"A drive in RAID Volume 0 is failing" Error

[_MBUK_]

My system is a VGN-AR61ZU

2 x Fujitsu MHY2250BH

Intel(R) ICH8M-E/ICH9M-E SATA RAID Controller - driver version 8.5.0.1032 (the latest i beleve)

I recieved the following error from Intel Matrix Storage Manager: "A drive in RAID Volume 0 is failing" - followed by a backup your data warning.

I am running a RAID 0 system and dont have a method to back up at the moment.

Frustratingly I have just received this laptop back from a major hardware repair due to a graphics card failure - at considerabe expense.

It might just be conincidence but since the pulled out the entire motherboard its quiet likely they could have damaged something else.

I read some issues about this on the forum but none of them seems to come to a conclusion. I did move a folder with a lot of data GBs from one location to another.  the one thing I am not sure of still is is this a software or hardware issue?

So what i have done so far:

Tried to boot normally - gets to desktop but stalls and does not respond after a few icons in the taskbar appear.

Booted in safe mode with networking - boots fine no problems can access all data on the disks seems to be no problems (text, picture and even video files open).

In safe mode ran Intel Matrix Storage Manager - tried to verify volume, which gets to 95% then stalls.

Now I am stumped, what should I do next? and more importantly what shouldn't I do?

Is there any way to get the PC to boot normal and not just in safe mode?

I could afford to lose the data - it would be very annoying to say the least, but since it seems to be readable when I do get a backup method  I will transfer that across.

Thanks in advance for your assistance,

MB

Thanks in advance for your assistance,

MB

[Blencogo]

Hi MB,

It seems odd that it boots OK in Safe Mode - this points to a driver being corrupt or causing a conflict.  A software problem anyway?

As I'm sure you know, the best advice is to back up your entire system somehow - probably to an external hard drive because although you can read the data now, if just one drive fails on a RAID 0 array, you will lose everything.  You can't just put a RAID 0 system in an external caddy to read data.

If I were you, I would speak to one of Sony's Service Partners close to where you live and see if they can suggest a workable way forward to retain your data which suits you.

You will find a full list of Sony Service Partners in the UK here: -

http://support.vaio.sony.eu/computing/vaio/contacts/asc.aspx?l=en_GB&m=VGN-AR61ZU