G9-793-79V5 SSD upgrade / RAID 0 issue

LoneTiger
LoneTiger Member Posts: 13

Tinkerer

edited November 2023 in 2018 Archives

So last month purchased a Predator G9-793 and so far love it but have now 1 or 2 problems with it.

The laptop uses 2 X 128Gb SSD M.2 sticks in a RAID 0 array for a total of 256Gb

I have not found a way to easily upgrade the SSD to a bigger size because its on a RAID array and the BIOS is locked preventing change of SATA mode from RAID to AHCI.

I know ACER has master / backdoor password to unlock all BIOS features.

What are the steps to upgrade the SSD?

Best Answer

  • IronFly
    IronFly ACE Posts: 18,413 Trailblazer
    Answer ✓

    you don't need to switch to AHCI from RAID to have SSD out of array, it's just a controller setting until you create the array using iRST.

    are you sure your laptop has 2x128GB in RAID0 configuration?

     

    you can destroy the array and then put the new SSD if you want, just follow this instructions:

     

    Symptoms
    User can't delete RAID array, RAID option greyed on BIOS.
     
    Diagnosis
    User can create the RAID array via "Intel Rapid Storage Technology UI" (iRST) on Windows but can't delete RAID by "iRST" and RAID is the only option on BIOS (AHCI option is missing).
     
    Before deleting the RAID array
    Always remember to do the windows recovery media before running the RAID tool to delete the array.
    With the help of the Acer Care Center (pre-installed on your system), you can create the windows recovery media on an USB stick, so you can reinstall it later.
    In the AcerCare Center, click Recovery Management -> Getting Started, and then follow the instructions.
    http://acer.custhelp.com/app/answers/detail/a_id/38147
     
    You can also perform a backup of your actual windows installation, so using the windows recovery media, you can reload your OS at the time of the backup.
    Press Windows logo key and type "backup"
    click on "Backup and restore" and then follow on screen instructions.
    http://acer.custhelp.com/app/answers/detail/a_id/37461
     
    Solution
    First of all, check the Volume name of your array on "iRST".
    Press windows logo key and type "intel"
    click on "Intel Rapid Storage Technology"
    click on "Yes" if prompted
    check on the right side, under "Storage System View", that "Volume_0000" or "OEMRAID0" is the name of the array.
     
    if Type description is:
    RAID 1 or Recovery - no data will be lost
    RAID 0  - all your data will be lost - you will need to re-install Windows
     
    Download the RAID tool
    ftp://ftp.acer-euro.com/Notebook/Predator/G9-793/RAID_Tool.zip
     
    Right click the downloaded RAID_Tool.zip file  
    click on "Extract all"
    Click on "Browse..." 
    Click on "Computer"
    Click on "C:" (normally it's labeled "Acer (C: )
    Click on "Ok"
    Click on "Extract"
     
    Now click on the Windows logo at the bottom left of your screen
    Click on the Power icon
    Press Shift key and click on "Restart"
    On the next screen click on "Troubleshooting"
    On the next screen click on "Advanced settings"
    On the next screen click on "Command Prompt"
    Select your account and type your password (if any)
     
    At Command prompt 
    type C:
    type CD Raid_tool
    type delete
     
    Once successfully deleted, press Enter and then reboot your PC.
    The RAID array will be deleted.
     

    I'm not an Acer employee.

Answers

  • IronFly
    IronFly ACE Posts: 18,413 Trailblazer
    Answer ✓

    you don't need to switch to AHCI from RAID to have SSD out of array, it's just a controller setting until you create the array using iRST.

    are you sure your laptop has 2x128GB in RAID0 configuration?

     

    you can destroy the array and then put the new SSD if you want, just follow this instructions:

     

    Symptoms
    User can't delete RAID array, RAID option greyed on BIOS.
     
    Diagnosis
    User can create the RAID array via "Intel Rapid Storage Technology UI" (iRST) on Windows but can't delete RAID by "iRST" and RAID is the only option on BIOS (AHCI option is missing).
     
    Before deleting the RAID array
    Always remember to do the windows recovery media before running the RAID tool to delete the array.
    With the help of the Acer Care Center (pre-installed on your system), you can create the windows recovery media on an USB stick, so you can reinstall it later.
    In the AcerCare Center, click Recovery Management -> Getting Started, and then follow the instructions.
    http://acer.custhelp.com/app/answers/detail/a_id/38147
     
    You can also perform a backup of your actual windows installation, so using the windows recovery media, you can reload your OS at the time of the backup.
    Press Windows logo key and type "backup"
    click on "Backup and restore" and then follow on screen instructions.
    http://acer.custhelp.com/app/answers/detail/a_id/37461
     
    Solution
    First of all, check the Volume name of your array on "iRST".
    Press windows logo key and type "intel"
    click on "Intel Rapid Storage Technology"
    click on "Yes" if prompted
    check on the right side, under "Storage System View", that "Volume_0000" or "OEMRAID0" is the name of the array.
     
    if Type description is:
    RAID 1 or Recovery - no data will be lost
    RAID 0  - all your data will be lost - you will need to re-install Windows
     
    Download the RAID tool
    ftp://ftp.acer-euro.com/Notebook/Predator/G9-793/RAID_Tool.zip
     
    Right click the downloaded RAID_Tool.zip file  
    click on "Extract all"
    Click on "Browse..." 
    Click on "Computer"
    Click on "C:" (normally it's labeled "Acer (C: )
    Click on "Ok"
    Click on "Extract"
     
    Now click on the Windows logo at the bottom left of your screen
    Click on the Power icon
    Press Shift key and click on "Restart"
    On the next screen click on "Troubleshooting"
    On the next screen click on "Advanced settings"
    On the next screen click on "Command Prompt"
    Select your account and type your password (if any)
     
    At Command prompt 
    type C:
    type CD Raid_tool
    type delete
     
    Once successfully deleted, press Enter and then reboot your PC.
    The RAID array will be deleted.
     

    I'm not an Acer employee.
  • LoneTiger
    LoneTiger Member Posts: 13

    Tinkerer

    Will try this out as soon as possible and hopefully everything will work. Ty.
  • LoneTiger
    LoneTiger Member Posts: 13

    Tinkerer

    Related question.
    If I simply remove both 128Gb SSD M.2 sticks and put my single 512Gb SSD M.2 NVE should completely break the array and I just need to reinstall from scratch or restore backup.
    Is that accurate?
  • IronFly
    IronFly ACE Posts: 18,413 Trailblazer

    yep, correct.

    I'm not an Acer employee.
  • 12321YYH
    12321YYH Member Posts: 1 New User
    As an addition to the top comment. I found that it is possible to delete the RAID array without having to use the console. If you do not have it already installed, install Intel Rapid Storage Technology. There will be a raid array setup on the right hand side, where one of the drives has a red "x" status symbol. Click on that drive, and it will say that the drive is missing and at an unknown port, which makes sense as you have already swapped it out with a new one. Look through the window and there should be a "Delete" option available that will remove the raid array, which should let you allocate the 128GB SSD in the Disk Manager without it being greyed out.
  • Arrhenius
    Arrhenius Member Posts: 28 Troubleshooter
    Follow up question: if I clone the raid0 drives, and then restore on a single M2 drive and swap the drives, will the computer boot up or do I need to break the raid first and then swap the drives?

    I am asking because if I can't get the new drive to work; I can always return to the original configuration and try again, but if I break the raid; there is no going back and I loose not only windows and all the apps installed, but also the recovery partition.