I own an Asus X299 Sage motherboard in a very complex configuration (many SSD/HDD/Nvme/PCIe-cards).
With the latest BIOS (3101) Asus have upgraded: “Update RC version”, “Update ME FW”, “Update IRST driver” - this apply to all the Asus X299 lineup.
From the installation of this BIOS I had been forced to use the latest Intel RST drivers (on Windows 10 Enterprise 64bit) or some HDD/SSD are missing (I don’t know why) instead of the classic Microsoft AHCI drivers automatically installed by Windows (before someone argue of an hardware problems I’ll say that reverting to old BIOS, and a CMOS reset, the problem isn’t present).
With the Intel RST drivers installed (latest version: 17.8.0.1065) it’s all working fine but some SSD (not all) are set to SATA speed 2.0 (3 Gb/s) instead of SATA speed 3.0 (6 Gb/s). With the same configuration, old BIOS and Microsoft AHCI drivers all SATA connected devices (connected to the 8 Intel SATA ports) run at 6 Gb/s.
My question is: there’s a way to force (via registry or any other method) the Intel RST driver to work at 6 Gb/s speed for a specific device?
Thanks for your attention.
P.S.: the Link Power Management (and other energy saver optimizations) are all disabled.
@ExECUTOR - Can you see Advanced >> PCH Storage Config in BIOS? If yes, inside that, can you see SATA Controller Speed? If not, let me know and I can make you mod BIOS to where you can see this, and then set/lock in Gen3 instead of Auto
Or, I can help you to change this via grub and setup_var if you don’t want to flash in mod BIOS, up to you, let me know.
No the BIOS doesn’t have this option (it’s the first thing I’ve checked). My BIOS is a special compiled version (by the ASUS engineering team - based on the 3101) because the latest original version (3101) had problems with SAS Avago controllers (it stop during the Avago screen and they have fixed this problem for me). If you want I can supply you the BIOS to be modified. If possible I’ll prefer the option to set the SATA speed “gen 1/2/3” for each of the 8 Intel SATA ports present on the motherboard. If allowed by the forum rules I can supply my (special) BIOS with the “Attach file” button.
Thanks for your attention.
@ExECUTOR - You’re welcome! You can attach the BIOS here, or send to me in PM (upload to free file host), up to you.
The option is all encompassing, you can’t set speed per port
I’ve PM you the link to the 3101 BIOS (special compiled version by the ASUS engineering team - based on the 3101), because it exceed the 6MB limit. They have used the version number “0001” if possible change it to “3101(x)” or if only 4 digit are allowed “310X” so it will be aligned to the original version number.
Another very strange thing I’ve seen in this BIOS, I haven’t mentioned it in my previous post, is that (apart the fact I had been forced to use the latest Intel RST drivers on Windows 10 Enterprise 64bit) 2 devices attached to the 8 SATA ports (the 8 SATA ports are all populated with HDD/SSD) aren’t visible anymore in the 3101 BIOS (with the 2002 BIOS, and all previous versions, they are perfectly visible) but they are present in the OS (Windows 10 Enterprise 64bit) and they operate correctly and reliably. That’s the reason I had to use the Intel RST drivers instead of the Windows AHCI drivers. I have also tried to ask Asus about this fact without success.
Just to be clear in this 3101 BIOS they have remapped all “I/O” an “addresses” and the first time I booted Windows I had to reinstall/fix chipset drivers; this apply to all Asus X299 lineup. I don’t know why they have done this but I assume it’s for better performance and/or reliability.
@ExECUTOR - Thanks! If you want the BIOS version changed you need to send me programmer dump and then program back in the BIOS I send you, otherwise EZ Flash will not accept BIOS.
There is of course a few places it may be changed, that would show in software, that may not cause flashing issues and programmer not needed, but that would take us many various BIOS edits to figure out which are OK for that and show the reflected changes, and which are not OK and get blocked to flash
So, while this change is possible, it’s really not worth all that hassle, unless you have programmer. Where are you seeing 0001 that you want changed? Also, even if we change it all, I cannot tell if extra digit causes issue in all edited areas, without being able to test myself, so if we change anything it should be to something four digits long only.
What you mention about RST is probably a BIOS or RST bug, you could try other RST modules and see if it persists, if so then it’s a BIOS bug, if not then it’s an RST version bug. If it’s a BIOS bug, they’d have to sort it out.
Here is BIOS should have Advanced >> PCH Storage Config visible, flash only via USB Flashback. Test one in Super folder first, if it works then toss User, not needed
http://s000.tinyupload.com/index.php?fil…887677182374373
First of all really thanks. I’ll test the BIOS you sent me in the next few days and let you know if it works.
Where are you seeing 0001 that you want changed?
In the opening page under BIOS version: 0001 (instead of 3101)
to “Lost_N_BIOS”:
I tested the 2 BIOS (1st “super”, 2nd “user”), but in the Advanced -> PCH Configuration -> Storage there’s no option to set the SATA speed (gen 1/2/3 as in the original) nor the 2 device I don’t see in the original BIOS aren’t yet visible in yours’ modified BIOS (but they are present and working in the OS). Thanks anyway.