Fix No Drives Found with AMD RAID Preinstall Driver (August 2026)

Building a new PC with AMD hardware or setting up a storage array? You will inevitably encounter the “No drives were found” error if you skip loading the AMD RAID preinstall driver during Windows installation. This frustrating roadblock catches many first-time builders off guard, especially when using RAID configurations with modern chipsets like X570, B550, X670, or newer.

The good news is that this driver loading process is straightforward once you understand what needs to happen and when it needs to happen. This guide walks you through every step of installing AMD RAID preinstall drivers, from understanding RAID levels to configuring BIOS settings and loading drivers at the right moment during Windows Setup. By the end, you will have your RAID array recognized and Windows installed without the headache.

Understanding AMD RAID Levels

Before diving into driver installation, it helps to understand what RAID is and which configuration might suit your needs. RAID (Redundant Array of Independent Disks) combines multiple physical drives into a single logical unit with either improved performance, data protection, or both depending on the RAID level you choose.

RAID 0: Performance Without Protection

RAID 0 stripes data across two or more drives, splitting information into chunks and writing them simultaneously. This configuration delivers the fastest read and write speeds since multiple drives handle the workload. However, RAID 0 offers zero redundancy. If even one drive fails, you lose everything on the array. This makes RAID 0 ideal for non-critical data where speed matters most, such as video editing scratch disks or gaming drives where you maintain backups elsewhere.

RAID 1: Mirroring for Data Protection

RAID 1 creates an exact copy (mirror) of your data on a second drive. Every file you save goes to both drives simultaneously. If one drive fails, your data remains safe on the other. This protection comes at a cost: you effectively lose half your total storage capacity since both drives hold identical information. RAID 1 works well for storing important documents, system drives, and any data where redundancy matters more than maximum capacity.

RAID 5: Balanced Performance and Redundancy

RAID 5 distributes data and parity information across all drives in the array, requiring at least three drives. The parity data allows the array to rebuild itself after a single drive failure without losing any information. RAID 5 gives you better read speeds than single drives while providing fault tolerance. Write speeds suffer slightly due to parity calculations, and you lose the equivalent of one drive’s capacity for the parity information. Many users prefer RAID 5 for home servers and NAS setups where a balance of speed, capacity, and protection matters.

RAID 10: Combining Speed and Safety

RAID 10 (also called RAID 1+0) requires a minimum of four drives and combines the striping of RAID 0 with the mirroring of RAID 1. Data gets striped across two drives while those same drives get mirrored to a second pair. This configuration delivers excellent read and write performance while maintaining full data redundancy. You can lose up to two drives (one from each mirrored pair) without data loss. RAID 10 provides the best protection and performance but requires the most drives and offers the lowest usable capacity efficiency.

What Are AMD RAID Preinstall Drivers?

AMD RAID preinstall drivers are special software files that enable Windows to recognize your RAID storage controller during the installation process. Unlike standard drivers that install after the operating system is running, these preinstall drivers load before Windows Setup begins. They act as a translator between your AMD RAID controller and the Windows installation environment, allowing the installer to see and access your RAID array.

These drivers come in a format known as the F6 driver, named after the F6 key you historically needed to press during floppy-disk-based installations. The F6 driver format persists today for USB and optical media installations. The preinstall package contains only the essential files needed for Windows Setup to detect your storage, keeping the file size small and the loading process simple.

Windows does not include native support for AMD RAID controllers out of the box. When you configure your storage controller for RAID mode in BIOS, the default Windows installation environment cannot communicate with it until you load the appropriate driver. Without the AMD RAID preinstall driver loaded, Windows Setup stops at the “Where do you want to install Windows?” screen with the dreaded “No drives were found” message.

Why You Need AMD RAID Preinstall Drivers

When you configure your AMD chipset for RAID mode, the storage controller operates differently than the standard AHCI (Advanced Host Controller Interface) mode. Your motherboard BIOS handles the RAID array management through AMD RAIDXpert2, but once Windows tries to take over, it needs its own driver to understand the RAID configuration.

The preinstall driver serves one critical purpose: making your RAID array visible to Windows Setup. Think of it as providing a dictionary that translates the RAID controller’s language into something Windows understands. This translation must happen before Windows can write its boot files and system files to your storage device.

Even if you are not using RAID for boot purposes, enabling RAID mode in BIOS can still require these drivers. Some AMD chipsets support NVMe RAID configurations for faster storage pooling, and the same driver loading process applies. Additionally, some users enable RAID mode for future flexibility even if they currently run a single drive, which still triggers the driver requirement during Windows installation.

Where to Download AMD RAID Preinstall Drivers

Finding the correct AMD RAID preinstall driver matters more than many users realize. Using an outdated or incompatible driver version causes exactly the problems we are trying to avoid. Here is where to get the right drivers for your system.

