No 'Increase Size' Option for RAID 5 Array in RST - Why is this missing?

[idata]

I have an old RAID 5 array on an ICHR10 chipset that was originally configured with 4 250Gb drives. Over time I've had three of the four drives fail, the most recent of which happened after I'd upgraded the OS to Win8 (note that the boot partition is on an SSD, the RAID array is a separate partition for user data). In the past when I replaced the 250Gb drives with 500Gb drives, I was able to expand the size of the volume in RST, then increase the partition size in Windows Disk Management; however, this option in RST is not available in the last go-around when I replaced a drive that failed with one of larger capacity.

The specifics are this: Array was (2) 500Gb drives and (2) 250Gb drives, with a total indicated space of roughly 700Mb, this being split into two partitions in Windows. I've just replaced a failed 250Gb drive, and allowed RST to rebuild the array, now with (3) 500Gb drives and (1) 250Gb drive. When in RST, under manage, I click on the full Array box, the size is indicated as being 953,899Mb - this is what I expect. And when I click on the old RAID 5 volume on that array, the size is 715,417Mb, same as it was in the past before the last drive failure and replacement.

The issue is that nowhere in the RST interface can I find the option to expand the size of the existing RAID 5 volume; the RST help clearly indicates that I should simply:

1.Under 'Status' or 'Manage', in the Storage System View, click the volume whose size you want to increase. The volume properties are now displayed on the left.2.Click 'Increase size'.3.Click 'Yes' to confirm. Caution: Once the data migration starts, the operation cannot be canceled.4.Once the migration has completed, restart your computer for changes to take effect. Then use Windows* Disk Management to increase the partition size on the volumes or add another partition.

This 'Increase size' link is not present. I'm confident that it was there in the past, as I expanded the original 500Mb volume to 700Mb after replacing the first two failed drives. Lastly, I also checked the boot-time utility, and this shows the drives but does have any option to expand the size of the array or volume.

Is there a reason that the Increase Size option is missing in the RST interface?

[Marcos_U_Intel]

What is your Intel(R) Rapid Storage Technology version?

what is your operating system?

[idata]

The system is running Windows 8 Pro 32-bit, and RST 11.6.0.1030. The System Report generated from the RST Help pages looks like this:

System Report

System Information

OS name: Microsoft Windows 8 Pro

OS version: 6.2.9200 9200

System name: MAINPC

System manufacturer: Gigabyte Technology Co., Ltd.

System model: EP45-UD3R

Processor: GenuineIntel x64 Family 6 Model 15 Stepping 2 1.8 GHz

BIOS: Award Software International, Inc., F9

Intel® Rapid Storage Technology enterprise Information

Kit installed: 11.6.0.1030

User interface version: 11.6.0.1030

Language: English (United States)

RAID option ROM version: 8.0.0.1039

Driver version: 11.6.0.1030

ISDI version: 11.6.0.1030

Storage System Information

RAID Configuration

Array Name: SATA_Array_0000

Size: 953,899 MB

Available space: 8 MB

Number of volumes: 1

Volume member: ROOT_Raid5

Number of array disks: 4

Array disk: WD-WCAYU8441715

Array disk: WD-WCAYU8413346

Array disk: WD-WCC2ES757325

Array disk: WD-WCANK5988293

Disk data cache: Enabled

Volume name: ROOT_Raid5

Status: Normal

Type: RAID 5

Size: 715,417 MB

System volume: No

Data stripe size: 64 KB

Write-back cache: Enabled

Initialized: Yes

Parity errors: 4

Blocks with media errors: 0

Physical sector size: 512 Bytes

Logical sector size: 512 Bytes

Hardware Information

Controller name: Intel(R) Desktop/Workstation/Server Express Chipset SATA RAID Controller

Type: SATA

Mode: RAID

Number of SATA ports: 6

Number of volumes: 1

Volume: ROOT_Raid5

Number of spares: 0

Number of available disks: 1

Rebuild on Hot Plug: Disabled

Manufacturer: 32902

Model number: 10274

Product revision: 0

Direct attached disk: WD-WCAYU8441715

Direct attached disk: WD-WCAYU8413346

Direct attached disk: WD-WCC2ES757325

Direct attached disk: WD-WCANK5988293

Direct attached disk: CVMP229001RF120BGN

Disk on Controller 0, Port 0

Status: Normal

Type: SATA disk

Location type: Internal

Usage: Array disk

Size: 466 GB

System disk: No

Disk data cache: Enabled

Command queuing: NCQ

SATA transfer rate: 3 Gb/s

Model: WDC WD5000AAKX-001CA0

Serial number: WD-WCAYU8441715

SCSI device ID: 0

Firmware: 15.01H15

Physical sector size: 512 Bytes

Logical sector size: 512 Bytes

Disk...

