Intel Rapid Storage Technology rebuilds RAID5 on almost every reboot!

[idata]

I have the following setup:

• SUPERMICRO MBD-X7SPA-H-O Mini ITX board which has 6 SATA ports running off an Intel ICH9R.
• Windows Server 2008 R2 SP1 Standard.
• Intel Rapid Storage Technology (IRST) v. 10.1.0.1008
• One WD 2.5" drive on port 0
• One ODD on port 1
• Three Samsung HD204UI internal drives in RAID5 (ports 2-4).
• Port 5 is empty

I have the following issues:

1. In IRST ports 4 and 5 show as EXTERNAL, when they definitely are INTERNAL.

2. Almost every time I reboot this machine IRST starts a 7 hr rebuild of the RAID5 array!

I'm thinking the two issues are related and need a way to fix ports 4 & 5 so they are read as internal. I tried the information found in http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/hardware/gg463521.aspx http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/hardware/gg463521.aspx but it had no effect.

[idata]

The ports in the BIOS are all configured as RAID. So the Intel driver is at fault here I think. It should not be listing ports 4 & 5 as removable.

[idata]

Anyone from Intel (or otherwise) who can offer some help?

[idata]

Sounds like a variant of a problem I have encountered in which IRST 1.1.2 repeatedly does "Verify and Repair". I can resolve the problem by opening IRST and cancelling the R&V. IRST then shows the RAID array functioning normally. That might break the cycle for you.

[idata]

The problem disappeared on my system when I installed 10.6.0.1002. Not only that but the rebuilds are much, much faster when needed. Hope it works for you too. --rbl--