Rapid Storage Technology
Intel® RST, RAID
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How do I make windows recognize that I've added an additional drive to striped volume?

KTann
Beginner
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I had a 2 disk striped array (Raid 0) on my Asus X299-A motherboard. Several days after spinning it up a added a third (Identical) drive to the array and in the RST Software I extended my array to include the new 3rd drive. Over a couple days (each drive is 10TB, HGST Deskstar Nas drives) the Array showed Migrating status, presumably to distribute to the three drives. It did eventually finish but when I look at the volume (in Intel RST software) it shows conflicting info with just under 30Tb on the left side of the screen and just under 20Tb on the right side. Of course when I look at the volume in Windows I also only see the 18.6 Tb. I'm hoping there's a last step that I have not yet completed. Please help.

-kt

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11 Replies
idata
Employee
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Hello kentann,

 

 

I understand that you are facing an issue with the size of your Raid 0 using our RST software. Allow me to help you with this issue.

 

 

Let me ask you: Have you checked the BIOS to verify what is the size of the array that it shows? In addition, which are the partitions that the Disk Manager of Windows is showing? And, is your system still showing that the Raid volume is migrating?

 

 

I will highly appreciate if you can provide me with that information so I can give you a solution as soon as possible.

 

 

Antony S.

 

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KTann
Beginner
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Here are the answers to your query.

1. I have checked the BIOS, but you should be aware that the BIOS does not control or even indicate the size of arrays it merely allows one to choose if the drives are managed via the BIOS or VIA "Intel RST Premium(RAID)". In my case the "Intel RST Premium(Raid)" is selected.

2. In Windows disk manager there is only one partition associated with Disk 1(the array) and it shows as 18627.87 in size and is showing as Healthy (Primary Partition). That value aligns with the value being reported in both the boot time RST software and the Windows RST software.

3. As I indicated in my original post the volume finished migrating days ago.

Lastly, here's a screen shot from the RST sotftware available during the boot process. As you can see there are three 9TB Drives configured on a Raid 0 (Striped array) the status for which is "normal" (finished migrating) and yet the size is still 18.1TB.

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idata
Employee
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Hello ketann,

 

 

Thank you for the information provided, I really appreciate it.

 

 

Please let me perform a little bit more of research on this case.

 

 

I would like to know which steps you followed in order to enter to the Raid Bios, did you use Ctrl + I during the computer's POST or you performed any other steps?

 

 

Furthermore, on this array you have, do you have data on it? If you have so, do you know the total size of it?

 

 

Additionally, if you do not mind, could you please attach an image of the Windows Disk Manager window?

 

 

And just for my information, is there any possibility for you to delete this array, create it once again and install Windows on it?

 

 

Thank you for your patience.

 

 

 

Antony S.

 

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KTann
Beginner
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To access RST during post I hit CTRL + I,

I do have data on the array, just over 15T as shown in the screen shot of properties on the drive.

I have attached below the images you requested.

Finally your request to just delete the array and re-create it while understandable is EXACTLY what I wanted to avoid. I've spent days responding to questions to what SHOULD be a straight forward request!

1. I have a striped array with 2 disks

2. I want to extend the array by adding a 3 disk which

3. I extend the raid 0 Volume using RST (either the software accessed during post or the windows version).

4. The volume goes into a "migration" state for some nubmer of hours (presumably to align with the 3 disks).

5. Once the array completes migration... THE SIZE HAS NOT CHANGED.

Sure I can delete the volume and create a new one from scratch but doesn't that completely defeat the purpose of extending the volume?

If you cannot help me solve the specific problem (extend a raid 0 array) please don't waste my time asking for more an more simple questions leading to delete and recreate!

I have TWO volumes with the exact same problme (one with 3 10TB drives and one with 6 4 TB Drives). Either Intel RST supports extending Raid 0 Volumes or it doesn't. Please don't continue wasting my time if Intel RST does not effectively support extending volumes.

