A RAID-ready configuration is a specific system configuration that allows you to add an additional Serial ATA hard drive(s) to your system at a later date and migrate to a RAID volume.

In order to set up a RAID-ready system, the system must include a single Serial ATA hard drive, the RAID option must be enabled in the system BIOS, the F6 installation method must be used to load the Intel® Matrix Storage Manager driver during operating system setup, and the Intel® Matrix Storage Console must be installed.

1. Enable RAID in BIOS
2. Load RAID driver using F6 installation method
3. Install Intel® Matrix Storage Console

1. Press F2 during POST to enter the BIOS setup program.
2. Select Advanced.
3. Select Drive Configuration.
4. Switch Drive Mode option from Legacy to Enhanced.
5. Enable Intel® RAID Technology.
6. Press F10 to save the BIOS settings and exit the BIOS setup program.

Load RAID Driver Using F6 Installation Method

Perform the following steps to install the Intel® Matrix Storage Manager driver during operating system setup.

1. Press the F6 key when prompted in the status line with the Press F6 if you need to install a third party SCSI or RAID driver message. This message appears at the beginning of Windows* XP setup (during text-mode phase).
   Note: Nothing will happen immediately after pressing F6. Setup will temporarily continue loading drivers. You will then be prompted with a screen asking you to load support for mass storage device(s).
2. Press S to Specify Additional Device.
3. You will be prompted to Please insert the disk labeled Manufacturer-supplied hardware support disk into Drive A: Insert the floppy disk containing the following files: IAAHCI.INF, IAAHCI.CAT, IASTOR.INF, IASTOR.CAT, IASTOR.SYS, and TXTSETUP.OEM and press Enter.
4. You should be presented with a list of available SCSI Adapters. Select your controller from the list. The up and down arrow keys can be used to scroll through the list as all controllers may not be visible. The list may include:
   • Intel® 82801ER SATA RAID Controller
   • Intel® 82801FR SATA RAID Controller
   • Intel® 82801GR/GH SATA RAID Controller
   • Intel® 82801GHM SATA RAID Controller
   • Intel® ESB2 SATA RAID Controller
   • Intel® 82801R SATA RAID Controller
5. The next screen should confirm your selected controller. Press Enter again to continue.

At this point, you have successfully F6'ed in the Intel® Matrix Storage Manager driver and Windows setup should continue. Leave the floppy disk in the floppy drive until the system reboots. Windows setup will need to copy the files from the floppy again to the Windows installation folders. Once Windows setup has copied these files again, you should then remove the floppy diskette so that Windows setup can reboot as needed.

Install Intel® Matrix Storage Console

Perform the following steps to install the Intel® Matrix Storage Console.

1. Download the latest version of the Intel® Matrix Storage Manager
2. Run the executable.

Related Topic
How do I migrate from a RAID-ready configuration to a 2-drive RAID 0 or RAID 1 volume?

This applies to:

IntelŽ Matrix Storage Manager