On 10/02/2021 10:11, Bernard McNeill wrote:
On 08/02/2021 23:06, Lou Poppler wrote:
On Mon, 2021-02-08 at 22:59 +0000, Bernard McNeill wrote:
On 08/02/2021 22:44, Lou Poppler wrote:
On Mon, 2021-02-08 at 22:26 +0000, Bernard McNeill wrote:
[...]
I have one SSD (which has Win-10 on it), there is no other disk
(spinning or otherwise) on the machine.
The BIOS System Information says 'M.2. SATA =(none)'
and 'M.2. PCIe SSD-0=87NB51ASK5HS'.
However: Under BIOS System Configuration, 'SATA Operation' is set to
'RAID On', [other options are 'Disabled' and 'AHCI' ].
Interesting that Dell is making a distinction here between SATA and
PCIe mass
storage, but calling its RAID foolishness "SATA Operation - RAID On".
Does this imply maybe that the SSD connected via PCIe and not via
the SATA
wiring/controller, is exempt from the RAID interference? I don't know.
It sure would be nice if that is what they mean though.
Maybe you can carefully test how this really works.
(Make the backup first though)
Is it even possible to RAID an SDD?
With software RAID, you can combine all manner of storage devices into a
"managed device" even different physical types of storage. What this
built-in
factory RAID might be is unclear to me. From the misbehavior of the
system
regarding your sometimes attached external USB disk (with the
attempted debian
install on it) it seems likely that the factory/BIOS RAID thing might be
interposing itself between disks as seen by running programs (like the
debian
installer) and the actual hardware storage itself.
[...]
FWIW, I found this link relating to Dell SSD, SATA and AHCI/RAID On.
https://www.dell.com/community/Laptops-General-Read-Only/Dell-M-2-FAQ-regarding-AHCI-vs-RAID-ON-Storage-Drivers-M-2-Lanes/td-p/507257
But still unclear to me if changing 'RAID On' to 'AHCI' is going to
cause a problem.
Best regards
FYI
Being persistent, I arranged for backup Windows knowledge in case
everything fell apart, entered Windows safe mode, rebooted and changed
the BIOS to: SATA Operation=AHCI (from RAID On), rebooted and got out of
Windows safe mode.
Windows seemed undamaged, so I went on to reinstall Debian on the
external HDD.
And there was a difference: This time, when the partitioner came up, it
could see the internal SSD (previously it didn't, just showed the
external HDD and the installer flash drive).
I have no idea why this should be, but carried on installing Debian over
the entire external HDD.
And I still get the same result...it's as though the installer is not
setting the Debian boot option to point to the HDD.
Any ideas gratefully received.
