RAID Problem

[MrZubbleWump]

So I am building a new rig and I decided to install Win7 to a Raid 1 (Mirror) array.  The install went great, Intel Storage Manager reported that the Raid Array was working properly.  I then decided that I wanted to overclock the system so the first thing I did was to go into the bios and select use default settings.  I then began the process  of overrclocking and stress testing the system .  Everything looked good but I noticed that the Intel Rapid Storage software was not running.  I went back into the bios and realized that when I set the bios to use default settings it changed my hard drive settings from RAID to IDE.  Now if I change back to RAID my system will not boot but if I leave it as IDE everything boots fine.  Is there a way to get Raid 1  back without reinstalling Windows?

[Vidiot]

Will it boot if set to AHCI?  If so, what about in RAID with a single drive attached?

If neither boot your system you might have lost the AHCI/RAID drivers (iRST).  I don't pretend to know why windows might do this. Does your system have secondary SATA ports? (If it is an intel board they won't be black.. red or blue probably).

If so there is a crazy workaround that might work.  First install the drivers for the secondary port (it won't be iRST..it will be some other driver).  Then move your boot drive(disconnect the mirror drive) to that port and boot off it.  Now reinstall iRST.
Now swap it back to the intel ports and switch BIOS to RAID.  Still boot with just one drive.  Shutdown and attach the second drive.  Hopefully now it will detect the second drive (that is now degraded) and rebuild it.

None of this should risk your data.. but do so at your own risk. 

[MrZubbleWump]

Thanks Vidiot,

Putting it back in RAID mode and removing one of the hard drives did the trick.  It's rebuilding the RAID now and all is good.  I don't know why I didnt think of doing that in the first place but I appreciate your help.

[Vidiot]

No problem.