Rapid Storage Technology
Intel® RST, RAID
2047 Discussions

Intel RST RAID 5 on DX58SO Dual Boot - Win 7 Pro x64 & Win XP Pro x64

TGold1
New Contributor II
2,387 Views

Hi, I'm considering a clean install of Win 7 Pro x64 and Win XP Pro x64 in dual boot mode on a DX58SO with i7-930, 6GB RAM and three Seagate 500GB SATA drives in Intel RST RAID5.

I'm presently running Win 7 Pro x64 on that hardware in RAID5 with Intel RST 12.8.0.1016. It doesn't appear that RST 12.8 supports Win XP Pro x64.

The Intel Download Center indicates RST 10.1.0.1008 for the DX58SO which applies to both Win 7 x64 & Win XP x64.

I have been unable to install RST 10.1 on a DX58SO with a clean install of Win 7 (with and without Win 7 updates). The only versions of RST that will load and function on my Win 7 system are RST 12.5 and RST 12.8.

If I install RST 12.8 on the Win 7 side of the dual boot machine, will I have issues if I install RST 10.1 on the Win XP side. Will the RAID5 Volume have issues when it boots Win 7 RST 12.8, then shuts down and boots Win XP 10.1? Can I install RST 12.8 on the Win XP side of the dual boot?

Thanks in advance for your assistance.

Regards

My previous threads with RST 10.1 issues:

/thread/28235 https://communities.intel.com/thread/28235

/thread/40354 https://communities.intel.com/thread/40354

0 Kudos
6 Replies
DArce
Valued Contributor III
663 Views

Please bear in mind that this product has reached its End of Interactive Support so Intel no longer provides interactive support for this product via telephone, chat or e-mail.

Even though dual boot installations are not validated for these platforms, it should not present an issue to have one version installed in one operating system and another version in the other operating system.

Another thing you might do would be to use Intel(R) Rapid Storage Technology 11.2 which is known to be really stable and it works both in Microsoft* Windows* XP and Microsoft* Windows* 7. You can get this version from:

https://downloadcenter.intel.com/Detail_Desc.aspx?agr=Y&DwnldID=21408&keyword=11.2&lang=eng https://downloadcenter.intel.com/Detail_Desc.aspx?agr=Y&DwnldID=21408&keyword=11.2&lang=eng

0 Kudos
TGold1
New Contributor II
663 Views

Hi Diego,

I've had several support tickets opened about the RST program and Win 7 x64 while the DX58SO was in its active support period.

RST 10.1.0.1008 is what the Download Center indicates is the current driver for both Win 7 x64 and Win XP x64, the driver would not load on my clean install of Win 7 x64. It caused the system to freeze with only the Win 7 distribution version installed and the Intel Chipset and current BIOS. The board IDs are as follows: USSO845000XM AA E29331-501 & BTSO147ZAAIE AA E29331-705 I have a third board, USSO928001MB AA E29331-503, but I can't recall if I tried to do the install on it.

RST 11.0.0.1032 is what an Intel tech suggested to resolve the issue with RST 10.1.0.1008. The driver would install without issue. However, the RST program would not create volumes. It gave an indication of an "unknown error."

RST 11.2 is what an Intel tech suggested to resolve the issue with RST 11.0.0.1032. RST 11.2 performed just like RST 11.0.0.1032. It would not create a volumes in the RST program and gave an indication of an "unknown error." When I review my chat support transcripts where the Intel tech posted the download link for RST 11.2, the link is no longer valid. Did Intel drop RST 11.2 from the lineup? I'm not sure that RST 11.2 is the same as the RST 11.2 link you posted. The link to RST 11.2 you posted is for the AHCI: Intel® Rapid Storage Technology Driver for Intel Desktop Boards 11.2.0.1066. What's the difference between a AHCI: Intel Rapid Storage Technology driver and a RAID: Intel Rapid Storage Technology driver? The name difference raises a lot of questions in my mind. I can't recall if the Intel tech support rep, back in March 2012, gave me a link for RAID: RST 11.2 or AHCI: RST 11.2. Do you set the BIOS to AHCI to install that driver? My BIOS is set for RAID not AHCI. I create my RAID volumes using the RST program as opposed to the "CTRL I" option in the BIOS boot. I don't know if my issues about creating a RAID volume with RST 11.0 & 11.2 apply to the "Ctrl I" method, because that's not how I intended to install my OS. If I do a Download Center search for "Intel Rapid Storage Technology" the RST download page comes up. If I select only Windows 7 x64, 14 matching RSTs are displayed, but RST 11.2 is not one of them. Why is that?