Official AMD Sources

AMD maintains RAID driver packages on their official support website. Navigate to the驱动程序 and Support section, select your chipset series (such as X570, B550, X670E, or newer), and look for RAID controller drivers. The download page lists multiple versions with release dates and Windows version compatibility. Always prefer the latest stable version that supports your specific chipset and Windows version.

Motherboard Manufacturer Pages

Your motherboard manufacturer often provides optimized RAID driver packages specific to their board. ASUS, Gigabyte, MSI, and ASRock frequently modify AMD’s drivers or bundle them with additional utilities. These packages sometimes include chipset utility installers that handle RAID driver installation automatically after Windows is running. Check your motherboard’s support page for the exact model number to find the correct download.

Version Compatibility Notes

AMD RAID driver packages are chipset-specific. A driver designed for X570 chipsets may not work correctly with newer B650 or X870 chipsets, and vice versa. Always verify that your chipset appears in the supported devices list for any driver you download. If you are unsure which chipset your motherboard uses, check the specifications page or the motherboard marking itself.

The driver package you need should clearly indicate it includes preinstall drivers. AMD typically labels these as “F6 Driver” or “Preinstall Driver” in the package description. Some newer driver packages combine both preinstall and regular drivers in a single download, with clear instructions for each use case.

Before You Begin: Backup Importance

Configuring RAID and installing Windows involves disk operations that erase existing data. Before starting the AMD RAID preinstall driver installation process, back up any important files on drives that will be part of the RAID array. While the RAID configuration itself preserves your data within the array structure, the Windows installation process will format the target drive or partition.

If you are converting an existing single drive to RAID, understand that creating a RAID array typically requires deleting all existing partitions on the drives involved. Some RAID levels (like RAID 1) can be created without destroying data, but this is not guaranteed, and the safer approach is always to have a backup before proceeding.

For important system drives or drives containing irreplaceable data (family photos, work documents, project files), create a full backup to an external drive or cloud storage before beginning. Use the backup not just as a precaution but as an opportunity to verify that your important data is safely stored elsewhere. Windows File History and Macrium Reflect both offer reliable backup options that you can set up quickly before starting the RAID configuration process.

Step-by-Step Guide: Installing AMD RAID Preinstall Drivers

Follow these steps carefully to install your AMD RAID preinstall drivers successfully. Each step matters, so avoid rushing through the process even if some steps seem repetitive or obvious.

Step 1: Prepare Your Drivers

1. Download the correct AMD RAID preinstall driver package from AMD or your motherboard manufacturer
2. Extract the files to a USB flash drive formatted as FAT32 (do not simply copy the ZIP file)
3. Verify that the extracted folder contains .inf files and the RAID controller driver files
4. Keep the USB drive accessible throughout the Windows installation process

If your driver package comes as an executable (such as SetupRST.exe), you may need to extract the actual driver files before using them. Some users report success using command-line extraction tools or running the executable with specific flags to extract without installing. Check your download for a README or installation guide that explains the extraction process.

Step 2: Configure BIOS Settings

1. Restart your computer and enter BIOS or UEFI setup (usually by pressing F2, F10, DEL, or ESC during startup)
2. Navigate to the storage configuration section (often under “Advanced,” “Chipset,” or “Storage Configuration”)
3. Locate the SATA Mode selection and change it from AHCI to RAID
4. If using NVMe RAID, find the NVMe RAID mode option and enable it
5. Check for CSM (Compatibility Support Module) settings and consider disabling CSM if Windows 11 installation requires it
6. Verify Secure Boot is configured appropriately for your Windows version
7. Save changes and exit BIOS (usually press F10 and confirm)

BIOS settings vary between manufacturers, so consult your motherboard manual if you cannot locate these options. Some boards bury RAID configuration in overclocking or advanced menus. ASUS boards often list RAID under “Advanced” then “SATA Configuration,” while MSI boards frequently use “Settings” then “Advanced” then “Storage Configuration.”

Step 3: Start Windows Installation

1. Boot from your Windows installation media (USB drive or DVD)
2. When Windows Setup displays the language and region selection, make your choices and click “Next”
3. Click “Install Now” on the initial setup screen
4. On the “Where do you want to install Windows?” screen, click the “Load driver” link
5. Browse to your USB drive and navigate to the folder containing the extracted AMD RAID preinstall driver files
6. Select the appropriate driver for your RAID controller (Windows will typically show “AMD RAID Controller” or similar)
7. Click “Next” to continue after the driver loads successfully

If Windows does not immediately recognize your RAID array after loading the driver, you may need to browse to the specific .inf file location rather than letting Windows search automatically. The driver folder structure matters, so navigate through the extracted folder hierarchy until you find the .inf file associated with your RAID controller chipset.

