Getting my RAID array back

[idata]

I have a PC with an ASUS P8H67-=M PRO motherboard, i5, H67 chipset, and only one add-on board, an ASUS WiFi card. I believe the PC was built in 2011. I have one standard drive for Windows 7 Ultimate 64bit, with latest updates, and three 1 TB drives organized as RAID 5, using Intel RST.

Thinking it was routine maintenance. I updated my BIOS from the original ASUS Ver. 1003 to the latest, Ver. 3904, using ASUS AI Suite II Update (their Windows System Control Dashboard). When I rebooted, the ASUS Update asked me to install the BIOS again using Update. Seemed a little unusual, but I figured it was some kind of bootstrapping problem and went ahead. When I did that, ASUS Update automatically installed all new drivers, including the three drives of the RAID array. Now Windows sees them as three individual drives and does not recognize the formatting. I tried Windows restore to a date before today, but it did not change the BIOS or Drive configuration.

Rather than poking in the dark and making things worse, I'd like to ask the community to please advise what I can do to get my RAID array and its data back.

[Allan_J_Intel1]

Thanks for getting back to our community.

I am sorry to hear that have had issues after updating BIOS on the computer.

I would like to know what is the RAID status on the RAID BIOS? Please attach a picture of the RAID BIOS.

You can access RAID BIOS by hitting CTRL - I while booting the system up.

Allan.

[idata]

Thanks very much for your reply, Allan

Unfortunately I can't manage to get into BIOS. It boots into a special message from BIOS to reinstall the BIOS. This screen replaces the normal logo screen and POST. See attached picture.

Meantime, is there some way to get the info you're asking from within Windows?

[idata]

I guess I have to get ASUS to help me get a clean BIOS Upgrade and reboot. Pity, you guys are so much more helpful.

RST appears in my All Programs list, and all of the files appear to be present in the appropriate folder in Program Files. But when I click any .exe's, nothing happens. Except for help, which works just fine. So I guess (hope) iRST is installed, but not enabled. When I can get to BIOS, I'll find out.

The question I have for Intel is: when I re-enable RAID 5 with the same 3 drives, will my data come back?

If not are there any tools that can reassemble the data from the RAID drives?

[Allan_J_Intel1]

Thanks for getting back to our community.

The problem is that I still do not know the status of the RAID volume. For example, if degraded state, then you can still replace one of the drives and boot to the operating system and re establish RAID connection. On the other hand, if offline or failed status, sadly, you probably can't recover the data.

If you need to recover data, I am afraid the Intel rapid storage software does not provide any data recovery option. If you have important information, you may need to take the system to a data recovery center.

Allan.

[idata]

All Hail Intel !

I needn't have worried. Finally got my boot problem sorted and was able to get into BIOS. According to the install manual, iRST just needed me to change the SATA mode to RAID in BIOS. So with a single click I made the simple BIOS change from:

IDE

to RAID

then Reboot, and like magic, The Intel RAID controller launched itself and put my RAID array right back where it had been. All my data is intact and right where it is supposed to be. What could be better?

Thanks for all your help and handholding, Allan.

[Allan_J_Intel1]

Glad you got help in the forums. Thanks for sharing the post.

Allan.

[KVito]

CTRL - I while booting the system up.

It is good to know