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I have a dell XP’s 9560 laptop and I want to install an Ubuntu distribution alongside windows 10. I tried a lot so far to install it but I can’t see any partitions. I figured out that the problem is that I have raid on from Sata configuration from bios. I don’t want to disable this because it will mean reinstalling my windows.

Can I install a dual boot with Ubuntu with raid on without any modification?

Thanks

Dorin
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  • Win10 cn be converted to AHCI without reinstalling. All that is required is getting the AHCI drivers installed. – ravery Oct 08 '17 at 16:34

1 Answers1

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You don't need to reinstall Windows...

Some folks have found the 2nd choice that I provide easier to do...

#Make sure to have a backup of your important Windows files!

You've got a single SSD set up in RAID mode, and the Ubuntu installer won't recognize your SSD until you switch your disk setting in the BIOS from RAID to AHCI.

Making that switch comes with some problems though, as Windows will no longer boot.

Choice #1: Looking at this article https://samnicholls.net/2016/01/14/how-to-switch-sata-raid-to-ahci-windows-10-xps-13/ will show you how to make the change without having to reinstall Windows.

  • Boot to Windows with your current SATA controller configuration
  • Open Device Manager
  • Expand Storage Controllers and identify the Intel SATA RAID Controller
  • View properties of the identified controller
  • On the Driver tab, click the Update driver… button
  • Browse my computer…, Let me pick…
  • Uncheck Show compatible hardware
  • Select Microsoft as manufacturer
  • Select Microsoft Storage Spaces Controller as model #
  • Accept that Windows cannot confirm that this driver is compatible
  • Save changes, reboot to BIOS and change RAID SATA Controller to AHCI
  • Save changes and reboot normally, hopefully to Windows

Now you should be able to install Ubuntu in a dual-boot configuration.

Choice #2: See http://triplescomputers.com/blog/uncategorized/solution-switch-windows-10-from-raidide-to-ahci-operation/

