Software RAID technology allows the combination of multiple physical disks into one logical unit, or disk. You can use this technology for the purpose of redundancy, performance, or both.
All NUC products that have multiple drives allow for the creation of a software RAID. This guide shows the process for setting up software RAID using the SATA (AHCI) method and the PCIe (NVMe) method and provides resources to setup RAID in Linux*.
The latest Rapid Storage Technology Driver Installation Software with Optane™ Memory or Rapid Storage Technology (RST) User Interface and Driver, available on Download Center
Windows 7*, Windows 8.1*, or Windows® 10 64-bit* Installer
Drives (one of the following combinations):
One 2.5" SATA drive and one M.2 SATA drive
Two M.2 NVMe SSDs (supported by NUC11PHKi7C[x], NUC9i[x]QNX, NUC9V[x]QNX, NUC8i7HNK, NUC8i7HVK, and NUC6i7KYK only)
Notes
The capacities of the drives don't have to be the same, but the RAID volume will only be two times the size of the smallest capacity drive. For example, if your two drives are 256 GB and 128 GB, the largest size the RAID can be is 256 GB (128 GB × 2).
Both drives need to be either AHCI (SATA) or NVMe* (PCIe*). The two technologies can't be mixed.
If you're using Windows 7*, the Windows 7 ISO image should be written to your USB flash drive via UEFI. See the instructions in the Windows 7 UEFI Image Creation guide.
Caution
Creating a new RAID, SATA, or PCIe, will format your discs and erase all content.
Aptio® V UEFI Firmware Core (BIOS) for 11th Generation NUC
SATA (AHCI) RAID
Press F2 during boot to enter the BIOS setup.
Navigate to, Advanced > Storage.
Set, EnableVMD controller (Enable for RAID and Optane Memory), to Enabled.
Change, Map this Root Port under VMD, to Enabled.
Press F10 to save the changes, then selectOK and the system will reboot.
Press F2 during boot to enter the BIOS setup.
Navigate to Advanced > Add-in config > Intel(R) Rapid Storage Technology, then selectCreate RAID Volume.
Note
If you do not see two discs in the Non-RAID Physical Disks section, turn off the NUC, open the chassis and check the connections for both discs. You must see two discs to continue.
Name the volume and set the RAID Level.
For both Disks, click the pull-down menu and select X.
Select the stripe size, and if desired, Capacity.
Select, Create Volume.
You will see the completed RAID Volume.
Press F10 to Save and Exit BIOS Setup.
The Intel NUC will restart. Turn off the Intel NUC.
Connect the USB flash drive or USB optical drive that has the Windows* installation files.
Power on the Intel NUC and press the F10 key during boot.
Follow the Windows Installation instructions.
Note
When you get to the Where do you want to install Windows? screen below, Windows may not see your Disks. Continue following the instructions below.
You will see the screen below if Windows finds the Rapid Storage Driver.
Select Next. It can take a minute or two for the driver to load. When the screen below displays, Windows is ready to be installed. Select Next to start the installation.
The USB flash drive is the C: drive: for example, xxxxx (C:)
The screen below shows if Windows finds the Rapid Storage Driver.
Select Next. It can take a minute or two for the driver to load. When the screen below displays, Windows is ready to be installed. Select Next to start the installation.
Aptio® V UEFI Firmware Core (BIOS) for some 8th, 9th and 10th Generation Intel NUC
SATA (AHCI) RAID
Press F2 during boot to enter the BIOS setup.
Click Advanced > Storage.
Set SATA Mode Selection to RAID.
Press F10 to Save and Exit BIOS Setup.
The system will reboot. Press F2 during boot to enter the BIOS setup.
Note
You must see two discs in the Non-RAID Physical Disks: section in order to create the RAID volume.
Name the volume.
Select the RAID Level.
Select the discs, by selecting X in the pull-down menu.
On NUC9V[x]QNX or NUC9i[x]QNX, the RAID0 and RAID1 volumes can be built only on storage available on the NUC Element. If you connect additional storage drives to the base board, they can't be added to the same RAID0 or RAID1 volume as the built-in drive on the NUC Element. More information is available in the Technical Product Specification.