Need help installing SSD on a GT683R with RAID 0

I have a MSI GT683R notebook with 500gb*2 on a RAID 0
I recently bought a SanDisk 240gb SSD drive and i wanna combine it with another HD, without using RAID. But i'm having trouble installing it.
I have tried recovery disk, windows 7 clean install and even tried cloning my disk but i keep getting random read errors. I have also tried all these using either the SSD alone or both the SSD and a new HDD both with RAID and AHCI boot option.

When i use the RAID option, the problem I get is when I turn on the PC it fails to read some random file and I end up getting a failure message from windows : "Windows cannot locate ..." and sometimes it just turns on normally, no problem at all. Whenever the OS boots, I don't seem to have a problem accessing files on the SSD.

When i use the AHCI option, the PC doesn't boot at all, it just keeps reading the HD forever, it doesn't matter if I'm using only the SSD or both the SSD and the clean HDD

I also tried this SSD on my other notebook and it worked just fine, but since it only takes SATA 2, it is not worth using it there.

Has anyone had a similar problem? Does anyone think updating BIOS will solve my issue?

 

Let me make sure I understand:

When you try to clean install Windows, the computer won't even detect the SSD? You never start the installation process?

 

Don't change the BIOS setting to ahci. You can put it back to raid. All you need to do is break the raid array. To accomplish this, press ctrl+i when you see the Intel management utility load up during post. There's an option to disable your raid. Afterwards, reinstall using any method of your choice. The reason ahci just sits there is because the built-in Intel raid software is still trying to load your raid-0. You said that you've made an image of the drives. Which software did you use to create the image? And did you make a backup disc of the recovery partition?

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The computer detects the SSD and I can install the Windows 7 but after that it like russian rulette, it may or may not boot.

The 2 HDs that came with the notebook are still intact, actually i'm using them right now since I wasn't able to configure the SSD the way I wanted to.
Do I need to break the array even if I use 2 new HDs (SSD + HDD)? And after that can I still leave the BIOS to use RAID?

About the imaging software, I first used the Norton Ghost software but now i moved to the Macrium Reflect software. The recovery partition is safe, that is the one partition i worry the most.

 

You can definitely leave the BIOS setting to raid. I have the same setup as you. One ssd and one hdd running without raid and the BIOS setting has stayed to raid. You have to break the array no matter what, unless you want to run a raid? Just break it via the Intel management utility during post. It will warn you that your data will be lost so make sure you have a reliable backup.

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Ok! I'll definitely try it out but i'm going to travel this week and can only do it next weekend! I'll post the results after that! I just hope it works.

 

I just recently made a post in another forum about changing from a RAID setup to a non raid in a GT780 that should also apply to your GT683.

Hope it helps you also.

The poster asked in the wrong forum.

http://forum.notebookreview.com/msi/661914-official-msi-ge60-ge70-owners-lounge-45.html#post8640554

 

My life is kind of a mess right now! I'm always travelling but finally I was able to try this out. And I'm still getting the same problem. I was able to take a picture of the error, sorry for the bad quality, took it with my 3mp cellphone camera.

What happens after this message is that if i press ENTER, it reboots my computer and after that, it may or may not boot the pc. I rebooted my pc 10 times and 4 times this error happened, and i'm not counting the reboots after the error happened.

I think i'll try that out... i remember seeing that red and black wire connector but didn't know what it was for...

 

Can you post a picture of the Intel management utility?

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ok... got home last night and since then i'm trying lots of stuff including this suggestion.. no luck at all!
Right now i'm using only my SSD with a RAID config (without the array of course) because i wasn't able to boot using the AHCI option! even after reseting the bios...

Is this what you want?

I was thinking about doing a bios update but i have seen others brick their computer while updating bios so I really don't want to do that....

 

OK. Well, that is not what I was talking about. There is an actual Intel management utility built-in to the chip. You see it when the system first turns on after the BIOS. Its there for about 3 seconds. This utility is the built-in raid configuration. If you press ctrl+i, it will take you the raid manager. This is where you'd break the raid, prior to windows, and potentially install your os. If you have backed up your data, and can completely wipe your drives, do this.... first off, KEEP the BIOS setting to raid. That's fine. Have both drives in the laptop of course, and break your raid via ctrl+i; ( the option is like "convert to non-system raid). DO NOT LET WINDOWS LOAD EVER. After the raid is broken, perform your windows installation. Now, I'm assuming you're using the recovery partition, hit f11 at startup and proceed with the restoration. Honestly, I'm not sure if the msi recovery will put your system back in raid? So, if you have a windows disc this will be a breeze. Also, if you break the raid, it may wipe your recovery partition so I'd advise you to create a backup before ANYTHING! You should have an msi recovery program installed that let's you create a backup image. And please explain your setup. I.e., what media you have, windows disc or not, how you want your system configured. Its too difficult to guide you without more information.