  • Right-click the Windows Start Menu. Choose Command Prompt (Admin).
  • If you don’t see Command Prompt listed, it’s because you have already been updated to a later version of Windows. If so, use this method instead to get to the Command Prompt:
  • Click the Start Button and type cmd
  • Right-click the result and select Run as administrator
  • Type this command and press ENTER: bcdedit /set {current} safeboot minimal
    • If this command does not work for you, try bcdedit /set safeboot minimal
  • Restart the computer and enter BIOS Setup (the key to press varies between systems).
  • Change the SATA Operation mode to AHCI from either IDE or RAID (again, the language varies).
  • Save changes and exit Setup and Windows will automatically boot to Safe Mode.
  • Right-click the Windows Start Menu once more. Choose Command Prompt (Admin)
  • Type this command and press ENTER: bcdedit /deletevalue {current} safeboot
    • If you had to try the alternate command above, you will likely need to do so here also: bcdedit /deletevalue safeboot
  • Reboot once more and Windows will automatically start with AHCI drivers enabled.
heynnema
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    Perfect. I wish I'd found this answer 4 hours ago. – DevDonkey Jun 10 '18 at 07:32
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    I followed the first method, and then I could no longer boot Windows in neither AHCI nor the RAID mode. I got into the repair menu, where I clicked my way to restart in safe mode (requires a key for the crypted partition). I looked into the driver settings again, but did not change anything, it is still "Microsoft Storage Spaces Controller" (no idea what "as model3" means, I don't find such an option). Now it seems to work. – donquixote Jan 11 '19 at 03:34
  • I wanted to say thank you so very much. This answer helped. I had to combine steps 1 and 2 I installed the driver and then in step 2 I couldn't run the /deletevalue command. I could log in but it showed only a blank screen. So I fixed it by running the perennial ctrl+alt+del which allowed me to open a task manager and from there run a task msconfig where I could set it back to normal boot. Now I finally have a working dual boot in a Dell G3. I hope installing drivers will not be a pain. – lesolorzanov Jan 14 '19 at 23:38
  • For future reference, I advise doing method 1 and 2 together. In my case, on a DELL XPS 13 9370 with preinstalled windows, first method didn't work but going in safe mode after installing the drivers did the trick. – TioneB Mar 25 '19 at 14:34
  • I cannot believe the ubuntu cannot install with RAID. Linux should be able to handle RAID anyway – Wang Jun 08 '19 at 06:31
  • I don't see any SATA raid controller for option one in my case! @heynnema – George Udosen Jun 14 '19 at 18:03
  • @GeorgeUdosen Is your primary disk HDD or SSD? In Device Manager, do you see Storage Controllers or Disk controllers or some such? If not, try Choice #2 then. – heynnema Jun 14 '19 at 20:04
  • It's HDD, no SSD! I used the second method to switch. – George Udosen Jun 15 '19 at 11:42
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    @GeorgeUdosen Glad it worked for you. Please remember to vote for the answer. Thanks! – heynnema Jun 15 '19 at 12:34
  • I my case I have to reinstall windows after installing driver from choice1 – mohax Jun 16 '19 at 16:05
  • @mohax you're the first person that I've ever heard that had problems with either of these choices. Did Choice #1 look exactly like outlined? Are you not able to boot into Windows, even if you set your BIOS back to RAID? – heynnema Jun 16 '19 at 16:08
  • I have some strange situation... I dont try to switch back to RAID in bios, but start restoring system. After restoring I have a lot of programs uninstalled, but all my files still on disk. Also now I can boot Ubuntu by choosing it while boot laptop (F12 on my Dell). So, seems to be, my main problem solved - I do not have to change RAID to ACHI and wise-versa while switching windows and Ubuntu. Now I just need to reinstall some programs, and whis is better that change something in BIOS to start Ubuntu) – mohax Jun 16 '19 at 16:23
  • @mohax So are you running in ACHI mode now? And both Windows and Ubuntu now boot, yes? Why are you needing to choose which OS by using F12? Doesn't the GRUB menu appear and allow you to choose OS? – heynnema Jun 16 '19 at 17:45
  • @heynnema, yes, now I have ACHI and can boot Windows and Ubuntu without changing something in BIOS. And yes, I don't have GRUBs menu on startup. So, if I want Ubuntu I must manually choose it in boot menu while startup. But I can resist it) – mohax Jun 17 '19 at 13:31
  • @mohax Can you get the GRUB menu at boot time by holding down the shift or ESC keys? If there's a GRUB problem, you might try using boot-repair to fix it. Then you'll be able to select your OS from the GRUB menu, instead of the F12 method. – heynnema Jun 17 '19 at 14:07
  • @heynnema, no, SHIFT or ESC doesn't work( Thanks for adviсe, I'll try it, but for now everything is OK for me) – mohax Jun 17 '19 at 15:22
  • Ahh thank you.. my problem is solved by doing both. Thank you – rendybjunior Nov 09 '19 at 08:04
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    Totally lifesaver! I tried option 2 directly and every works perfecr. Thank you :) – angelos.p Aug 10 '20 at 08:42
  • I can confirm the Chice #2 worked wihout any problem on DELL Alienware m15 R3 (single 2T SSD drive). The official Ubuntu instruction how to deal with this did not work at all, though. – Passiday Jan 13 '21 at 10:15
  • this answer saved me from giving up on my laptop. THANK YOU! – azizbro Feb 10 '21 at 10:38
  • YOU ROCK!!! Would take me forever to solve it for DELL. their help forums suck. – Michael IV Mar 15 '21 at 11:30
  • Is there still no solutions for two HDD/SDD in Intel RST RAID configuration that can boot ubuntu? This is merely a fix for booting drives previously configured under RAID in Ubuntu which isn't the same unfortunately – fIwJlxSzApHEZIl Apr 26 '21 at 18:50
  • @anon58192932 I'm not sure what you're asking. – heynnema Apr 26 '21 at 19:52
  • I tried method 2. It does not work on a Dell 7480 with Windows 10 installed in RAID mode to a single SSD. After the bcedit command and changing the BIOS SATA setting to AHCI, windows will not boot at all (will not boot into safe mode). It fails with stop code: INACCESSIBLE_BOOT_DEVICE. After changing the BIOS back to RAID, it will eventually boot back into Safe mode. Are there any other options for this procedure? – tim11g Apr 26 '21 at 20:30
  • @heynnema the question specifically asks if they can install with RAID on and the instructions say to turn RAID off and switch to AHCI so it's not a perfect answer. This prevents users from configuring BIOS-level RAID arrays and booting Ubuntu on them. – fIwJlxSzApHEZIl Apr 26 '21 at 20:45
  • @tim11g You can try the crossed-out method #1 and see if that helps. Reading the comments may also give you some ideas. – heynnema Apr 26 '21 at 21:08
  • @anon58192932 I could be wrong, but I believe that Ubuntu Server can run with RAID, but Ubuntu Desktop cannot. – heynnema Apr 26 '21 at 21:08
  • @heynnema, looking at method 1, under Device Manager / Storage Controllers, I see two devices: "Intel Chipset SATA/PCIe RST Premium Controller" and "Microsoft Storage Spaces Controller" Since the goal of method 1 seems to be installing the "Microsoft Storage Spaces Controller" that may have already been accomplished. I used a Terabyte OS Deployment Tool to load AHCI drivers into Windows. [Post}(https://www.terabyteunlimited.com/ucf/viewtopic.php?p=19731#p19731) so that may have added that driver. Yet Windows is still unable to boot in RAID mode. – tim11g Apr 27 '21 at 13:32
  • @tim11g Windows shouldn't boot in RAID mode, but rather, AHCI mode. Did you flip it from RAID/RST to AHCI? – heynnema Apr 27 '21 at 14:03
  • @heynnema, windows was installed with RAID mode selected in the BIOS. I'm trying to get it to boot with AHCI mode in the BIOS. After applying the suggested changes in method 1 or method 2, I change the BIOS to AHCI. Then WIndows will not boot (safe mode or otherwise) – tim11g Apr 28 '21 at 12:36
  • @tim11g The only thing I can think of, is because you loaded ACHI drivers with "Terabyte OS Deployment Tool to load AHCI drivers into Windows" maybe that didn't work. It certainly wasn't a part of my procedures. I can't help much more here. Sorry. – heynnema Apr 28 '21 at 14:22
  • I don't mean to derail the comments here but neither solution here answers the original question: Can I install a dual boot with Ubuntu with raid on without any modification?

    Changing the bios mode from RAID to AHCI is making modifications. And answers #1 and #2 call for it. The simple fact is that Ubuntu 20 cannot boot from Intel RST RAID mode as the RAID array doesn't appear in the devices list to install to. Probably from a lack of drivers. Has no one seen plans for an intel RST driver for Ubuntu?

     – fIwJlxSzApHEZIl May 01 '21 at 04:02
  • #2 worked perfectly. In windows 11, I used Terminal as admin to set the secureboot setting, but in safemode trying to open that threw an error about not being able to write. I was able to use CMD as admin though. I also had to use the alternate lines, as {current} wasn't recognized. – mortona42 Oct 20 '23 at 20:54