Problems installing Windows 10 on GA-Z170X-UD5 w/M.2 RAID

[Skysis]

I have a Gigabyte Z170X-UD5 with two M.2 SSD's installed (Intel 600p, 256GB). I was able to set up a RAID 1 volume in BIOS following the instructions in the user manual in section C-1 UEFI RAID Configuration. I can see the newly created volume in the Peripherals\Intel Rapid Storage Technology section, but I don't see it under the BIOS Features\Boot Option Priorities. SATA is set to RAID. Installation is a 64-bit version of Windows 10 Pro from a USB drive created using Rufus. Problems start when the installation gets to the install location - none is seen. I tried loading both Intel's and Gigabyte's RST drivers, but no install location shows up after they load, prompting me to load another set of drivers. I'm stuck at this point. Thanks for any help.

 

[Ketchup]

First off, I would suggest using thr media creation tool for Windows 10 instead of Rufus. Rufus is a great tool for older versions, but not necessary with 10.

 

[Skysis]

First off, I would suggest using thr media creation tool for Windows 10 instead of Rufus. Rufus is a great tool for older versions, but not necessary with 10.

Thanks, tried that, but it didn't work. Also tried an older version of RST drivers off the Intel site, but no luck.

 

[Ketchup]

You don't want RST just yet. "Intel SATA Preinstall driver" and "Intel INF installation" might be needed at this point, but that's it.

 

[vailr]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lhB7K13SXZ0

 

[Skysis]

The Intel SATA Preinstall Driver on the Gigabyte site is the same thing as the RST driver found on Intel's site. INF is installed after the OS is installed. I did try the Preinstall Driver too, however, and no luck.

Let me backtrack, because I'm not sure if what I'm seeing is normal behavior in the motherboard. In BIOS configs, when I configure SATA drives or the M.2 SSD's as AHCI, they are visible in Boot Option Priorities. Once RAID is configured, the volume is visible only in the Intel Rapid Storage Technology section. The Boot Option Priorities is blank, the RAID volume doesn't appear there. When I try installing the OS, it sees the M.2 SSD's when they're AHCI, and I can install to either one of them successfully. But once they're in RAID config, they're invisible to Windows, and loading the Preinstall Driver or the RST driver is useless. So I'm wondering if the motherboard should be showing the RAID volume to the OS installer? Could it be that the mobo is the problem? I'm on the latest BIOS, BTW, flashed from F5 to F6F.

 

[Skysis]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lhB7K13SXZ0

Thanks, at least now I know why the RAID volume doesn't show up at the beginning. However, I'm still unable to get the OS installer to accept the drivers. When I select the drivers, it spends a while installing, but it finishes by saying no drives have been found and rescanning doesn't show anything new. I tried the newest RST driver, I tried an older version, and I tried the "Preinstall" driver (same as the newest Intel RST) - none of them work.

 

[VirtualLarry]

it sees the M.2 SSD's when they're AHCI,

Unless I'm wrong, and there is an option I'm not aware of, Intel 600p SSDs are PCI-E NVMe, not AHCI.

Setting your UEFI option for the SATA ports, to AHCI, doesn't change that fact.

Also, when you are booting, are you booting in UEFI mode?

 

[BonzaiDuck]

Unless I'm wrong, and there is an option I'm not aware of, Intel 600p SSDs are PCI-E NVMe, not AHCI.

Setting your UEFI option for the SATA ports, to AHCI, doesn't change that fact.

Also, when you are booting, are you booting in UEFI mode?

He'll answer your question there, I'm sure. But I also have one.

What does "booting in UEFI mode" entail? My BIOS settings have storage devices and driver choices to favor "UEFI first" or UEFI-only. What I'm wondering is whether it makes a difference having an MBR boot drive or a GPT boot drive. I'm planning on getting a 950 Pro M.2 drive and cloning the current boot drive to it.

 

[Skysis]

Unless I'm wrong, and there is an option I'm not aware of, Intel 600p SSDs are PCI-E NVMe, not AHCI.

Setting your UEFI option for the SATA ports, to AHCI, doesn't change that fact.

Also, when you are booting, are you booting in UEFI mode?

I understand that. I was just saying that when SATA settings are configured to AHCI, even if a RAID volume has been configured, the SSD's show up in Boot Option Priorities and during OS installation as individual devices. When the SATA is set to RAID, nothing shows up in BOP or during OS install, but the Youtube video suggested by Valir confirms that this is normal behavior.