Has anyone installed Linux onto an Intel RST SATA drive?

[Bob Proulx]

Hi Brian,

bsimpson nvastro.com wrote:
> I've just bought a new Dell laptop with Windows 11.  I have shrunk
> the Windows partition so that I can dual-boot it and Linux Mint.
> Unfortunately the Linux installer doesn't recognize the 1TB SSD
> drive.  I did some web search and it appears that the issue is the
> Intel RST driver for the SSD.

Intel RST is like on-board hardware RAID.  It is always to be avoided.

As far as I know RST is only supported in RHEL where it has been
patched in.  Pretty sure.  Don't quote me on it and don't count on it
unless you have personally verified that information.  So that would
be an option.  A terrible option.  But I will mention it anyway.  Not
that I would do it.  It's just not worth the hassle.  And then you
would forever be vendor locked-in to RHEL.

> The web pages I've seen say to go to BIOS and change the storage
> mode from RST to AHCI.

Yes.  That's the way.  But since you want to dual boot be aware that
Windows will need to be switched from RST to AHCI or Windows won't
boot.  You would need to investigate the recipe to do this.  I have
switched Windows from SATA to virtio for use in virtualized
installations and think the process to switch from RST to SATA would
be similar.

> But there is no such option with the bios on
> this Dell 7630 laptop.  It appears only RST is available.  I thought

There is no option in the BIOS to disable RST?  That would be a
showstopper bug for me.

It seems that other people are having similar problems with that
laptop.  Here is the tale of another person who is also stuck.

    https://www.dell.com/community/en/conversations/inspiron/inspiron-16-7630-not-able-to-set-sata-operation-to-ahci-in-bios/64d49505b5233436677d3767

> I'd query this group to see if there is any option other than
> returning this laptop.

I have said all that I know.  Good luck!

Bob