AHCI or RAID in BIOS if adding Software RAID later?

[strydersilverton]

I will be installing Windows 10 boot on a Samsung 960 EVO M.2. I will also have a Samsung 500GB SSD for applications. Finally, will have 2 4GB WD Black drives in RAID 1 (software RAID through Windows) for long term storage. All this on a MSI Z270 Gaming M3 motherboard.

My question is: When installing Windows on the 960 (all other drives disconnected), do I select AHCI or RAID in the BIOS? Obviously the 960 will not be in RAID, but I will be adding the HDD's in software RAID later. I know the benefits of ACHI for SSD's, but didn't know if RAID had to be selected from the start to add an array later.

Thanks so much!
Stacy

 

[rgd1101]

MERGED QUESTION
Question from strydersilverton : "BIOS Question when configuring M.2 as Boot Drive + RAID"

Greetings!

Apologies if this is an easy question, but I have read many articles and watched many videos and cannot find the answer. Perhaps because it is obvious it is not mentioned, but coming here for clarification.

I will be installing Windows 10 boot on a Samsung 960 EVO M.2. I will also have a Samsung 500GB SSD for applications. Finally, will have 2 4GB WD Black drives in RAID 1 (software RAID through Windows) for long term storage. All this on a MSI Z270 Gaming M3 motherboard.

My question is: When installing Windows on the 960 (all other drives disconnected), do I select ACHI or RAID in the BIOS? Obviously the 960 will not be in RAID, but I will be adding the HDD's in software RAID later. I know the benefits of ACHI for SSD's, but didn't know if RAID had to be selected from the start to add an array later.

Thanks so much!
Stacy

MERGED QUESTION
Question from strydersilverton : "BIOS Question - MSI Z270 Gaming M3"

Greetings!

Apologies if this is an easy question, but I have read many articles and watched many videos and cannot find the answer. Perhaps because it is obvious it is not mentioned, but coming here for clarification.

I will be installing Windows 10 boot on a Samsung 960 EVO M.2. I will also have a Samsung 500GB SSD for applications. Finally, will have 2 4GB WD Black drives in RAID 1 (software RAID through Windows) for long term storage. All this on a MSI Z270 Gaming M3 motherboard.

My question is: When installing Windows on the 960 (all other drives disconnected), do I select ACHI or RAID in the BIOS? Obviously the 960 will not be in RAID, but I will be adding the HDD's in software RAID later. I know the benefits of ACHI for SSD's, but didn't know if RAID had to be selected from the start to add an array later.

I did ask this in the Storage community as well if this is not the right place for a question like this.

Thanks so much!
Stacy

MERGED QUESTION
Question from strydersilverton : "BIOS Question - 960 EVO as Boot - HDD's in RAID 1"

Greetings!

Apologies if this is an easy question, but I have read many articles and watched many videos and cannot find the answer. Perhaps because it is obvious it is not mentioned, but coming here for clarification.

I will be installing Windows 10 boot on a Samsung 960 EVO M.2. I will also have a Samsung 500GB SSD for applications. Finally, will have 2 4GB WD Black drives in RAID 1 (software RAID through Windows) for long term storage. All this on a MSI Z270 Gaming M3 motherboard.

My question is: When installing Windows on the 960 (all other drives disconnected), do I select ACHI or RAID in the BIOS? Obviously the 960 will not be in RAID, but I will be adding the HDD's in software RAID later. I know the benefits of ACHI for SSD's, but didn't know if RAID had to be selected from the start to add an array later.

Thanks so much!
Stacy

don't spam the forum

So is this forum under Windows 10 the appropriate place for this question? I did not know whether it belonged under Storage, Motherboard or Windows 10 and thought perhaps that different experts supported each. I did not realize that I was doing something wrong. My apologies.

Stacy

 

[drkatz42]

Since you'll be creating the array through software and the boot drive is solo, choose ahci.

 

[SkyNetRising]

do I select AHCI or RAID in the BIOS?

Choose AHCI.
You'd need RAID setting only, if you intended to use hardware RAID.