2. Gigabyte
  3. B650 GAMING X AX
B650 GAMING X AX

Gigabyte B650 GAMING X AX Installation guide

  • Hello! I have reviewed the user manual for configuring RAID sets on the GIGABYTE AMD X670/B650 Series motherboards. This document covers the process from installing the hard drives to setting up the RAID array in BIOS, installing the operating system, and rebuilding arrays. I am ready to answer your questions regarding the RAID setup process.
  • What RAID levels can be configured?
    What is the minimum number of hard drives for RAID 1?
    What should I do before beginning RAID configuration?
    What RAID configuration is needed to install OS on the single drive?
- 1 -
Conguring a RAID Set
(AMD X670/B650 Series)
RAID Levels .....................................................................................................................2
1-1ConguringSATAControllers .................................................................................... 2
A.InstallingSATAharddrive(s)inyourcomputer ....................................................... 2
B.ConguringSATAcontrollermodeinBIOSSetup .................................................. 3
C.UEFIRAIDConguration ....................................................................................... 3
1-2InstallingtheRAIDDriverandOperatingSystem .....................................................7
A.InstallingtheOperatingSystem .............................................................................. 7
B.RebuildinganArray ................................................................................................ 8
- 2 -
To congure SATA hard drive(s), follow the steps below:
A. Installharddrive(s)inyourcomputer.
B. CongureSATAcontrollermodeinBIOSSetup.
C. CongureaRAIDarrayinRAIDBIOS(Note1)
D. InstalltheRAIDdriverandoperatingsystem
Before you begin
•SATAharddrivesorSSDs.(Note2)Toensureoptimalperformance,itisrecommendedthatyouusetwohard
driveswithidenticalmodelandcapacity.(Note3)
•AWindowssetupdisc.
•AnInternetconnectedcomputer.
•AUSBthumbdrive.
1-1 Conguring SATA Controllers
A. Installing SATA hard drive(s) in your computer
Installtheharddrives/SSDsintheSATA/M.2 connectors on the motherboard. Then connect the power
connectorsfromyourpowersupplytotheharddrives.
RAID Levels
(Note1) SkipthisstepifyoudonotwanttocreateRAIDarrayontheSATAcontroller.
(Note2) AnM.2PCIeSSDcannotbeusedtosetupaRAIDseteitherwithanM.2SATASSDoraSATAharddrive.
(Note3) Refertothe"InternalConnectors"sectionoftheuser'smanualfortheinstallationnoticesfortheM.2,
andSATAconnectors.
RAID 0 RAID 1 RAID 10
Minimum
NumberofHard
Drives
≥2 2 4
ArrayCapacity
Numberofhard
drives*Sizeofthe
smallestdrive
Sizeofthesmallest
drive
(Numberofhard
drives/2)*Sizeofthe
smallestdrive
FaultTolerance No Yes Yes
- 3 -
Figure1
B. Conguring SATA controller mode in BIOS Setup
MakesuretoconguretheSATAcontrollermodecorrectlyinsystemBIOSSetup.
Step:
Turnonyourcomputerandpress<Delete>toenterBIOSSetupduringthePOST(Power-OnSelf-Test).Under
Settings\IO Ports, set SATA Conguration\SATA ModetoRAID(Figure1).Then savethesettings and
restartyourcomputer.(IfyouwanttouseNVMePCIeSSDstocongureRAID,makesuretosetNVMe RAID
modetoEnabled.)
C. UEFI RAID Conguration
Step1:
InBIOSSetup,gotoBoot andsetCSM SupporttoDisabled(Figure2).SavethechangesandexitBIOSSetup.
Figure2
TheBIOSSetupmenusdescribedinthissectionmaydifferfromtheexactsettingsforyourmotherboard.
TheactualBIOSSetupmenuoptionsyouwillseeshalldependonthemotherboardyouhaveand
theBIOSversion.
- 4 -
Step2:
Afterthesystemreboot,enterBIOSSetupagain.ThenentertheSettings\IO Ports\RAIDXpert2 Conguration
Utility sub-menu(Figure3).
