Adding RAID disk to 9200

Question

I have a Dell 9200 which I ordered without RAID - just with a single disk.  I want to add a second drivfe and create a RAID 1 mirror.  I installed the drive, and put it on SATA port 1.  The first drive is on SATA port 0.  The DVD is on SATA port 3.  I put the SATA system in RAID mode.  When I boot the machine, from the BIOS I see the three SATA devices listed, and I see the prompts for the Intel Matrix Storage Manager (the copyright notice).  However, I do not get a prompt for entering ctrl-i to enter the storage manager BIOS configuration.  If I type ctrl-i during any part of the boot process I never enter the storage manager.    So - my question is, what's wrong?  Why am I not allowed to enter ctrl-i?  Dell support tells me the problem is that I did not order the system with RAID so it is not supported.  They suggest I return the entire machine and re-order.  I find this very hard to believe.   I don't know if this is related, but then the POST message first start coming, I get this message nearly at the start:   This version of the BIOS only supports hard disk and cdrom drives   What does this mean - what version of the BIOS do I have?  I'm wondering if this is related to my problem. The message implies that there is some better version of the BIOS that I do not have.   Any ideas?  I've spent hours troubleshooting this with Dell, and in the end all they say is that if you do not buy the machine with RAID then RAID is not supported.

siegeld · Answer

OK, thanks.  I will try that.   However, my question is this:   According to the hardware documenation that comes with the machine, and according to many things I've read on the web, I should be able to get into a BIOS-based Intel Matrix Storage Manager RAID copnfiguration utility (from the ROM) by typing ctrl-i when the POST messages from the Intel Matrix comes up.  In fact, there should be a POST message that says something like, 'press ctrl-i now to enter the Matrix Storage Manager configuration BIOS configuration utility'.  I do see the POST messages indicating that I have a Matrix Storage Manager (basically, it is a copyright message, and I assume this is displayed when the Matrix Storage Manager hardware is first configured during the BIOS startup).  What I do not see is the message telling me that I can now type in ctrl-i, and if I do type in ctrl-i anyway, nothing happens.   So - why does my BIOS not give me the option to go into the Matrix Storage Manager?   The reason I want to do this is that apparently another option for configuring the RAID system is to first set it up at BIOS time, before the OS is installed.  If you do this, then you do not have to use the floppy disk drive installation.   By the way, I am installing VISTA, so perhaps I can skip the floppy disks.  Does VISTA have the drivers for the Matrix Storage Manager pre-installed?   Thanks very much for your help!

Majestic · Answer

The 9200's BIOS is the same one Dell uses for machines sold with one drive non-RAID or with a two drive RAID system so that isn't the problem.   Dell hasn't come up with a decent Knowledge Base article on doing a clean install of the operating system on a RAID setup, which I am assuming that you are going to do,  so I will attempt to point you to links on how to do it.......   Click here for a web site in which the author explains how to install Windows XP on a Dimension 9100.  Although the 9100 is slightly different, the information provided should give you the general idea.  Keep in mind that the drivers mentioned are for the 9100 and you will need to use those specific to your model.  Click here for the 9200's Intel Matrix Storage driver.

siegeld · Answer

One more data point:   I popped in a  Vista 64-bit installation DVD and booted the machine.  The disks are under RAID control according to the BIOS settings.  Vista started to boot, 'loaded the files', but then just got stuck with the throbbing progress bar but never going into the first screen of the installation process.

siegeld · Answer

Well, I tried to find drivers on the Dell site for the Storage Manager for Vista, and I could not.   I was able to boot into Vista setup when I changed the BIOS setting to RAID AUTODETECT rather than just RAID.  When I went into setup, I saw my two drives.  I then tried to load Vista Matrix Storage Manager drivers that I downloaded from Intel, but according to Vista none of the drivers were compatible with my hardware.  I'm not sure exactly what Matrix Storage Manager chipset Dell is using.   So - no luck so far.

Majestic · Answer

Check the BIOS option for SATA Operation and see what it is set at.  A setting for RAID ON should give you the ctrl + i function.   As for your questions regarding Vista, I would suggest posting in the Software - Vista forum.  I'm not a Vista user so I have no idea what the installation involves.  That forum would be the best source of finding answers from other Vista users.  You can click here for a direct link to that forum.

siegeld · Answer

OK, thanks.

siegeld · Answer

Well, the problem is, when I set RAID ON in the BIOS I do not get the ctrl+i function!   I tried to toubleshoot this with Dell Support and they could find no reason why it wasn't working.  They told me that since I did not purchase the machine with RAID that they do not support it, and that they are not even sure if the machine supports it.  I can't believe the machine does not support the feature, all Dell 9200 machines must have the same hardware.  Their only suggestion was to return the entire machine and to buy a new one with RAID disks pre-installed.   Can you think of any reason at all that ctrl+i would not appear?  It's odd, isn't it?

Majestic · Answer

At this point I would suggest posting in the Dimension - Hard Drive forum.  RAID questions are a frequent topic there and since I'm not an owner of your model, it maybe a better source for advice.  You can click here for a direct link to that forum.

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