[Marcos_U_Intel]

I recommend you get the latest version of the Intel Rapid Storage Technology from the link below:

https://downloadcenter.intel.com/Detail_Desc.aspx?agr=Y&DwnldID=22194&ProdId=2101&lang=eng&OSVersion=Windows%208*&DownloadType=Drivers https://downloadcenter.intel.com/Detail_Desc.aspx?agr=Y&DwnldID=22194&ProdId=2101&lang=eng&OSVersion=Windows%208*&DownloadType=Drivers

Try again the increase Size option, if is missing, or not working, then contact back with results.

[idata]

I updated to the latest version, 11.7.0.1013, but still do not see the 'Increase Size' option for either the array or the volume:

Here is the new System Report:

System Report

System Information

OS name: Microsoft Windows 8 ProOS version: 6.2.9200 9200System name: MAINPCSystem manufacturer: Gigabyte Technology Co., Ltd.System model: EP45-UD3RProcessor: GenuineIntel x64 Family 6 Model 15 Stepping 2 1.8 GHzBIOS: Award Software International, Inc., F9

Intel® Rapid Storage Technology enterprise Information

Kit installed: 11.7.0.1013User interface version: 11.7.0.1013Language: English (United States)RAID option ROM version: 8.0.0.1039Driver version: 11.7.0.1013ISDI version: 11.7.0.1013

Storage System Information

RAID Configuration

Array Name: SATA_Array_0000

Size: 953,899 MBAvailable space: 8 MBNumber of volumes: 1Volume member: ROOT_Raid5Number of array disks: 4Array disk: WD-WCAYU8441715Array disk: WD-WCAYU8413346Array disk: WD-WCC2ES757325Array disk: WD-WCANK5988293Disk data cache: Enabled

Volume name: ROOT_Raid5

Status: NormalType: RAID 5Size: 715,417 MBSystem volume: NoData stripe size: 64 KBWrite-back cache: EnabledInitialized: Yes Parity errors: 4Blocks with media errors: 0Physical sector size: 512 BytesLogical sector size: 512 Bytes

Hardware Information

Controller name: Intel(R) Desktop/Workstation/Server Express Chipset SATA RAID Controller

Type: SATAMode: RAIDNumber of SATA ports: 6Number of volumes: 1Volume: ROOT_Raid5Number of spares: 0Number of available disks: 1Rebuild on Hot Plug: DisabledManufacturer: 32902Model number: 10274Product revision: 0Direct attached disk: WD-WCAYU8441715Direct attached disk: WD-WCAYU8413346Direct attached disk: WD-WCC2ES757325Direct attached disk: WD-WCANK5988293Direct attached disk: CVMP229001RF120BGN

Disk on Controller 0, Port 0

Status: NormalType: SATA diskLocation type: InternalUsage: Array diskSize: 466 GBSystem disk: NoDisk data cache: EnabledCommand queuing: NCQSATA transfer rate: 3 Gb/sModel: WDC WD5000AAKX-001CA0 Serial number: WD-WCAYU8441715SCSI device ID: 0Firmware: 15.01H15Physical sector size: 512 BytesLogical sector size: 512 Bytes

Disk on Controller 0, Port 1

Status: NormalType: SATA diskLocation type: InternalUsage: Array diskSize: 466 GBSystem disk: NoDisk data cache: EnabledCommand queuing: NCQSATA transfer rate: 3 Gb/sModel: WDC WD5000AAKX-001CA0 Serial number: WD-WCAYU8413346SCSI device ID: 1Firmware: 15.01H15Physical sector size: 512 BytesLogical sector size: 512 Bytes

