Poor support/Problem with recovering a Z210 system backup when changing RAID configuration

[Skylarking]

My Z210 came with stripped RAID-0 array which is currently made up of 2x 1TB HDD where the OS partition lives. I want to change this to mirrored RAID-1 but since the IRST application does not allow RAID level migration of this type, I thought I’d try another approach.

As a solution, I'd make a backup, using the Windows Backup and Restore application. Then I'd change the array using the iRST Boot ROM before recovering the backup to this new array. But obviously a 1.9TB backup into a 932GB array does not go

So, in preparation for making a backup, I first disabled "System protection" and the "Page file". Doing this allowed me to shrink the OS partition to around 50GB using Disk Management. Then I re-enable "System protection" and the "Page file" before making the backup and creating a System Recovery Disk. This resulted in a 35GB backup which I stored on an external USB drive. And now a 35GB backup can fit on my reconfigured 932GB RAID-1 mirror

As such, I cold booted my system and during the start process I pressed CTRL-I to get into the Intel RAID Boot ROM. Mind you, CTRL-I only worked if I cold booted and directly plugged the HP USB keyboard into the first USB slot on the rear of the system. The first USB slot is at the upper left when looking at the rear with the tower upright. Plugging the HP USB keyboard into any other USB port or into the hub of my Dell monitor didn't allow me to access the Intel RAID Boot ROM!

HP should really investigate this fault

In any case, when I could access the Intel RAID Boot ROM, I deleted the existing stripped RAID-0 and created a new mirrored RAID-1. Obviously the process is destructive and wipes the OS from the array but that's what my backup was for

I then booted to the Windows System Recovery disc, plugged in the external USB drive and proceeded to recover my system.

Everything worked as expected with the OS partition consuming around 50GB. A simple trip to Disk Management allowed me to extend the volume to occupy the unallocated space as presented by the RAID-1 array. As such I end up with around 932GB partition as seem within windows disk management tool. After a reboot and disk check (which fixed some minor issues) all seemed well.

But, not all was well

Though the Intel RAID boot ROM sees a RAID-1 mirror of around 932GB and the OS sees a partition of around 932GB, both as expected, the Intel RST application within windows indicates the following:

I don't seem to have any indication of what type of array it is, an options to change the array name or an option to test the array integrity via the iRST application within windows. So something is screwed up

But after updating to the Intel iRST application from version 10.6.0.1002 (HP's latest) to version 11.2.0.1006 (Intel version I had handy), the issue seemed to correct itself. Now the RAID boot ROM, Windows and the IRST application within Windows all agree that the array is indeed a RAID-1 mirror of 932GB.

I'm not sure what caused the problem, if it is related to something that went wrong with the process I used, if it is simply resolved by driver reinstall, or if it is a fix for a known problem that Intel has included in their later issues of the driver.

But what I do know is that Intel has resolved a number of issues in driver version 12.9.0.1001 (which is the last version for Cougar Point chipset) as compared to the old version 10.6.0.1002 driver HP has on it's support page for the Z210.

And HP seems steadfast in it's lack of interest to test Intels 12.9.0.1001 driver and then make it available on their support page for what is a product still under warranty

That's poor service if you ask me...

Some HP forum administrator or HP support person lurking these forums should push this up the HP management chain and get this looked at. The Z210 should still be under warranty for some customers and HP needs to pick up the latest available drivers from all their suppliers, test them and then release them to their customers via the support page for this product. Anything else is just short changing us all .

[Skylarking · Accepted solution]

I was able to resolve the Intel RST application issue by updating to later Intel driver v11.2.0.1006 but this highlighted a few issues which HP should address, see linked post above.

PS: adding this post so i can mark thread as solved.

[Skylarking]

It's been a while since i raised an issue about faulty IRST drivers made available by HP for use in my "in warranty" z210.

And one year later, still no action by HP as they have yet to update to the later intel IRST drivers that resolve the issue i experianced.

Now that's poor support from what should be a teir 1 OEM

Way to go HP