Rampage IV Gene RAID problem

[Tatge]

I have been boxing with my new motherboard for about a week now, and cannot seem to get it to do what I want.

Here's what I am working with:

Rampage IV Gene
Intel Core i7-3820
2x OCZ Vertex 3 120 GB drives
300 GB Velociraptor
Caviar Black 2TB

Intel RSTe ROM is 3.0.0.1184
Bios version is 1305

If I leave the SATA controller in AHCI mode, I can install Windows 7 with no problems on any drive I want. However, I want to RAID 0 the SSDs. When I enable RAID on the SATA controller, I can build the RAID 0 in the RSTe menu without a problem. the problem is when I try to run Win7. If Raid is enabled in the SATA controller, I get a message when I try to install Win7 that says "Windows cannot be installed to this disk. This computer's hardware may not support booting to this disk. Ensure that the disk's controller is enabled in the computer BIOS menu." The really frustrating part is that this comes up for every single drive, the RAID'd Vertexes and even the Velociraptor.

I can install Win7 on the Velociraptor with AHCI set. However, once I enable RAID instead of AHCI, the disk is not recognized as a boot disk.

I have tried using the RSTe drivers from the install CD as well as the 3.0.0.2003 version DL'd from Intel to install Windows and that hasn't worked. I have tried Secure Erasing the SSDs from the OCZ utility and no joy there either.

What shall I try next?

Thanks in advance.

[HiVizMan]

Hello

Let us break this down into small steps if you do not mind.

In bios you select the Intel Sata ports (advanced menu) and enable RAID
F10 and enter to save and reboot
Ctrl-I to enter the Intel raid set up utility
Set your SSD to RAID 0
Save and enter
F8 to select OS medium for first boot.
Start the install process
When presented with upgrade or advance you select advanced
There you select your RAID array.
Install OS

Have I got it right so far?

[Tatge]

That is the exact procedure I have been following, I have tried it from a USB as well as from the DVD.

After I load the RSTe drivers, I can see my drives, but I get the error message "Windows cannot be installed to this disk. This computer's hardware may not support booting to this disk. Ensure that the disk's controller is enabled in the computer BIOS menu."

[HiVizMan]

Do you have any other hard drives plugged in during this process?

[Tatge]

I have tried installing with all the drives connected and also with only the Vertex RAID connected. Neither way seems to want to work for me

[HiVizMan]

You have tested that you can install the OS on a single disk in AHCI you say?

Is your OS service pack 1 slipstreamed?

[Tatge]

The USB install I am trying is, the DVD I have is SP0...Both work on a single disk IF AHCI is set in the BIOS. Even if SATA option is set to RAID but the drives are NOT in a RAID, I still get the error.

I even tried plugging the Velociraptor in one of the Asmedia ports. Right now, so long as the SATA option in BIOS is set to RAID, Windows will not install on ANY drive, RAID or singular. It's weird and uber frustrating

[HiVizMan]

OK that is just wrong. If you are in RAID you should be able to install onto a single disk. I do it often.

What is the bios of your motherboard? Forgive me if you did tell me before but ....

[Tatge]

BIOS version 1305

[Tatge]

Well, I had it! Some how I got the RAID to be a bootable drive, installed Windows and got all the updates squared away. However, as soon as I re-connected my other HDDs the RAID ceased to be a bootable drive! $%^&!