Disk on Controller 0, Port 2

Status: NormalType: SATA diskLocation type: InternalUsage: Array diskSize: 466 GBSystem disk: NoDisk data cache: EnabledCommand queuing: NCQSATA transfer rate: 3 Gb/sModel: WDC WD5000AAKX-00ERMA0 Serial number: WD-WCC2ES757325SCSI device ID: 2Firmware: 15.01H15Physical sector size: 512 BytesLogical sector size: 512 Bytes

Disk on Controller 0, Port 3

Status: NormalType: SATA diskLocation type: InternalUsage: Array diskSize: 233 GBSystem disk: NoDisk data cache: EnabledCommand queuing: NoneSATA transfer rate: 3 Gb/sModel: WDC WD2500KS-00MJB0 Serial number: WD-WCANK5988293SCSI device ID: 3Firmware: 02.01C03Physical sector size: 512 BytesLogical sector size: 512 Bytes

Disk on Controller 0, Port 4

Status: NormalType: SATA SSDLocation type: InternalUsage: AvailableSize: 112 GBSystem disk: Yes Disk data cache: EnabledCommand queuing: NCQSATA transfer rate: 3 Gb/sModel: INTEL SSDSC2CT120A3 Serial number: CVMP229001RF120BGNSCSI device ID: 4Firmware: 300i Physical sector size: 512 BytesLogical sector size: 512 Bytes

ATAPI device on Controller 0, Port 5

Location type: InternalSATA transfer rate: 1.5 Gb/sModel: ASUS DVD-E616A3T Serial number: Not AvailableFirmware: 1.12

[Marcos_U_Intel]

If you try creating a new RAID, instead of increasing it. Do you see the remaining space available?

[idata]

There is no option to create a new RAID volume on the set of disks; this is what my Status page looks like:

Isn't this where I should also see an option to create another volume on the free space in the array?

Could this be an access permissions problem of some sort? The user under which I'm logged in is part of the Administrators group, and I also tried to rt.-click 'Run as Administrator' on the Intel RST start menu shortcut, but the behavior did not change.

[idata]

I see a

466 GB drive

a

466 GB drive

a

466 GB drive

a

233 GB drive

hmm....their is a 233 GB drive in your setup!

If you was hoping to do a matrix RAID setup unfortunately it is supported in a required way which is if you had four 466 GB drives you can setup one array for 699 GB RAID 5 across all four drives leaving you 233 GB on each to setup another array for 932 GB RAID 0.

But what you can't do as of yet that I know is setup matrix RAID on some of the drives that are in a array with free space you must do it across all the drives that are in a array with free space.

[idata]

What I'm trying to do is simply expand the current RAID 5 volume to use the full amount of space available in the array; I do not want a separate partition or different RAID type. The RST software shows the total space on the array to be ~953Mb, as I'd expect, but nowhere can I find the option to expand the size of the current volume beyond the ~715Mb that was previously configured before replacing a failed drive with a larger disk.

[idata]

You still have one 233 GB drive that needs to be replaced plus even if you do the ICH9R is not listed for support to do Capacity expansion.

http://www.intel.com/support/chipsets/imsm/sb/CS-022304.htm?wapkw=ich+raid http://www.intel.com/support/chipsets/imsm/sb/CS-022304.htm?wapkw=ich+raid

[SOsip]

I have similar problem

ICH10R RAID5 with 4x 2TB Disk I have switched one by one to 3TB disks, now I have 4x 3TB disks but no increase size button not in volume level nor in array...

Latest RST version 12.5.0.1066 installed

Any suggestions?

Thanks

[DArce]

Samvel, you have not performed a RAID array expansion so the capacity expansion option will not be shown. You have systematically changed the drives in the array, array expansion is adding one extra drive to an existing array. I suggest that you review the following articles related to this:

http://www.intel.com/support/chipsets/imsm/sb/CS-022321.htm Intel(R) Rapid Storage Technology (Intel(R) RST) | Adding drives to a RAID array

http://www.intel.com/support/chipsets/imsm/sb/CS-029274.htm# extraspace Intel(R) Rapid Storage Technology (Intel(R) RST) | Troubleshooting RAID migration issues

[RMonk]

Did you ever manage to increase it?