Windows Startup Repair query

Hi Greg and GoKay,

I went into the Bios and disabled the SAS Raid Controller and then got the following message on the next screen:

Alert! Hard drive not found.

Press F1 key to retry
Press F2 key for setup utility
Press F5 key to run onboard diagnostics

GokAy said:

I guess that's because you disabled the SAS RAID controller. That is not what we want. We want to change it's operation mode to AHCI if possible. Anyway checking Tech specs for your mobo, SATA 0-1 are SATA III ports and default is AHCI. So lets use them.

Ok, lets try this:
- Enable SAS RAID back in BIOS
- Log in Windows
- Download AS SSD benchmark and run it, what does it say in green text at upper left side? Take a screenshot and post please.
- Go into registry and enable msahci driver. AHCI : Enable in Windows 7 / Vista do steps 1-4
- Shut down PC
- Open case, remove SSD data cable from board and attach to where DVD-ROM (remove this from mobo as well) is, so SATA-0 is SSD. SATA 0-1 might have a different color to SAS ports.
- Attach DVD-ROM data cable to SATA-1, should be next to SATA-0.
- Start PC, see if it will boot.

You can always change back the cabling if it won't work.

Report back

Edit: If you can't change DVD-ROM and SSD places, then attach SSD to SATA-1. The reason I ask for you to locate SSD to SATA-0 is sometimes Windows System Repair disk can't find the OS when SSD is attached in another port. Also added one more step above.

Thanks for the help GokAy, I'm in work now I will try take a look at this when I get home later

gregrocker said:

If you can't change to AHCI you can still do the Clean Reinstall to the SSD in the mode it's in with no problems. Just make sure to choose the SSD during install, delete all partitions, create and format a new one or just click Next to let the installer do it for you.

Again if you stick with the steps in Clean Reinstall Factory OEM then you will end up with a perfect install which will stay that way as long as you use only the tools and methods given.

It's entirely up to you if you want to keep the RAID array shown in your screenshot as the data drive. I only asked you to look inside the case and count the hard drives besides the SSD so you'd know how many drives are in the array. I didn't mean to scare you.

The SATA Operation option in the Bios is set to AHCI. I haven't changed that. Dell are sending me a Windows 7 OEM disc in the next 7-12 working days, so I will definitely be doing a system wipe.

About keeping the RAID array, I'd probably prefer not to from what I have heard here from you guys. This affects performance too does it? I need this PC running in peak condition with the programs I use.

Just so you know, I only have the SSD in it now, I took out the 4TB HDD for now. But indicated in the pic is where I had it a few days ago until my problems began. The attached image shows the way my hard drives go in. That whole area above them 4 bays is just a blank space.

Oh, discard what I wrote earlier for changing cables and whatnot :)

The empty space above is probably for a 2nd CD/DVD/Blu-ray drive and that one is SATA-1 as seen in BIOS.

Changing the SAS RAID controller operation mode (if that is even possible) won't affect SSD performance. Single disk in RAID mode is basically AHCI.

Download and run AS SSD benchmark, post screenshot when finished here. Lets see how your drive is doing.

GokAy said:

Oh, discard what I wrote earlier for changing cables and whatnot :)

The empty space above is probably for a 2nd CD/DVD/Blu-ray drive and that one is SATA-1 as seen in BIOS.

Changing the SAS RAID controller operation mode (if that is even possible) won't affect SSD performance. Single disk in RAID mode is basically AHCI.

Download and run AS SSD benchmark, post screenshot when finished here. Lets see how your drive is doing.

OK, I will do that. I like how simple it is to just slot the drives in. As I said, me and opening up the insides of PC's - we don't go well together!

Did you say you had a single data HDD and not a RAID array spanning multiple hard drives which is what RAID is. I had asked you that question earlier and you were too afraid to open your case, remember?

If you don't have RAIDed drives then you don't have RAID so you can turn it off. A RAID is more than one hard drives spanned together. Period.

GokAy, please see results below.

Greg, I have a separate HDD that it currently removed. The PC arrived with just the SSD inside.

If I turn Raid off, the PC fails to boot, as I mentioned a few posts back.
Edit: I just want to add this info too, the drive space is really low and I have hardly anything even installed

gregrocker said:

Did you say you had a single data HDD and not a RAID array spanning multiple hard drives which is what RAID is. I had asked you that question earlier and you were too afraid to open your case, remember?

If you don't have RAIDed drives then you don't have RAID so you can turn it off. A RAID is more than one hard drives spanned together. Period.

Hey, Greg

He tried turning the RAID off the other day but that option seems to shut off the controller instead of turning off the RAID mode (no drives reported while it was off). There is also an option for SATA operation in BIOS, already set as AHCI, which seems to affect SATA0-1 ports. DVD-ROM is SATA 0, SATA-1 seems to be a 5.25" drive bay.

I really wonder which driver he is using for SSD at the moment, so I asked for an AS SSD screenshot.