how to remove two ssd from raid array. PLEASE

[Deadmau36]

I attached the file regarding the two drive I need to seperate. I have seen my question be displayed on the community but i cannot access the intel rst option when the POST by holding ctrl i nor can i enable anything in my system bios to enable me to press ctrl i. I've looked everywhere but i cannot find help. I have an ACER 515 54 728c and recently updated my bios to V1.31. PLEASE I WANT TO USE MY OTHER DRIVE. 

[n_scott_pearson]

In modern computers configured for UEFI operation, the RAID configuration is done within BIOS Setup. Check for it there. Remove the drives from the RAID array.

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[Deadmau36]

I cannot access it in my BIOS it gives me no option to do anything related to the raid array. My BIOS version is 1.31

[n_scott_pearson]

I have no idea what the pages related to RST might look like in your Acer laptop. You may have to contact Acer for this information.

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[FrigginFrank]

Make sure you backup whatever is on those drives before deleting the raid.

Looks like in your BIOS you need to enable the option to change the SATA type. To enable the option while on the main screen in the BIOS press "ctrl+s" then the option becomes available. Then you should be able to switch it from RST to AHCI. Have a look at this other forum link

https://community.acer.com/en/discussion/579607/nitro-5-an515-54-change-sata-mode-from-rst-to-ahci

Good luck

[Deadmau36]

Thank you so much for responding, I went to my system's BIOS and tried to pressing ctrl S. I found no option to go to ahci. Is there another way to do it or someway to add it on my BIOS? I have V1.31

[n_scott_pearson]

First of all, you don't go into BIOS Setup. Second, the keystroke, which you should begin pressing as system resets (or powers on), is CTRL-I (not CTRL-S).
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[FrigginFrank]

@n_scott_pearson, no need to be rude. Yes, normally you would need to push ctrl+i while the laptop boots up but this is an Acer laptop, which you said you couldn't help with. I did some digging and found a post relevant to our friend's issue and shared the link. If you would've bothered to check the link you would have found what I found. Apparently Acer disables the option and you need to press ctrl+s while on the main screen in the bios. Sounds crazy, I know, but check it yourself. On my z490 mobo there is no ctrl+i option, the raid is handled from within the UEFI ONLY after changing the SATA type from AHCI to the Raid/optane option. So the ctrl+i keystroke isn't always the case.

@Deadmau36, from the posts I've seen it says you should be in safe mode but I'm not sure how that would make a difference. What I think is important is you need to be on the "Main" tab in your bios, not the "information" tab. Check this other link that has pictures. 

https://community.acer.com/en/discussion/583248/change-sata-mode-to-ahci-acer-aspire-3-a315-54k-59nz

Good luck.

[Deadmau36]

I highly appreciate you're support, and I did excactly as instructed and did switch it to AHCI but when I restarted the laptop it said NO BOOTABLE DEVICE since the system ssd and an extra one is in there. Only way i got it back was to put it back on RST mode. Do i have to download the system files on a seperate drive or? what can i do so i can still boot up windows after turning them to AHCI. It warms my heart that helpful people like you are out there tho, so patient and polite while i try to keep my cool from the panic i caused to myself thinking i wasted my other ssd.

[FrigginFrank]

Just for clarification, is windows installed on the drive you are trying to separate? Or on a separate drive?

[Deadmau36]

No, I only have windows on the system drive but since I started a RAID array it combined the ssd's information, idk how to access it or move it to only one place. How can i see the windows files?

[FrigginFrank]

Sorry, I'm still not sure if you have windows installed on this raid drive. Are you saying one of the 256GB drives had windows on it when you combined them?

[Deadmau36]

Yes, The one that came with the system did. The first one. 

[FrigginFrank]

Ok sorry for the delay in responding.

So since you have a raid 0 you will lose your windows install if you break the array. That being said, you can make an image of your windows ON A DIFFERENT DRIVE and then break the array. Reinstall windows using a usb or CD of windows installation drive and restore from your backed up image. So you will need.

-Drive to make backup image of windows

-Some way to reinstall windows, either a bootable USB or CD of windows installation.

Here is instructions to make a bootable windows installation media drive. You will use this after you break the array to reinstall windows. 

https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/create-installation-media-for-windows-99a58364-8c02-206f-aa6f-40c3b507420d

Here is a link to follow on how to backup and break your array. Follow the long instructions on the post.

https://community.acer.com/en/discussion/comment/495322#Comment_495322

After this you will install windows using the USB/CD and then restore windows from your Image.

Good luck

[FrigginFrank]

This link will help you to make a backup image of your windows installation.

https://www.windowscentral.com/how-make-full-backup-windows-10

[FrigginFrank]

It looks like the raid tool no longer works or is unavailable. What I would do is just run the drives in AHCI mode but you wont be able to make a raid again with the drives in AHCI mode.

Make an image of your windows ON A DIFFERENT DRIVE. You'll need:

-Drive to make backup image of windows

-Some way to reinstall windows, either a bootable USB or CD of windows installation.

Here is instructions to make a bootable windows installation media drive on usb or CD

https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/create-installation-media-for-windows-99a58364-8c02-206f...

Here is the link to make an image of your windows.

https://www.windowscentral.com/windows-10-october-2020-update-common-problems-and-fixes

To break up the array:

1. Boot into your bios and on the MAIN tab press ctrl+s to show the SATA type setting. Change it to AHCI.
2. Go to the boot tab and make sure boot from USB or CD (whichever you use) is enabled
3. Save and Exit.
4. Insert your windows install USB/CD and boot from it to install windows on one of the drives.

After its installed then restore from the image of windows you made. 

Good luck

[Deadmau36]

can i use a usb with 16 gb of storage or 32? or can i use an external hardrive to install windows on and connect via usb to the laptop. Thank you for your help

[Deadmau36]

Thank you so much, I will try my everything as instructed, and i hope to everything it works.

[FrigginFrank]

You will need an external hard drive for your windows backup image, look at the amount of space used on your drive, you'll need a little more than that. Mine was around 180GB.

You can use a 16GB or 32GB USB to create the windows installation media drive.