Intel VMD abilities? (NUC12DCMxx)

[GRIFFCOMM]

Hi

We have been testing the RAID on the NUC12DCMxx, we were able to go from a single SSD to RAID1 mirror by adding a disk then in the Intel VMD utility creating that mirror.  Can we then go from RAID 1 to RAID5 if i add a 3rd disk (migrating that data with it), this would be known as "live RAID migration")?

Is it also possible to migrate the size? so if i have a RAID1 with 2 x 1Tb and i swap them one at a time with rebuilds between them to then have 2 x 2Tb SSD, that RAID 1 will still be 1TB.  Can the RAID1 volume be expanded into the balance of the available space which is now 2 x 1Tb on each disk resulting in a RAID 1 2Tb volume (this known as Live RAID expanstion)?

Same question for RAID 5 as well, swapping each disk and rebuild between them, can the balance be expanded in to using the same volume and not requiring a new one created?

Many Thanks

[Alberto_R_Intel]

GRIFFCOMM, Thank you for posting in the Intel® Communities Support.

In order to provide the most accurate response to each of your inquiries, we will do further research on this topic. As soon as I get any updates, I will post all the details on this thread or point you in the right direction for further assistance on this matter.

Any questions,m please, let me know.

Regards,

Albert R.

Intel Customer Support Technician

[GRIFFCOMM]

Thanks, i await your findings.

[Alberto_R_Intel]

Hello GRIFFCOMM, I just received an update on this matter.

While we are still working on this case, could you please provide screenshots of the "Intel VMD utility" being used so we can verify further details about the tool? 

Regards,

Albert R.

Intel Customer Support Technician

[Alberto_R_Intel]

Hello GRIFFCOMM, I just wanted to check if you saw the information posted previously and if you need further assistance on this matter?

Regards,

Albert R.

Intel Customer Support Technician

[GRIFFCOMM]

Hi

I thought you were working on it, is there a special item you are looking for in the images you require?

We downloaded the RST tool from Intels site and am using that:

https://www.intel.com/content/www/us/en/download/723023/intel-rapid-storage-technology-raid-for-windows-11-for-intel-nuc-kit-nuc12dcm-and-intel-nuc-compute-element-nuc12edb.html

[Alberto_R_Intel]

Hello GRIFFCOMM, Thank you very much for confirming that information.

We will continue with our research on this matter, as soon as I get more details, I will post all of them on this thread.

Regards,

Albert R.

Intel Customer Support Technician

[Alberto_R_Intel]

Hello GRIFFCOMM, I just received an update on this matter.

In reference to this scenario, as per TPS page 13 and Intel® ark website, the Intel® NUC 12 Extreme Kit - NUC12DCMi9 only supports RAID 0 and RAID 1:

https://www.intel.com/content/dam/support/us/en/documents/intel-nuc/NUC12DCM_NUC12EDB_TechProdSpec.pdf

https://www.intel.com/content/www/us/en/products/sku/216963/intel-nuc-12-extreme-kit-nuc12dcmi9/specifications.html

Regards,

Albert R.

Intel Customer Support Technician

[GRIFFCOMM]

Hi

Thanks for the confirmation, this still leaves the question above "online RAID expansion", the ability to expand into unused space in past replaced SSD storage (as you have confirmed they cant migrate to RAID 5), i have confirmed it can go from a single drive to RAID 1 with no loss of data.

[Alberto_R_Intel]

Hi GRIFFCOMM, You are very welcome, thank you very much for your response.

In that case, I will double-check those details and provide the response as soon as possible.

Regards,

Albert R.

Intel Customer Support Technician

[Alberto_R_Intel]

Hello GRIFFCOMM, I just received an update on this matter.

In reference to the "online RAID expansion" question, yes, it is possible to do it: https://www.intel.com/content/www/us/en/support/articles/000057208/technologies/intel-rapid-storage-technology-intel-rst.html

Regards,

Albert R.

Intel Customer Support Technician

[GRIFFCOMM]

Hi

I believe i see it on page 138, are you certain this is available on the NUC12? (i dont see why not but need to check)

[Alberto_R_Intel]

GRIFFCOMM, Thank you very much for your reply.

Yes, after reviewing the case we are certain this is available on the NUC12. Still, I will check again as confirmation on this matter. As soon as I get any updates, I will post them on this thread.

Regards,

Albert R.

