New
#1
Dual boot Windows 7 & Vista on SSD and 2x HDD's in RAID0
What I wanted
Right here is my situation. I have been running Windows Vista 64 for about 3 years off of 2 HDD's in RAID0 and I just got a 60GB SSD which I wanted to install Windows 7 on it and still be able to dual boot my Vista 64 from my RAIDED drives. And then shrink the partition on my RAIDED drives to roughly 50% and create a new partition on them for my Windows 7 install to also be able to use to install programs and files. Which I was told elsewhere is totally possible.
Windows 7 Install
When installing Windows 7 on my SSD I couldn't get it to install with the SATA MODE in the BIOS set to RAID, it would say "cannot install to this disc, check if its enabled in BIOS". So I had to set it to AHCI MODE, which worked, so I unplugged every drive in my system and installed Windows 7 on the SSD like this.
Problem
So the problem is when I plug my RAIDED drives back in they will only boot when the MODE in the BIOS is set to RAID but then the Windows 7 on the SSD doesn't boot as that only boots when the MODE is set to AHCI. In my BIOS the SSD is only visible in AHCI MODE, my RAID drives are visible in both MODES but as Intel_Array in RAID MODE and as 2 seperate drives in AHCI mode.
So I am in a bit of a pickle and not sure what to do... I don't mind have to change the SATA MODE settings in the BIOS to dual boot back and forth, but will I be able to shrink and re-partition the RAID drive so Windows 7 can use them? With the MODE set to AHCI I can boot to Windows 7 from the SSD, and after installing the Intel Rapid Maxtrix Storage Controller I can access most files on the RAID array so it does detect the RAID array even when its set to AHCI but will not boot the RAID array in this MODE.
I fear the problem may be with my BIOS, Motherboard or the Storage Drivers as the RAID mode should be able to support a RAID array aswell as a stand alone drives using AHCI. But for me it seems when I enable RAID MODE, AHCI fails to work on the SSD. This could be because I installed it on the AHCI MODE but thats all I could do.
My system:
Abit IP-35 motherboard
Intel Core 2 Duo E2160
4GB DDR2
2x 250GB Western Digital in RAID0 booting with VISTA 64 (for about 3 years).
1x 60GB NEW Corsair SSD with Windows 7 (64) on it.
1x 640GB Western Digital Storage drive (currently unplugged).