Step 4: Complete Installation

1. Windows Setup should now display your RAID array as a usable drive
2. Select your RAID array or the specific partition where you want to install Windows
3. Complete the Windows installation process normally (copying files, expanding Windows, installing features, updating)
4. After Windows restarts and reaches the desktop, install the full RAID driver package for optimal performance
5. Restart your computer when prompted to complete the full driver installation

The full RAID driver package includes the RAIDXpert2 management software, which allows you to monitor array health, create new arrays, and configure settings from within Windows. While Windows will function with just the basic preinstall driver loaded, you want the complete package for full functionality and array management capabilities.

Troubleshooting Common AMD RAID Driver Issues

Even with careful preparation, issues can arise during the AMD RAID preinstall driver installation process. Here are solutions for the most common problems users encounter.

“Unable to Find rccfg RAID Driver” Error

This error typically appears in RAIDXpert2 after Windows installation when the management software cannot locate the required driver components. To resolve this issue, verify that you installed the complete RAID driver package rather than just the preinstall driver. Download the latest driver package from AMD’s website, uninstall any existing RAID drivers through Device Manager, and reinstall the complete package.

1. Open Device Manager on your Windows desktop
2. Expand the “Storage controllers” section
3. Right-click on the AMD RAID controller and select “Uninstall device”
4. Download and run the complete AMD RAID driver installer
5. Restart your computer when installation completes

Error Code 0x0000007E

This Blue Screen of Death (BSOD) error indicates that Windows failed to find the system partition or could not access the boot drive after loading the RAID driver. This typically occurs when the driver loaded successfully but the RAID array itself is not properly configured in BIOS or the array does not contain a valid system partition.

1. Restart your computer and enter BIOS setup
2. Verify that your RAID array shows correctly in the BIOS storage information
3. Ensure the boot drive priority is set to your RAID array
4. Check that CSM is disabled if using Windows 11 with UEFI boot
5. Try reloading the RAID preinstall driver during a fresh Windows installation

Error Code 0x00000050

This BSOD error suggests a fault in the RAID controller driver or incompatible driver version with your hardware. It often appears after Windows installation completes when the basic preinstall driver is not sufficient for continued operation. Installing the full RAID driver package after Windows Setup finishes usually resolves this issue.

1. Boot into Windows Safe Mode (restart and hold F8, or use recovery options)
2. Open Device Manager and locate the RAID controller under “Storage controllers”
3. Update the driver by browsing to your downloaded complete RAID driver package
4. If updating does not work, try uninstalling the driver and reinstalling the complete package
5. Consider trying a different driver version if problems persist

Installation Hangs or Fails

If Windows Setup freezes after loading the AMD RAID preinstall driver, the driver version may be incompatible with your hardware or Windows version. Try these troubleshooting steps.

1. Try using a different version of the RAID preinstall driver (newer or older)
2. Verify that you downloaded the preinstall version and not just the regular driver package
3. Check that your BIOS RAID configuration matches your hardware setup
4. Try disabling Secure Boot temporarily if using Windows 11
5. Test with a different USB port or drive for the driver files

For additional Windows troubleshooting help when driver issues escalate, you may want to consult our guide on fixing Windows troubleshooter issues which covers general Windows recovery techniques that can help in these situations.

RAID Array Not Recognized

If Windows still cannot see your RAID array after loading the driver, systematically check each potential cause.

1. Confirm RAID mode is enabled in BIOS (not AHCI or IDE compatibility mode)
2. Verify all drives in the RAID array are properly connected with SATA or NVMe cables
3. Check that your RAID array is properly initialized and shows in BIOS boot information
4. Try a different USB drive for the driver files (some USB drives have compatibility issues)
5. Clear and recreate the RAID array if BIOS shows the drives but Windows does not

RAIDXpert2 Management Software Issues

RAIDXpert2 is the web-based management interface for AMD RAID arrays. If it fails to launch or displays errors after installation, try these solutions.

1. Install the latest .NET Framework version if prompted by RAIDXpert2
2. Run RAIDXpert2 as Administrator (right-click and select “Run as administrator”)
3. Temporarily disable Windows Firewall if the interface fails to load
4. Reinstall the complete RAID driver package if RAIDXpert2 continues to malfunction

AMD RAID Drivers for Different Windows Versions

Windows version compatibility is crucial when selecting AMD RAID drivers. Using an incompatible driver version causes exactly the installation failures we are trying to avoid.

