XPS 8900, BIOS setting, Raid vs AHCI

If you have a small (32-GB) SSD installed that's used as a cache by Windows, you have to use RAID.

If you install an SSD as the boot drive, you can set BIOS to AHCI if you're doing a clean install, in which case the 32-GB SSD can be removed since Windows won't need it.

I have heard reference to the 32gb SSD before.

I take it that was a standard option on these boxes at some point? In any event. . . I don't have one. It would show up in "disk Management", or on the BIOS SATA screen right? And I would SEE it in a drive slot if I opened up the case?

Yeah -  Plan to do a clean install, with the current HDD remaining as a (likely way underutilized) data drive, and the SSD for the O/S and programs.   Don't need Raid for that.

Thanks!

If you have it, the SSD cache probably won't show up in Disk Management because it's treated as part of the HDD.

It would be plugged into an M.2 slot on the motherboard (#16 on page 16, here). It's not in a standard drive bay and not directly connected to one of the SATA ports on the motherboard.

If BIOS is set to RAID, I would assume you have that SSD cache. Otherwise, I don't think Windows would boot because it would be looking for another drive in the RAID array that doesn't exist.

Go to the support site and put in your Service Tag. On the next screen, click the System Config button and then on the tab for original config. Look on that list to see if an M.2 SSD is listed.

And if you have that SSD, you probably will want to remove it before installing Windows on the new SSD, with BIOS set to AHCI. You could eventually reinstall it and use it for extra, but small, storage.

** EDIT: Because the original version was rushed. **

Huh. . .that slot doesn't LOOK like a M.2 connector. I see the M.2 drives offered currently as options for the 8900 by Dell; they don't look like they will fit this slot.

 Regardless. . . the slot you suggested to check is empty.  I have also seen implications to being able to install a SSD in #26. On my motherboard, I have a WIFI thing (or something with a MAC address)  in # 26.

I did plug the service tag into the Dell Website to check the "as built" configuration. A M.2 SSD is not listed - - -> So I expect that I never had one. If it was an "up charge" in the original build, I would not have selected it; as I knew my real plan was to replace the HDD and put in a clean Win10 Load ASAP.  My plan now is to just slap in a SATA 2.5" SSD into a HDD bay using a 3.5" adaptor and an appropriate connector to the MB (and to the power supply). The current HD will become a data drive in the system.

(A new power switch is also on the list; per our conversation in the other thread) (What could go wrong!)

Looking at the original configuration. . . and what the machine is now. . . amazing to see.  Changed the Video Card and HDD upon purchase. Changed the RAM mid last year (8GB to 32GB).  Now just changed the Power Supply. Still running the original fans, CPU, and motherboard. OH. . and DVD.

My 8920 won't boot ahci no matter what I do.

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@546insp wrote:

My 8920 won't boot ahci no matter what I do.

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It's not helpful to  jump into the middle of someone else's thread with a problem on an entirely different PC model...

The two are closely related and it's not helpful to get on my case about nothing.

I have bought Dell's laptops and PCs since 2007. From GX270, GX620, Optiplex 745, 755, XPS 8100, 8300, 8500, 8700 and 8900. In my opinion, the RAID option is for professional and server PCs, so it is stupid to make the BIOS default in RAID mode. This causes a lot of problem for majority of buyers like you and me. The XPS line is very good up to XPS 8700. From 8900 and up there are design problems and motherboard quality from China, so I see a lot of issues that even Dell folks do not know what's going on.

I had an 8900 weird issue with the BIOS keeps going back to default RAID mode and "Time-of-day not set". I'm a retired electronics engineer and very good at troubleshooting both H/W and S/W of aircraft controllers, now also at Dell's laptops and PCs. I replace with a new coin battery, bend up the GND tab of the coin battery, extend the + tab, re-solder their GND and + post on the underside of motherboard with the same result. So it is not a H/W coin battery issue that resets the BIOS to default condition. I was so frustrated and think it got to be S/W, so I change BIOS from the latest 2.4 go back to 2.1.8, 2.1.3, 2.1.1, 2.2.1, 2.3.... same result.

Finally, I found out the Power cord have to be removed or switched off on the power strip after a shutdown, then it solved it.  So, I think a  staff of young engineers and talented in Facebook revised the 8700 motherboard and new S/W for the XPS 8900 and up, results in a lot of weird and stupid problems.

I hate iphones and smart phones because they make young people dumber, not smarter, create a lot of weird and unnecessary apps...... So, try every unimaginable ways to solve your XPS 8900 and up because the H/W and S/W design was seriously compromised by the above staff of young engineers and talented in Facebook .

Good luck to Dell buyers

Oh, the OP's link to how to switch from RAID to AHCI is broken - updated link here.  This is actually the same method I personally use to switch.