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idata
Employee
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Hello kentann,

 

 

Indeed Intel® RST will support extended Raid 0 Volumes. The configuration you have seems to be correct. In this case what could happen was a problem with the migration of the data. The only solution I have at this point will be to have all your data backed up and start the array from scratch.

 

 

I really apologize that I do not have an answer at this level nonetheless, I will definitely escalate this case to another level of support, please be aware that this might take some time for us to have a response for you.

 

 

Antony S.

 

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KTann
Beginner
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Please escalate as rapidly as possible. Clearly the past few days have been a complete waste of my time. The Issue (extended volume does not show extended capacity) was clearly visible from my first post. All one should have to see is that or the text based RST image that shows the same thing to know that the "migration" to the extended volume failed for some reason.

Like I said I have two array's where I performed very similar steps and BOTH failed in the same way, the systems are both ASUS motherboards but one is almost 5 years old and one is new. I can only surmise that there's a final step necessary to complete the data migration. I really wish you would have escalated immediately, given you don't have the ability to resolve the issue.

-kentann

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n_scott_pearson
Super User
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Sigh! No escalation is necessary...

You have to think about Intel RAID Arrays the same way that you think about individual HDDs. With a HDD, you have the physical drive and you then logically divide it up into some number of partitions. In Intel RAID, you have the physical RAID Array and you then logically divide it up into some number of RAID Volumes.

When you first created the RAID Array with the first two HDDs, you also created a (single) RAID Volume that encompassed all of the space available in the RAID Array. When you added the third HDD to the RAID Array, you increased the overall size of the RAID Array, but you did not do anything to the RAID Volume that was previously created; it is still the same size and it contains the same data that it did before you added the third HDD.

Ok, so what are your options at this point? First of all, I do not know of any capability for growing the size of an Intel RAID Volume. This being the case, two options remain:

  1. You can create another RAID Volume in the unused space within the RAID Array and then use this RAID Volume as a separate drive.
  2. You can backup the contents of your existing RAID Volume to secondary storage, delete the existing RAID Volume, create a new (larger) RAID Volume that utilizes all of the space now in the RAID Array and then copy the backup onto the new RAID Volume.

Note: In the second option, do not delete the RAID Volume (or the RAID Array) or remove a HDD from the RAID Array without first backing up the contents of the original RAID Volume. You will lose your data otherwise.

Hope this explains it,

...S

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KTann
Beginner
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@Scott how awesome would it have been to get your "Correct" response "one can add drives to array but one cannot (as far as you know grow the size of an Intel RAID Volume" to my original question.

Though I'm sorry the answer came late I'm glad it eventually came. Much appreciation.

-kt

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idata
Employee
625 Views

Hello kentann,

 

 

Thanks for the information you've provided us; in regards to your case and to appropriately address on your situation I'll like that you please provide us some more information about your platform to better assist you; about this we'll need the following:
  • Processor Model:
  • Amount of RAM that you have installed:
  • Version number of Intel® RSTe (Enterprise) or Intel® RST (non-Enterprise) that you're using:
  • Windows Version:
Also, please remember that if you require more assistance or want to add additional details, we'll be glad to assist you

 

 

Regards,

 

 

Chris.
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idata
Employee
625 Views

Hello kentann,

 

 

 

Thanks for your time and we're sending you this message as a follow-up to your case and to see if the information that we've provided you was useful for your situation.

 

 

Please remember that if you require more assistance or want to add additional details, we'll be glad to assist you

 

 

Regards,

 

 

Chris

 

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idata
Employee
625 Views

Hello kentann,

 

 

Thanks for your time and we're sending you this message as a follow-up to your case and to see if the information that we've provided you was useful for your situation.

 

 

At this point we'll close your case; however, if you want to re-open your case and require more assistance or want to add additional details, we'll be glad to assist you.

 

 

Regards,

 

 

Chris
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