Raid on XPS 8950 using 2 SATA SSDs

Hi

I think dell has a bit more than that to set up such a thing, even gigabyte if you follow the little blue links.

On the XPS 8950 you can run a SATA RAID 0/1 array with two 2.5″ SATA SSDs, but you must use the motherboard’s Intel RST (RAID) mode and create the array before Windows sees the drives as a single logical disk. dell+2

Prerequisites and caveats

• RAID will erase both drives. Back up anything important first.

• For best results, use two identical SATA SSDs (same model/capacity). The XPS 8950’s Intel RST implementation can be fussy about mismatched sizes, especially for RAID 1. dell+1

• The XPS 8950’s default “RAID On” setting is usually for Intel Rapid Storage Technology (RST) with one drive acting as a cache for another. To make a proper SATA RAID array you’ll reconfigure RST in the Intel RAID UI, not just leave the default caching setup. dell

Step‑by‑step: RAID 0 or RAID 1 with 2 SATA SSDs

1. Install the SSDs

1. Power off, unplug, and open the case.

2. Mount both 2.5″ SATA SSDs in the drive bays/caddies.

3. Connect each to:

   • A SATA data cable to motherboard SATA ports (use ports controlled by the Intel chipset; on the 8950 these are the standard SATA ports).

   • A SATA power cable from the PSU. gigabyte+1

2. Enable RAID mode in BIOS

1. Power on and press F2 repeatedly to enter BIOS Setup.

2. Go to System Configuration → SATA Operation (or similar; wording varies by BIOS version).

3. Set SATA mode to RAID On (not AHCI).

   • If it already says “RAID On”, leave it. dell+1

4. Save and exit (usually F10).

   If you’re currently booting Windows in AHCI mode, switching to RAID will prevent boot until you either:

   • Reinstall Windows on the new RAID array, or

• Follow a known “AHCI→RAID without reinstall” procedure (registry + safe‑boot steps). For a fresh RAID build, a clean OS install is simpler. dell

3. Create the RAID array in Intel RST (RAID BIOS)

On the XPS 8950 there is no Ctrl+I RAID option ROM; you use the Intel RST interface inside the UEFI.

1. Reboot and press F2 to enter BIOS again.

2. Look for a menu like:

   • Advanced → Intel® Rapid Storage Technology, or

   • Storage → Intel(R) Rapid Storage Technology (exact path depends on BIOS version). gigabyte+1

3. Inside the Intel RST menu, choose Create RAID Volume (or similar).

4. Configure:

   • Name: e.g. SATA_RAID

   • RAID Level:

     • RAID 0 for performance + combined capacity (no redundancy).

     • RAID 1 for mirroring (half capacity, fault tolerance). gigabyte

   • Select Disks: mark both SATA SSDs (usually with Space/Enter).

   • Stripe Size: 64 KB is a good default for general use. gigabyte

   • Volume Size: leave at maximum unless you specifically want multiple volumes.

5. Confirm and create the volume. The controller will initialize the array. gigabyte

6. Save and exit BIOS.

At this point the two physical SSDs appear to the OS as one logical drive.

4. Install Windows (or your OS) on the RAID array

1. Boot from your Windows installation media.

2. When you reach the “Where do you want to install Windows?” screen:

   • If the RAID volume is visible, just create partitions and install.

   • If it’s not visible, you may need to load the Intel RST/VMD driver:

     • Download the Intel RST driver for your chipset/Windows version from Intel/Dell.

     • Put it on a USB stick.

     • In the installer, click Load driver, browse to the driver, and load it. gigabyte

3. Complete the Windows installation as normal on the new RAID volume.

5. Post‑install: Intel RST software (optional)

Once Windows is installed:

• Install the Intel Rapid Storage Technology application from Dell’s support site or Intel.

• Use it to:

  • Monitor array health.

  • View SMART data on each SSD.

  • Manage rebuilds if a drive fails (RAID 1).

Notes specific to XPS 8950

• The system supports RAID 0/1 for both PCIe (NVMe) and SATA drives, but NVMe RAID often requires a VROC key or special configuration; SATA RAID via Intel RST is the straightforward path for two SATA SSDs. dell

• Users have confirmed that:

  • SATA RAID works on the 8950 with multiple SATA drives.

  • For RAID 1, the non‑system drive should be equal or larger than the system drive; mismatched smaller second drives can block array creation. dell