RST 12.5.0.1066 is the first version of the RST program that would load and function as advertised on my DX58SO running Win 7 x64.

RST 12.8.0.1016 is what I running now on my Win 7 x64 system and it installed and functions without issues. My concern is that the Download Center doesn't indicate that it's valid with Win XP x64.

 

So, if I understand your post correctly, the volume created with RST 12.8 in Win 7 x64 can be used by RST 10.1 in Win XP x64. It's my understanding that you can see the Win XP files when you are running Win 7 on a dual boot system and vice versa. Is that correct?

Thank you for the assistance.

Regards

PS

If I do a Download Center search for "Rapid Storage Technology 12.5," I see three different RST 12.5.0.1066 drivers.

1. Intel® Rapid Storage Technology (Intel® RST) RAID Driver

2. RAID: Intel® Rapid Storage Technology Driver for Intel Desktop Boards

3. AHCI: Intel® Rapid Storage Technology Driver for Intel Desktop Boards

I suspect that if you try to load the driver numbers 1 and 2 with the BIOS set to AHCI, you will get issues. And, if you try to load driver number 3 with the BIOS set to RAID you will get issues. Is that correct? Driver number three doesn't have RAID in its name at all. Since both drivers numbers 1 and 2 indicate RAID, what's the difference in two different names imply?

I've haven't taken note of these name variations before. It makes me wonder if I may have been trying to load a RST driver 11.2, but was loading the wrong version of RST 11.2.

Is there or was there a RAID: Intel Rapid Storage Technology Driver 11.2.0.1066 versus a AHCI: Intel Rapid Storage Technology Driver 11.2.0.1066?

Regards

0 Kudos
DArce
Valued Contributor III
663 Views

Downloadcenter is a repository of drivers available for all lines of Intel(R) products, that includes generic drivers for products installed in Original Equipment Manufacturer computers and retail boxed versions of Intel(R) Desktop Boards. That is why you may see a difference between names even though the version continues to be the same, one has been released for OEM systems, and the other for Intel(R) Desktop Boards. They will still work for your system, regardless of the name.

Now, concerning the 11.2 link I gave you, its name refers to be an AHCI driver however, this also includes RAID drivers, so, as expected, the system needs to be on RAID mode, to be able to install RAID drivers. Having AHCI on the name does not affect anything.

You can check the release notes of that driver and confirm the support for both operating system and for both AHCI and RAID mode:

http://downloadmirror.intel.com/21408/eng/STOR_11.2_readme.txt http://downloadmirror.intel.com/21408/eng/STOR_11.2_readme.txt

If still does not work, you may try using the versions you originally intended to use. In this case, you will need to try an see, as I mentioned, dual booting its not a tested scenario for these motherboards.

0 Kudos
TGold1
New Contributor II
663 Views

 

Thanks Diego,

That information on the different names clears up my confusion. I had read and compared the release notes on the three different names for RST 12.5 and I didn't see anything that explained the different names. I was getting the impression that AHCI was for BIOS set to AHCI and RAID was for BIOS set to RAID, but didn't see that explained in the release notes. That misinterpretation is cleared up now.

I don't think the dual-boot is going to be an issue, because I've read about others doing it. My main concern was the compatibility of different RST versions running the same volume from different boot options. I will try to use one version that's applicable for both Win 7 x64 and Win XP x64 if possible, but my issue with the designated driver on the Download Center is still a mystery for me. I think I'm using very basic hardware and standard software. RST 10.1.0.1008 should load and function in Win 7 x64 and it doesn't for some reason. As I mentioned, the Intel tech support solution was try different version of the RST. I'm surprised to still see RST 10.1.0.1008 listed as a DX58SO driver for Win 7 x64.

Thanks again for your assistance.

Regards

0 Kudos
DArce
Valued Contributor III
663 Views

I have to acknowledge that having just "AHCI" on the driver name will lead to confusion on using this for a system set on RAID mode, being honest this happened to me too until I checked the release notes

Now, I have to admit that i'm also surprised that IRST 10.1 is listed for Microsoft* Windows* 7 under the DX58SO's downloads. To my knowledge, Win7 support started from 11.6 and that is something you can see by checking IRST 11.2 release notes.

However, I know that 11.2 is confirmed as stable in Windows* XP and Windows* 7. So you may go ahead and use that version or use the different versions, 12.5 and 10.x in XP, that should not represent a problem.

0 Kudos
TGold1
New Contributor II
663 Views

Thank you Diego,

I'll make sure I read the release notes and give those drivers a try.

Thanks for all your help.

Regards

0 Kudos
Reply