First the question if anyone can answer that would be great.
1) What is the difference ( in Windows 8.1 ) between clicking on the power icon ==> selecting shutdown VS power icon ==> select shift + restart ==> select shutdown ( from the next screen).?
2) Can I somehow manually setup the System Volume flag in RST?
Background:
I installed a RAID 5 setup on my computers ( actually I tried it on another computer before with the same result) . Initial install was with a HP recovery DVD with Windows 8.1. Initial install went fine. after a couple of days and lots of updates, my computer would only start after a long delay and a couple of restarts.
When it did restart I noticed, when I shutdown the computer the HDD light would stay on for a long time about 20 seconds. and then the computer would power off. My guess is its writing something and windows actually shuts it down before it has a chance to finish. In the meanwhile, the RAID volume has also become unmarked as a system volume.
The only way I can do a clean shutdown which I somehow happened upon accidentally , is to select shift+restart and from the options shutdown in which case it shuts down normally within three seconds.
More background:
I tried setting up RAID on a different computer before too but ran into problems after running updates. I now believe its something within the Windows 8.1 cumulative update. ( Microsoft released a cumulative update for windows 8.1 patch all the windows 8.1 updates ). On my previous setup ( z87 and 3X OCZ SSDs + clean Windows 8.1 Enterprise install ), I was having a similar issue ( i,e it all started off fine, but after a few days after Windows updates, the Volume would loose the "system disk" flag in RST and then it wouldn't start properly.
Actually this is my THIRD setup, I also tried installing Windows 8, upgrading to Windows 8.1 ( up-to that point all was fine. ) but then after a couple of days after more updates the result.
If anyone needs any other info other than listed below feel free to ask.
I realize some people might say , its a Microsoft issue ( which I agree with), Unfortunately Microsoft has officially stated in several spots that RAID 5 as a Boot drive is not possible ( which I don't agree with), How ever that means I can ask Microsoft for assistance on this.
Specs of the present setup:
z75 chipset HP motherboard
4X OCZ SSDz
i7 cpu
present software specs:
RST :13.1.0.1058
chipset drivers: 12.8.2.1000