Intel Customer Support Technician

[GRIFFCOMM]

I need to add a question to this...  with regards RAID 1 in use and restoring to a new SSD (i cant get it to work), so the basic question is:

- Does installing the RST software / driver then record the SSD ID number of sorts to then allow you to VHD the disk?

We had a working RAID 1 (SATA), we backed up the image, managed to restore it to a new SSD, RAID was enabled but not the VHD, after a minor repair the system booted ok, the RST application could see the driver was not VHD enabled (as expected), when enabling it, Windows would not boot (error 225, which is lost disk), on checking i cant see ANY of the disk in the repair (DISKPART), so the VHD did not record and enable that disk in the BIOS.

We cleared this new disk and installed Windows 11 again, installed all drivers and the RST, after enabling it again with VHD (single disk) Windows booted fine, so is restoring an OS that was VHD possible?  how does the BIOS store the disk ID and how can that be updated?   does it require RST to be removed and re-installed on the restored SSD?

The above seems to mean if you are using VHD in anyway, you cant restore Windows to a different SSD as the dist doesn't seem to be enabled so windows cant boot.

[Alberto_R_Intel]

Hello GRIFFCOMM, I just received an update on this matter.

In reference to your previous question, the Intel® Optane™ Memory and Storage Management is not attached to the specific model but to the platform, so it should work.

In regard to your new inquiries, I will confirm those details as well and provide the response as soon as possible.

Regards,

Albert R.

Intel Customer Support Technician

[Alberto_R_Intel]

Hello GRIFFCOMM, I just received another update on this matter.

All the information related to VHD = Virtual Hard Disks is supported by Microsoft directly, in order to be sure if the restored Operating System is impacting please contact them:

https://support.microsoft.com/en-us

Regarding Intel® RST being required to be removed and re-installed on the restored SSD, yes, it is needed.

Regards,

Albert R.

Intel Customer Support Technician

[GRIFFCOMM]

Well, before we all blame Microsoft, my test seem to indicate Intel are doing something sneeky with regards the RST driver.

A restore works when NOT adding a disk in to the VHD, so why on a restore does the RST not have the ability to add a disk to the VHD controller, its not the disk, a reformat and total new install, then adding the RST driver allows it to VHD the disk, so does installing the RST driver push some hidden drive ID in to the VHD controller than then doenst work when the disk is changed the RST driver has no idea about (aka a system restore to a new SSD).

The above implication means removing then re-installing the RST driver once a system restore is complete THEN allowing it to VHD the disk, this has major implications with regards system restores while using Intel RAID on this hardware base.

To replicate this problem:

- SSD with RAID enabled in the BIOS

- Build Windows 11

- Run Intel RST and activate VHD to push the disk in to the RAID VHD system

- Backup that install of Windows to a separate store

- Remove the SSD, install another with GPT inilized

- In the BIOS, make sure RAID is enabled by no M.2 are controlled via VHD

- Restore Windows back on to this SSD, you may need a minor repair to boot

- Boot the system, at this point it should run but not controlled via Intel RAID VHD system

- Run the Optane and RST application, it will ask you if you want to enable VHD on that drive, say yes then reboot

- BINGO Windows will never boot again

- On running a Windows install / repair, when you get into DOS (via a repair) and use DiskPart, you will find it cant see any of the SSD partitions, this is why Windows cant boot as it cant see any of the datastore, so enabled VHD on that restored Windows install, the RST application did not push the VHD setting correctly, why not?

- If you then clear that SSD, install Windows to it like new, with all drivers your find the RST will be able to push it in to the VHD, it just cant do it on a restored Windows.... this is a huge issue for replacing SSDs when they fail from backups, need to find an answer for this...

[Alberto_R_Intel]

GRIFFCOMM, Thank you very much for sharing those details.

We will continue with our research on this matter. I will post all the updates on this thread as soon as they become available.

Regards,

Albert R.

Intel Customer Support Technician

[Alberto_R_Intel]

Hello GRIFFCOMM, I just received an update on this matter.

While working on the case, we just wanted to confirm, did you try to test the system without using VHD (Virtual Hard Disks)?

Regards,

Albert R.

Intel Customer Support Technician

[Alberto_R_Intel]

Hello GRIFFCOMM, I just wanted to check if you saw the information posted previously and if you need further assistance on this matter?

Regards,

Albert R.

Intel Customer Support Technician

[Alberto_R_Intel]

Hello GRIFFCOMM, Since we have not heard back from you, we are closing the case, but if you have any additional questions, please post them on a new thread so we can further assist you with this matter.

Regards,

Albert R.

Intel Customer Support Technician