Solved BSOD, plus odd Windows error

[mezzy316]

I did notice that the two 500GB drives still show up as one, and when I click on Properties on the C drive, it still shows it as RAID1.

 

[mezzy316]

I did some other researching and it looks like I have to go into the Intel Matrix Storage Manager in the BIOS using CTRL-i and from there reset the disks to non-RAID. I had to change the controller back to RAID to get into this, so I'm guessing I pick Option #3 here first, then reboot and change the controller to RAID, and then I won't be able to boot to windows and I can do the clean install. Sound right?

 

[essenbe]

That sounds about right. But, change the controller to AHCI before you do the install, and disconnect 1 of the wires to each hard drive except the one you want Windows installed on. And, I sure you already know to back up all your personal files to an external source before you break the raid.

 

[mezzy316]

Sorry, that's what I meant....Option #3, then AHCI, then clean install. Thanks for the reminder on unplugging one of the drives.

 

[essenbe]

No problem, that's what we're here for. I thought you meant, AHCI and not Raid, but wanted to make sure. Good luck with the install, you shouldn't have any problems.

 

[mezzy316]

Okay, so now I chose Option #3 for both drives. It said all data would be erased which was fine. Then I changed the controller to AHCI.....and it booted to Windows. It installed drivers for the drives and had me reboot. It booted to windows again. Now I can see both drives in Device Manager (I couldn't before), but they still only show up as one C drive instead of two. When I choose Properties on the C drive now, it no longer shows RAID, it shows both drives, yet there is still just the one C drive. Intel RST Service once again says that is not running (I'm guessing because I broke the RAID). Now what? Do I uninstall Intel RST? Will that have any effect? Should I just boot to the thumb drive and do a clean install anyway?

 

[essenbe]

I would make one suggestion. You don't have to do it if you don't want to. But when you boot from the install DVD, the first screen will be select your language, don't do it. Hold down the shift key and press F10. It will bring up a command window. Type diskpart into the window and press enter, in a few seconds, the window will reply diskpart. Then type list disk and press enter. The computer will show you all the disks it can see. I don't know if your SSD will show, if it does it will also show the sizes so you will know which disk is what and it will also give each disk a number on the far left. Your 500 GB disk will be listed as 465GB. Assuming it is given the number 0 (number0 not letter) type select disk 0 and press enter (or select disk 1 if that is the number assigned to it by diskpart) it will reply disk 0 is the selected disk. type ckean and press enter, the window will reply diskpart cleaned the selected disk, type create partition primary and press enter, the window will reply, diskpart created the selected partition. type active and press enter, the window will reply diskpart marked the partition active. type exit and press enter, next type exit and press enter again and you will be back at the select your language window. Continue as normal. At the install screen select (highlight) the 465 GB disk, and press install. Windows should do everything else.

 

[mezzy316]

Just to be clear, I don't have an SSD. I have 2 x 500GB drives.

 

[essenbe]

This is new to me, so I am learning with you. I would go to Disk Management (right click computer, select manage, and in the left column select disk management.) In the lower half of the window, right click the second C drive, and select 'change drive letter or path,' then select change, then select any drive letter suggested by Windows, you will get a warning, ignore the warning and apply. Then reboot and see what happens. You may not be able to boot. If you cant, shut down, disconnect the drives you don't want windows installed on and begin the install. Make sure your personal files are backed up first before you do any of this.

To explain, I've never run raid 1, but you have broken the raid, however, raid 1 is mirrored raid, which means that everything on disk 0 should be an exact duplicate of disk 1. So, they would both have the same data and the same name, and by consequence, the same drive letter. I realize that is a big assumption on my part.

 

[mezzy316]

When I go into Disk Management there are two 465.76GB discs.

The first one that says "Disc 0" shows as "Online" with three partitions:
#1 SYSTEM, 100MB NTFS
#2 HP [C:] 454.25 GB NTFS
#3 FACTORY IMAGE [D:] 11.41 GB NTFS

The second one says "Disc 1" and shows as "Offline". It has the same partitions with the same sizes, but no descriptions like the ones above. It also has an error message that says "The disk is offline because it has a signature collision with another disk that is online." If I right click on any of the partitions, all of the options such as "Change Drive Letter and Paths" are greyed out.

 

[essenbe]

The options you are talking about are in the top part of the window it sounds like. Look at the bottom part of the window. You should have 1 disk with 1Partition that says system Active, another partition that says HP 454GB. That is the one that you want to keep. In fact, it would help if you post a screenshot of Disk management showing the upper and lower portionas of it http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/274797-disk-management-post-screen-capture-image.html
Also, if you don't know how to post a screenshot, this will help http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/9733-screenshots-files-upload-post-seven-forums.html

 

[mezzy316]

Update....I was able to right click on "offline" on Disc 1 and choose "online" and it assigned letters to all of the drives (J/K/L). I think it may be good to go! However, I obviously don't need those three partitions. Can I change it to just one big drive by reformatting it? Also, should I uninstall the Intel RST Service now?

 

[mezzy316]

I was looking at the lower part...

 

[essenbe]

The second disk, right click each partition and select delete, after you have deleted them all, right click the empty space and select new simple volume and follow the guide, just be sure it is an MBR partition and is not active.

 

[essenbe]

They both appear to me exact duplicates of each other. So, that is good.

 

[mezzy316]

The two smaller partitions deleted just fine. However the large partition gives me a message that says it is currently in use (see screen shot). Should I delete it anyway?

Since it was originally listed as "offline" anyway, my guess would be that I can delete it, but I wanted to check first.

 

[mezzy316]

I rebooted and then it let me delete it with no problem. Then I did the New Simple Volume and reformatted it. Looks like it's good to go.

Last question then...do I delete the Intel RST Service? It says it isn't running anyway (it's still in the sys tray).

 

[essenbe]

I wouldn't uninsta;; IRST right boe right now. I would delete that partition anyway, just so long as you understand, you may not be able to boot any more. If you want to test first, turn the computer off, unplug the data cable from that drive and reboot. If you have no problems, then you can shut down and reconnect it.

 

[mezzy316]

You may have missed my last post...I was able to delete that partition and reformat the drive after a reboot. The only thing left would be the Intel RST Service. Otherwise I think the RAID should be completely gone. Thanks!

 

[mezzy316]

If iaStor.sys (and its variants) need to be removed, don't I have to uninstall Inter RST service? I've also seen where just uninstalling the software doesn't uninstall the drivers and you need to uninstall those separately. Is that right?