Hi there! I'm attempting to install Zorin OS alongside my Windows 10 installation. I have an Alienware M15 R2 laptop with Intel RST. When running the installer, it doesn't detect my hard drive, only my USB Flash Drive that I installed the Zorin ISO on. Secure boot and Hibernation are off. I look in GParted and the disk isn't there. If I do lsblk, same story. I've read in some places that I need to switch my SATA mode to AHCI from RAID, but I'm wondering if there's a way around this.
Thanks!
Welcome to the forum.
Are there any reasons you cannot change this settings?
As far as I know this is mandatory settings for installing Zorin.
Hi, I would prefer not to change these settings because #1, there is a possibility of me messing up and wiping my hard drive, and #2 from what I've seen apparently AHCI is less performant.
If that is the case, I have no idea how to install Zorin (or any other Linux distros). I hope other volunteers on this forum might have some idea. Just for your info, I've never heard of anyone lost the data by changing the BIOS/EFI settings.
Yes, your hard drive is safe. If anything goes wrong by changing BIOS / UEFI settings, you only need to change them back.
If using Most SSD or HDD's, you must be in AHCI.
If using Some eMMC SSD's, you must be in RAID.
I have encountered this very exact issue. Setting your SATA mode to AHCI should not break anything for you. I never heard anyone having trouble with it. I had to switch it to AHCI and I have never encountered an issue. I even opened a thread about it a while ago
Real life experience is way more convincing than my assumption 
I set it to AHCI a while back and it told me that I could potentially wipe all of my data, if I recall.
Also, isn't it less performant? Not sure
The BIOS is trying to bully you 
I think it said the same to me since I have a Dell laptop. The BIOS also tells to never ever disable Secure/Fast boot , etc.
We should all say NO to BIOS messages.(In all seriousness, sometimes the warnings are genuine but the best thing to do is to always check with various sources)
I'll check in a bit. For now gonna try and get Intel RST working and see if that changes anything 
Wow, the new BIOS is getting so intrusive 
I've never seen such a message on any of computers in our household (more than 5 years old).
It makes me wonder how many Linux curious people deterred by this first step. Conspiracy by MS? 
More likely Covering-the-backside.
Switching to SATA can cause the Hard drive to not be recognized (Just as the O.P. experienced). This is not the same thing as true data loss- but consider the influx of complaints from Windows users that do not know one way or the other - or who claim they needed to hire a company to recover their data.
Windows does not want to deal with that and they are not in the business of educating their users...
This comment I cannot comprehend.
If there is no RAID setup, I thought it is better to use AHCI. Am I missing something here?
The first and last time I called MS helpline was back in 1993. I quickly realized how useless it was and never asked any help since then. Perhaps I am not a mainstream though 
Well I have a raid setup, so I thought it wouldn't perform as well? I might be missing something too 
Ah, OK.
You did not tell me this before.
The performance between RAID and AHCI are pretty much even. Some claim AHCI is better on SSD's. Other users on messaging boards say that AHCI slightly reduced the life of SSD's due to write /rewrite cycle.
It's more rumor than confirmed, though some claims are plausible. Or at least were at the time.
In recent times, manufacturing of SSD has greatly improved, giving SSD's in general longevity only slightly less than spinning HDD"s enjoy.
Ah okay. Either way, if possible, (it might not be) I would like it more if I could keep the current SATA setting. I'm paranoid 
Although I probably shouldn't be since so many people have said it's okay.
I have one question.
OP's has a RAID system - can (s)he still install Linux on it?
I thought switching to AHCI is mandatory for non eMMC drives.
I'm confident that there are RAID drivers on Linux, but I'm not sure how to get them or which ones to install.