB flashdisk installeduntil thesystem's first reboot.Continue to install theOSbyfollowingtheinstructions.

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IfyouinstallWindows® 10 64-bit / 10 64-bit / 8.1 64-bit / 8 64-bit / 7 64-bit onalargeharddisk(ex.Diskvolume>2TB),itmaytakemoretimetobootintoWindows®or installdriver/utilities. Ifyouencounterthisproblem,youwillneedtofollowtheinstructionsbelowtofixthisproblem.

Windows® 7 64-bit / 8 64-bit / 8.1 64-bit / 10 64-bit:A.PleaserequestthehotfixKB2505454throughthislink: http://support.microsoft.com/kb/2505454/B.AfterinstallingWindows® 7 64-bit / 8 64-bit / 8.1 64-bit / 10 64-bit, install thehotfixkb2505454.(Thismaytakealongtime;>30mins.)C.Rebootyoursystem.(Itmaytakeabout5minutestoreboot.)D.Windows®willinstallthishotfixthenrebootbyitself.E.Pleasestarttoinstallmotherboarddriversandutilities.