Figure3
Step3:
OntheRAIDXpert2CongurationUtilityscreen,press<Enter>onArray ManagementtoentertheCreate Array
screen.Then,selectaRAIDlevel(Figure4).OptionsincludeRAIDABLE(Note),RAID0,RAID1,andRAID10(the
selectionsavailabledependonthenumberoftheharddrivesbeinginstalled).Next,press<Enter>onSelect
Physical DiskstoentertheSelect Physical Disksscreen.
Figure4
(Note) If you want to install the operating system onto a single drive/SSD rst, select RAIDABLE mode.
- 5 -
Step4:
OntheSelect Physical Disksscreen,selecttheharddrivestobeincludedintheRAIDarrayandsetthemto
Enabled.Next,usethedownarrowkeytomovetoApply Changesandpress<Enter>(Figure5).Thenreturn
tothepreviousscreenandsettheArray Size,Array Size Unit,Read Cache PolicyandWrite Cache Policy.
Figure5
Step5:
Aftersettingthecapacity,movetoCreate Arrayandpress<Enter>tobegin.(Figure6)
Figure6
-6-
Aftercompleting,you'llbebroughtbacktotheArray Managementscreen.UnderManage Array Properties
youcanseethenewRAIDvolumeandinformationonRAIDlevel,arrayname,arraycapacity,etc.(Figure7)
Figure7
Delete RAID Volume
To delete a RAID array, select thearraytobedeletedon the RAIDXpert2 Conguration Utility\Array
Management\Delete Array screen.Press<Enter>onDelete Array(s)toentertheDeletescreen.Thenset
Conrm toEnabledandpress<Enter>onYes(Figure8).
Figure8
- 7 -
1-2 Installing the RAID Driver and Operating System
WiththecorrectBIOSsettings,youarereadytoinstalltheoperatingsystem.
A. Installing the Operating System
AssomeoperatingsystemsalreadyincludeRAIDdriver,youdonotneedtoinstallseparateRAIDdriverduring
theWindowsinstallationprocess.Aftertheoperatingsystemisinstalled,werecommendthatyouinstallall
requireddriversfromtheGIGABYTEControlCentertoensuresystemperformanceandcompatibility.Ifthe
operatingsystemtobeinstalledrequiresthatyouprovideadditionalRAIDdriverduringtheOSinstallation
process,pleaserefertothestepsbelow:
Step1:
GotoGIGABYTE'swebsite,browsetothemotherboardmodel'swebpage,downloadtheAMD RAID Preinstall
DriverleontheSupport\Download\SATA RAID/AHCIpage,unziptheleandcopythelestoyourUSB
thumbdrive.
Step2:
BootfromtheWindowssetupdiscandperformstandardOSinstallationsteps.Whenthescreenrequestingyou
toloadthedriverappears,selectBrowse.
Step3:
InserttheUSBthumbdriveandthenbrowsetothelocationofthedrivers.Followtheon-screeninstructionsto
installthefollowingthreedriversinorder.
j AMD-RAID Bottom Device
k AMD-RAID Controller
l AMD-RAID Cong Device
Finally,continuetheOSinstallation.
- 8 -
B. Rebuilding an Array
Rebuildingistheprocessofrestoringdatatoaharddrivefromotherdrivesinthearray.Rebuildingapplies
onlytofault-tolerantarrayssuchasRAID1andRAID10arrays.Toreplacetheolddrive,makesuretousea
newdriveofequalorgreatercapacity.Theproceduresbelowassumeanewdriveisaddedtoreplaceafailed
drivetorebuildaRAID1array.
Whileintheoperatingsystem,makesuretheChipsetandRAIDdrivershavebeeninstalled.
Step2:
IntheDisk Devicessection,left-click yourmouse
twiceonthenewly-addedharddrive.
Step3:
Onthenextscreen,selectAssign as Global Spare
andclickOK.
Step4:
You cancheckthecurrentprogressin the Active
Volumessectiononthebottomorleftofthescreen.
Step5:
Thenrebuild is complete when the Task State
columnshows"COMPLETED."
Step1:
Right-clickontheRAIDXpert2icononthedesktop
andthenselectRun as administratortolaunchthe
AMD RAIDXpert2utility.
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