Intel Rapid Storage Technology (Intel RST)

Install an Operating System onto a RAID Volume (F6 Install Method)

Follow these steps to install an operating system onto a RAID volume:

1. Enable RAID in system BIOS
2. Create a RAID volume
3. Install the RAID driver using the F6 installation method
Enable RAID in system BIOS
These instructions are specific to Intel Desktop Boards. The BIOS settings on non-Intel
motherboards may be different. Follow the instructions included with your motherboard.
Depending on your Intel desktop board model, enable RAID by following either of the steps
below.
1. Press the F2 key after the Power-On-Self-Test (POST) memory test begins.
2. Select the Configuration menu, then the SATA Drives menu.
3. Set the Chipset SATA Mode to RAID.
4. Press the F10 key to save the BIOS settings and exit the BIOS Setup program.
OR
1. Press the F2 key after the Power-On-Self-Test (POST) memory test begins.
2. Select the Advanced menu, then the Drive Configuration menu.
3. Set the Drive Mode option to Enhanced.
4. Enable Intel RAID Technology.
5. Press the F10 key to save the BIOS settings and exit the BIOS Setup program.
Create a RAID volume
To create a RAID volume, follow these steps:
1. Press Ctrl and I at the same time when the option ROM status screen displays
during POST to open the option ROM user interface.
2. Select the option to Create RAID Volume and press Enter.
3. Type in a volume name or accept the default name.

4. Use the up and down arrow keys to select the RAID level and press Enter.
5. Press Enter to select the physical disks.
6. Use the up or down arrow keys to scroll through the list of hard drives and
press Space to select the drive.
7. Press Enter.
8. Use the up and down arrow keys to select the strip size and press Enter.
9. Select the volume capacity and press Enter.
10.Press Enter to create the volume.
11.At the prompt press Y to confirm the volume creation.
12.Select Exit and press Enter.
13.Press Y to confirm and exit.
Install the RAID driver using the F6 installation method
To install the Intel Rapid Storage Technology driver during operating system setup, follow
these steps:
1. Press F6 when prompted by the message:
Press F6 if you need to install a third party SCSI or RAID driver.
The message displays during text-mode phase at the beginning of Windows XP*
setup.
Note

Nothing happens right after pressing F6. Setup is still loading drivers. Watch for
the prompt to load support for mass storage device(s).

2. Press S to Specify Additional Device.

3. Insert the F6 driver diskette when prompted by the message:
Please insert the disk labeled Manufacturer-supplied hardware support disk
into Drive A:
The disk includes the following files: IAAHCI.INF, IAAHCI.CAT, IASTOR.INF,
IASTOR.CAT, IASTOR.SYS, and TXTSETUP.OEM.
Note
Use the Updated: name change to Intel Rapid Storage Technology F6 Driver

Diskettes download to create a disk with the required files.

If you do not have a floppy drive on your system, use a USB floppy drive or create
a slipstream version of the operating system.

4. Press Enter.
5. Use the up and down arrow keys to select your controller from the list of available
controllers.
6. Press Enter to confirm your controller and continue.
The drivers are now installed. Leave the disk in the drive as Windows setup copies
the files from the disk to the Windows installation folders. When the copy process is
complete, remove the disk. Windows setup is ready to reboot.
7. Create a partition and file system on the RAID volume like you would on any physical
disk.