Thanks to Ron (RoHe) I was able to adjust the formatting to make my mumbling slightly more coherent.

This is the more recent of related topics so I will try this thread first. My XPS 8900 came with the 1 TB HDD only with BIOS set to RAID and BIOS has been updated to 2.5.

Amazon sent me a little baby (capacity wise) M + B Keyed M.2 2242 SSD (obviously this is NVMe). This can only be used via an adapter as the crippled M.2 slot is 2280 only although I did verify that the 2242 was working by temporarily leaving it in the slot uninitialized so it was not secured and jutting out at a 30 degree angle or so.

I have an adapter which goes into a PCI-e slot from where it draws power but have to connect the output to one of the SATA6 ports for data transfer which limits me to X2. I tried both the X4 sized and X16 sized PCI-e ports (both wired X4 according to both Dell and other users) and all open SATA ports but the system does not recognize that the SSD is connected. The adapter card has an LED which demonstrates that power is available and I have also switched SATA cables just in case.

BIOS allowed me to change the SATA configuration to ACHI but the system would not boot and reverting back to RAID required two attempts to boot but the system is operating again.

I read threads that suggested switching the BIOS setting from RAID to ACHI in safe mode. I did not try that (yet) because the BIOS change to ACHI was accepted and it appeared from that thread that this was a way to force BIOS to allow ACHI (some responders specifically mentioned that they only had two options which did not include ACHI) but was not what I encountered. For example, https://www.dell.com/community/Desktops-General-Read-Only/AHCI-disabled-on-XPS-8900-desktop/td-p/4673037/highlight/true.

Does anyone have any thoughts or suggestions concerning trying to get the system to recognize the SSD connected via SATA through the PCI-e adapter? The adapter is working.

From the same source I also have a small 2280 M.2 M + B SSD that I plan to use in the crippled M.2 slot so would have two small NVMe SSD going. I was told that supergluing the two NVMe drives together using the 2280 to anchor the arrangement probably would not have the desired effect.

Thank You

@leftblank  - You probably used IE11 to make your posts, which -unfortunately- isn't fully supported by the forum software platform used here. Suggest you switch to a different browser so you can properly format your posts on this forum.

Edge, Firefox and Chrome work with this platform. And to edit your post, log in and click the 3 vertical dots on the right side above the title line of your post that you want to edit, and select Edit from the drop-down menu. Those 3 vertical dots don't show up when IE11 is used, and as you found out, paragraph formatting doesn't work either... :Confused:

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@RoHe:  Thank You Ron.  I will try to remember this in the future.  Also confusing is that IE11 worked properly six days earlier for me in other posts in these forums but changes are sometimes made.  This might also explain why clicking the Kudo button wouldn't work last weekend.

 

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AHCI uses the generic windows driver.

RAID uses the Intel RST F6 driver.

Intel-Rapid-Storage-Technology-F6-Driver_8X2Y1_WIN64_16.7.1.1012_A01_01.EXE

The F6 installation method requires you to install a RST mass storage driver during Windows* setup. Windows will complain about not finding any drives to install on.

If you are using USB Flash drive as install media it must be USB 2.0.  USB 3.0 media will have issues.

The way to avoid this and work with all dells and all versions of windows is to use USB 2.0 optical Drive and OEM system Builder windows 10 DVD.

You then turn Secure boot OFF and CSM on and F12 boot from the DVD as though its a USB 2.0 flash drive.

There is a VERY SPECIFIC model I recommend for 2 reasons.

https://www.bestbuy.com/site/lg-8x-external-usb-2-0-blu-ray-disc-double-layer-dvdrw-cd-rw-disc-rewriter-black/9243009.p?skuId=9243009

First being its USB 2.0

Second Being it comes with Cyberlink Power DVD software that works with windows 10.

Third this setup works on ALL DELLS ALL MODELS from 2006 to made in feb 2019 models.

This disk works for Home or Pro and can be legally used on all systems to reinstall windows.

https://www.newegg.com/microsoft-windows-10-home-64-bit-installation-recovery-disc-only-no-license-key-included/p/N82E16832350237

https://www.dell.com/support/home/us/en/04/drivers/driversdetails?driverid=8x2y1

A required CD.DVD drive Device Driver is missing.

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@speedstep

 

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Thank You Speedstep. 

I will have to look into the 16.7.1.1012 version that you linked but noted that the XPS 8900 is not listed as a compatible system although the XPS 8930 is listed and those should be close enough to ensure compatibility (currently have the 15.7.5.1025 Rapid Store Technology driver installed).  Although Dell seems to keep the Drivers and Downloads up to date even for older systems they simply may not have gotten around to this.

Thank You for the help and sage counsel and advice.