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If you installed Windows on a single drive with the bios set to RAID then change the bios to AHCI and boot,it won't work.

You need to install Windows after resetting the bios by removing the red/black wire and reconfiguring the bios to AHCI before proceeding with the clean Windows installation on a single drive.

With the bios set to AHCI the Intel raid utility will not appear.

 

The intel management that shows before booting is not showing right now because I'm only using the SSD disk... but i did break the array before removing the original HDs... I have also read some places else that I should be fine leaving the RAID boot option if i broke the array but this way clearly isn't working for me.

I'm trying to restore my full windows image... The SSD was supposed to have the MSI restore partition, the windows 7 boot partition and the OS_Install partition! And I wanna use a second HD with 500gb to restore the Data partition into it. I have tried this both using the RAID boot option without any array setting and also have tried the AHCI boot option.
Also, I have tried a couple of times a clean windows install but I'm not sure if in any attempt I tried using AHCI... After reading the WhatsThePoint's tutorial again, it just occured to me that i should try a CLEAN WINDOWS INSTALL using his tutorial...

Update #1:
I just tried WhatsThePoint's tutorial doing a clean windows install(using a flash drive because i'm out of DVDs) with bios set to AHCI and using only the SSD.
The windows installer did recognize the SSD and was able to expand windows file but upon reboot the pc gets a black window and never starts, just like always...
And clean install using RAID, well i'm trying it again just to be safe...

It feels like my pc, when i use bios set to RAID, is trying to read a file but it is not giving enough time for the SSD to respond... it's like you are asking someone for money and when the person grabs his wallet, you just say "nevermind! you dont have what i need"... thats what it feels like

Update #2:
I just finished clean windows install with bios set to RAID using only the SSD, same problem... I had to reboot the pc something like 8 times before it started for the first time! each time it said it couldn't find a different file: ntoskrnl.exe, systemcpl.dll... etc!

Like i said, it feels like my PC is trying to read a file but doesn't give the SSD enough time to respond!

 

So... does anyone else have a clue?

 

What are you using to install Windows?

Are you using a USB flash drive created using a good downloaded ISO unpacked onto the USB stick using the Microsoft USB/DVD Tool,an original Microsoft DVD or a burnt copy DVD?

To create a USB installation disk on a 4GB or larger USB stick:

Download the Windows 7 Ultimate x64 ISO
http://api.viglink.com/api/click?fo...&txt=English&jsonp=vglnk_jsonp_13245194375773

Unpack the Windows 7 Ultimate ISO onto the 4GB or larger USB stick using the Windows 7 USB/DVD Download Tool - CNET Download.com

After the files are on the USB stick open the files and expand the Sources folder.In there find ei.cfg and delete it so all versions of Widows 7 x64 can be install from a single USB stick.

Now your ready to install either Windows 7 x64 Ultimate,Professional,Home Premium or Basic.Install the version you have a key for.

Put the 4GB USB stick with Windows 7 x64 in a USB port and press the power-on button.Quickly start pressing the F? key on your notebook that allows you to choose to boot from the USB stick.

The 1st sceen will be for keyboard layout>OK
Install Now>OK
Licence Agreement>OK
Custom Install>OK

A screen that has disk utilities and Driver Installation should be showing.

Click on the Disk Utilities.A screen will open where you can view all partitions.

Format all partitions that are showing.

Then delete all partitions until only one large full drive partition remains remains.

OK

You can optionally install the f6flpy version of the Intel RST now from a 2nd USB stick.by clicking on add driver.

OK

Windows 7 will now begin to install.

During the 1st reboot in the Windows 7 installation process remove all USB sticks.
If you don't remove the USB sticks the installation process may start from the beginning after the reboot.

When the installation is complete install the Intel Chipset Installation software.

To free up about 12GB of space on the SSD turn off hibernation.

Run as Administrator powercfg -h off

Install MS netFramework 4

Install Intel MEI

 

So you did make your image with the windows system image recovery. Well, read this guide here.... http://www.ssdfreaks.com/content/664/how-to-clone-hdd-to-ssd-with-windows-7s-own-software. I think it may help you. Other wise, put the original hard drives in and restore to factory. Pre configure everything to suit your needs. Then get acronis true image! It will never fail you. I went from two hdds in a gt683, and restored an image to a ssd/hdd setup in my gt60.

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To help others, i've solved the problem:

1: put the ssd and the other hd in the notebook (my second HD was an existing one, i just removed one of the 2 500gb and changed it for an ssd)
2: CTRL + I to enter Raid System, you will notice the ssd will be "Non raid" but the other hd will be raid
3: Set the secondary hd to "Non Raid"
4: Enter in Bios and change "Raid" option to "AHCI"
5: Save exit and do the clean instalation (Windows 8.1 pro in my case)
6: If the system dont detect your secondary HD right click in "This PC" > "Management"> "Disc Management"> Right Click in the secondary hd > and initialize it adding some letter.