Unsolved

This post is more than 5 years old

1 Rookie

 • 

3 Posts

2548

July 29th, 2019 22:00

Aurora R8, switch from RAID to AHCI? If so, how?

I got an Alienware Aurora R8, I change original M.2 PCIe NVMe SSD (Boot) for a Crucial P1 3D NAND NVMe PCIe M.2 SSD. I clone the disk and now is running with OS on new M.2, recently a read an articule regarding optimization of SDD and sad that SSD working better with AHCI setup, I acces to my BIOs and find out is setuo as RAID, so, my question is, SSD reallyt work better as AHCI? If so, could I just change on BIOS or that would affect OS correct operation? Thanks for you suppor

10 Wizard

 • 

17.9K Posts

 • 

71.1K Points

July 30th, 2019 22:00

Since you wanted to take the easy-road and clone it, you have to leave it as RAID.

Switching the AHCI will likely require a complete format and clean-install. In this case, I suggest you never re-install Intel-RST.

RAID setting works fine (as is shown by both of those SSDs working).

As for speed, if you are getting around 3000/1600 r/w ... it is running near max speed. Use Crystal DiskMark.

 

2 Posts

September 2nd, 2021 08:00

Hi, May I ask the reason you suggested not to reinstall intel-rst?

8 Professor

 • 

5.3K Posts

September 2nd, 2021 09:00

Intel RST created a lot of headaches and Microsoft discontinued support for it in 2020.  It is EOL and no longer supported or updated by Microsoft.

8 Professor

 • 

7.1K Posts

 • 

29.7K Points

September 2nd, 2021 13:00

Switching from RAID to AHCI in your bios will not cause any issues if you have no RAID volumes defined. I have done this on my R10, because it came from the factory installed in RAID mode on a single SSD, with regular volumes.

In RAID mode you cannot read SMART information from SATA connected drives. 

 

So I switched it to AHCI.

 

The other way around (from AHCI to RAID) you can only do if you manually insert the correct RAID driver, and would require a bit of advanced knowledge.

 

Since you are running RAID and want to switch to AHCI, there should be no issue switching it in your BIOS. (Unless you made an actual RAID volume, but if it's factory clone it will not be a RAID volume).

8 Professor

 • 

7.1K Posts

 • 

29.7K Points

September 2nd, 2021 13:00

I have done it on my R10 just by switching the mode in BIOS. I have done this before on other systems. Never had an issue...?

I guess you could boot into safe mode, but I honestly do not see the point since both AHCI and RAID drivers will be loaded in safe boot or regular boot if you have your BIOS set to RAID mode.

2 Intern

 • 

82 Posts

September 2nd, 2021 13:00

Hello, if you don´t really have a Raid Array, in the next video is a step by step guide on how to change from Raid to AHCI without having to reinstall windows, you need to follow this steps, because if you change directly the setings in the Bios to AHCI it will corrupt your windows install.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9ngnIKqPOc4

Regards.

 

2 Intern

 • 

189 Posts

September 2nd, 2021 15:00

Sometimes people should just google.

I followed this method many moons ago.  Worked no issues

https://support.thinkcritical.com/kb/articles/switch-windows-10-from-raid-ide-to-ahci

101 Posts

September 3rd, 2021 07:00

Chose to clean install Windows 10 and changed from RAID to AHCI on both XPS 8940 and Aurora R11.  You've got good questions.   

8 Professor

 • 

5.3K Posts

September 3rd, 2021 07:00

So many responses now . . .  Keep in mind this RAID to AHCI question is over 2 years old.  If they even still have the PC it's most likely been resolved by now. 

No Events found!

Top