Windows 10 Requirements

Windows 10 works well with AMD RAID configurations when using compatible drivers. Ensure you download a driver package that explicitly lists Windows 10 support. The latest AMD RAID driver packages support Windows 10 versions 21H2 and later. Windows 10 does not require Secure Boot, which simplifies the BIOS configuration process compared to Windows 11.

Windows 11 Requirements (Including 24H2)

Windows 11 imposes stricter requirements that affect RAID driver installation. Microsoft requires Secure Boot on Windows 11 systems, which means your BIOS configuration must properly support and enable Secure Boot for RAID driver loading to work correctly during Setup.

Windows 11 version 24H2, released in late 2024 and becoming the standard in 2026, introduced additional driver signing requirements that affect some older RAID driver versions. If you encounter installation issues specifically with Windows 11 24H2, verify that your AMD RAID driver version is current. AMD has released updated driver packages specifically tested against Windows 11 24H2 requirements.

When installing Windows 11 on RAID, ensure CSM (Compatibility Support Module) is disabled in BIOS. CSM enables legacy BIOS boot modes that can conflict with Windows 11’s UEFI-only requirements. With CSM disabled and Secure Boot properly configured, the AMD RAID preinstall driver should load smoothly during Windows 11 Setup.

Version-Specific Notes

• Always check the driver release notes for Windows version compatibility information
• Some older RAID array configurations may not be recognized by newer Windows versions without driver updates
• If migrating from Windows 10 to Windows 11 on RAID, clean installation is recommended over upgrade
• AMD chipset utility can sometimes automate driver installation for systems already running Windows

Quick Answer Box: AMD RAID Preinstall Driver Essentials

What It Is	F6 driver that loads during Windows Setup to recognize RAID array
When Needed	Any Windows installation on AMD RAID-configured system
Where to Get	AMD website or motherboard manufacturer support page
How to Install	Load from USB when Windows Setup prompts for drivers
Critical Step	Must load before selecting where to install Windows
After Installation	Install full RAID driver package for RAIDXpert2 management

Common Mistakes to Avoid

Downloading the Wrong Driver Package: Many users accidentally download regular RAID drivers instead of the preinstall version. Always look for packages specifically labeled as containing F6 drivers or preinstall drivers. The regular driver package installs from within Windows after installation; the preinstall driver loads during Windows Setup.

Enabling RAID Mode After Installing Windows: You must enable RAID mode in BIOS before beginning Windows installation. Switching to RAID mode after Windows is installed causes boot failures because the operating system was installed for a different storage controller mode.

Not Extracting ZIP Files: Simply copying a ZIP file to your USB drive does not work. Windows Setup cannot read compressed archives. Always extract the driver files so that Windows Setup can access the .inf files directly.

Using Outdated Drivers: Driver versions more than a year old may lack compatibility with current Windows versions and chipsets. While a working older driver is better than no driver, updating to a current version resolves many compatibility issues, especially for Windows 11 24H2.

Pro Tips for AMD RAID Setup

Keep Backup Copies of Working Drivers: Once you find a driver version that works correctly with your hardware and Windows version, save a copy to multiple locations. Driver websites sometimes reorganize downloads, and future driver updates may not work as well with your specific configuration.

Use the AMD Chipset Utility: AMD’s chipset utility can automate driver installation for systems already running Windows. This utility detects your hardware and installs the appropriate RAID drivers without manual browsing. It is particularly useful when reinstalling drivers or updating after a hardware change.

Document Your RAID Configuration: Write down your RAID level, drive assignments, array name, and driver version. Take screenshots of your RAIDXpert2 configuration. This documentation is invaluable when troubleshooting issues or rebuilding your array after hardware changes.

Test Your Array Before Full Installation: Windows Setup’s “Custom” installation option lets you see all available drives before committing to installation. Use this screen to verify that your RAID array appears correctly with the expected capacity. If the size looks wrong, stop and investigate before proceeding.

FAQs About AMD RAID Preinstall Drivers

Conclusion

AMD RAID preinstall drivers are essential for anyone installing Windows on a system configured for RAID mode. Without these special drivers, Windows Setup cannot recognize your RAID array, leaving you stuck at the “No drives were found” error screen. Understanding why these drivers exist and when to load them transforms a frustrating roadblock into a simple checkbox in your installation process.

The key steps are downloading the correct F6 preinstall driver package, extracting it to a USB drive, enabling RAID mode in BIOS before installation, and loading the driver at the right moment during Windows Setup. After Windows is running, installing the full RAID driver package gives you access to RAIDXpert2 for ongoing array management and monitoring.

Whether you are setting up RAID 0 for maximum performance, RAID 1 for data protection, RAID 5 for balanced storage, or RAID 10 for the best of both worlds, the driver installation process remains the same. With this guide, you now have the knowledge to navigate each step confidently and get your AMD RAID array working with Windows 2026.