Hello all,
I'm a bit new to the forums so deal with me if this may be in the wrong spot. This is an extremely confusing but I'm sure helpful community!
I accidentally set up a RAID 10 with 2x 2TB Seagate Barracudas and 2x 2TB Western Digitals Blacks in a RAID 10 configuration but with the BIOS set to AHCI. (I originally had a 2TB WDD as System, and a 2TB Barracuda as backup using Acronis, so no RAID there) So using Intel Rapid Storage Technology, I went ahead and made the RAID 10 without knowing the MOBO was set to AHCI. IRST (Intel Rapid Storage Technology) apparently copied the data but didn't set up a function RAID 10 (Even though it says, your system is running fine). So now I need some help on what to do. It apparently has striped the data but I don't think so because I originally had 50GB left of my 2TB drive before I added the 2 extra drives for RAID 10, and I still have 50GB left. If I had done a perfect RAID 10 it should've been something around 1950/4000GB because it would've doubled and created a single striped drive. I cannot access the individual drives in disk managment but I can see my system drive. I'm scared if I do something like reset a drive to Non-RAID or try to make another RAID 10 on top of it, I'll loose all my data or have to reinstall OS. (I guess I'm fine with reinstalling OS though).
I wanted to try to boot up the original system drive so I could clear all the other drives and reset, but I found that's not how it's done. I disconnected all drives except the original system drive and it failed to boot up because it was missing the RAID 10 drives (It was booting in a RAID 10 config), however I feel as if nothing has been striped over and the RAID is non functional. It seems like all my data is still on the original drive because previously said, The contents of my original system drive have not changed. Just for clarification, I'm booting on my original system drive but apparently It's being striped. Previously said though, I don't feel as if that's the case. I guess the big question here is if I had set up a RAID 10 in AHCI, was anything copied over at all to the other drives?
I also set the BIOS from AHCI to RAID (Something you shouldn't do) but I did it and my system booted up in the RAID 10 fine. But the RAID is still messed up. I need to somehow remove the RAID entirely (preferably without reinstalling OS), make sure no data has been striped and if so isolate it on one system drive, and reinstall the RAID in RAID configuration in the MOBO.
Recap
1. If I set up RAID 10 in AHCI, was anything copied over to any other drive? (I can't see in disk management).
2. If #1 is true, most likely data has been striped. To be sure, must
3. Remove RAID entirely but preserve data on system drive.
4. Making sure MOBO is set to RAID, redo RAID 10 in previous setup.
That raps up my problem but however, if you need to know more information be sure to ask. It's a complicated problem and I've tried to make it as simple as I could.
I've scoured the internet trying to find someone with the same problem, but to no avail.
Thanks for the read through!
Tyler