Intel RST EFI RAID/VMD BIOS Modules

@Fernando My specs on my signature. The Raid Driver in my bios was 15.2.0.1020

I have only raid controller, my chip doesn’t have AHCI controller. Check the pic.

Screenshot 2021-09-19 214821.png



I updated my RaidDirver for too many reasons:
1- Better compatibility with newer kernels/OSs as I am using Windows 11 now.
2- Better Performance.
3- less CPU usage, and I mean the thread iaStorAC.sys in the kernel was using a lot of CPU on disk activity, when I updated the EFI/ROM raid driver, it is less and noticeable, check the pic.

Screenshot 2021-09-19 214721.png



That said, I encourage only experts, with the device ID (DEV_2822) to update the ROM/EFI to version 18.35.0.4635/18.31.51.5346.

On my question again, does anyone have this thing (not even an issue), that only the storage information page in the bios can’t detect the drives.

@jen11 : Thanks for the requested answers.
As you surely know, the v17 and v18 platform Intel RST storage drivers and RAID BIOS modules were not designed for systems with a Skylake Series CPU.
Due to my own test results with a Skylake CPU system I seriously doubt, that the "latest" drivers and BIOS modules are the best choice for your "old" system.
Where is the proof, that they are better performant and better compatible with Windows 11 than the v15 platform Intel RST RAID drivers/BIOS modules?

@Fernando I have a kaby lake CPU (7th gen), kaby lake has the same architecture and stepping (9) as the coffee lake (8th gen); unlike sky lake different architecture and stepping (3) .So far my new configuration, including the modified bios, are so stable and it boosted my system according to my observation.

My system now is so fast, my CPU idle all the time and no BSOD or crashes whatsoever, so far.

@jen11 : Regarding the compatibility of the v18 platform Intel RST drivers and BIOS modules with your MSI laptop, it makes no difference whether the on-board CPU belongs to the Skylake or Kabylake series.
I suspect a serious reason why the Company MSI offers only v15 platform Intel RST drivers and EFI RAID modules for your laptop model.

@Fernando MSI never updates its drivers, nor bios modules, maybe that is why their hardware are relatively cheap. Even if I contact MSI they will tell me to use the old drivers on their sites as they are tested, but the problem the old drivers are not even compatible with newer OS. Since I started updating the drivers myself all my issues gone. It made me even more expert researching.

Even worse, MSI abandoned my laptop only one year after manufacturing, and few months after I bought it, so I check for drivers my self supporting new OS, and they supported the next model GT83 for more than 2 years … I added all my drivers to my signature.

Might even be worse than that. I checked my allegedly updated MSI P75 Creator BIOS and found that modules, microcode and internal dates were all the same as the initial BIOS, literally nothing was updated. They just did a once a year re-release of the same BIOS with a new date posted on their download site.

Edit by Fernando: Unneeded parts of the quoted post removed (to save space)

this is same for my GT75 7re
last "half working" in info screen - 15.9 version .,but all ROM"s works in sub-menu RST

@jen11 @NeXt3R
Only users, who have created or are going to create an Intel RAID array, can evaluate the functionality of a specific Intel EFI RAID BIOS module.

my current RAID0 is not affected ??
i need only small FIX ,.,sometime more connected disks + my RST controller ROM /drivers "RAID0" freeze system for some second

this not possitible help ??

edit ,…,for UEFI - i need only EFI ROM ??
Orom is not used ?

originally I didn’t want to edit the bios at all .,.but from MSI never come NEW

@NeXt3R :

An existing Intel RAID0 array is affected by an updated Intel "RaidDriver" BIOS module.

If you boot in UEFI mode, my answer is: 2x Yes!

but what is better for my system “oem 15.5-x-x” fully compatible / old bios
or 15.9 looks works fine “but one NVME from raid0” missing on SYSTEM INFO tab
16-18.x.x here missing all disks information on SYSTEM INFO tab / SA domain “NVME"s / one SATA SSD”
“on RST sub menu is all visible”

otherwise all ROMs work well / RAID0 configuration “OS” will start normally
speed is identical ,.i need only better compatibility

win10 21h1/ uefi / drivers 18.36-x-x
.,all drivers create this problems ,…,i think older drivers did it much more often “MSI drivers”

what would you suggest ??
CM238 "PCI\VEN_8086&DEV_2822&SUBSYS_12021462&REV_31"

edit
I still thought of extracting ROM from GT75 9SG “similar mobo / MSI system” for better results ?
here is 17.0 ROM ,…,or GT76 -17.8.2 // or ASUS 7TH - 17.8-x-x

edit2
,.,translation FIX

@NeXt3R :

Since I don’t have any own experience with a system like yours, you should find it out yourself.
Much more important than the RST version of the EFI "RaidDriver" BIOS module is the version of the in-use Intel RST RAID driver. The best "RaidDriver" version is the one, which comes from the same development branch as the in-use real driver.

@Fernando :
I’ll try some more research :d
,.,try to re-create RAID0 using a new rom

I mean if the system will work “boot” ,…,I will be ignoring the SYSTEM INFO tab
drivers contains my ID “up to 18.36” I will try a similar old ROM “for best compatibility”

thank

The DeviceID DEV_2822 is just the common externally shown one, the internal DeviceID is different and usually hidden. Consequence: The related RAID driver may be installable, but not properly working.
If you want to know, whether a specific Intel RST RAID driver definitively will support your specific on-board Intel SATA RAID Controller, you should better open the iaahcic.inf file and check the supported chipsets.

iaahcic.inf ?? AHCI ,…,here is 300series UP "18.36.x-x-"
iaStorAC - PCI\VEN_8086&DEV_2822&CC_0104.DeviceDesc = “Intel(R) Chipset SATA/PCIe RST Premium Controller”

this is used for my system

last AHCI for my system ?? ,…I never used it, I don’t know how it’s reported in the system
or need find AHCI DEV_2822&CC ???

i try verify OEM MSI drivers

edit
and a bad version of the ROM or driver would affect the speed ?? boot problems ?? ,.,.all this works fine
.,.speed is “probably +50mb/s last ROM” ,…,but for 3GB/s read // 1.5GB/s write is this irrelevant

i trying to get the previous error “system freezes” for more disk activity ,…,RAID0 + SATA SSD
will see

edit .,.
AHCI mode “intel data CM238” A102 - 17.7.1 last drivers
tested .,.look identical / 18.31 ROM

@NeXt3R :
The Intel RST v17.7.x.xxxx drivers are indeed the latest ones, which are backwards compatible until the old Intel 100-Series/230 Chipset systems, but this does not mean, that they are the best for them.

According to my own tests with a Z170 chipset RAID0 array the Intel RST v15.5.x.xxxxx driver in combination with an v15.5.x.xxxx EFI Raid module gave me much better results than any later released driver/BIOS module combination.
You should consider, that the chipset manufacturers like Intel or AMD always try to optimize the drivers/RAID modules for the currently latest chipsets and not for old ones.

@Fernando :
i need to do my own research for my 21h1 win10 system / MSI old bios / EC chip

15.5-x rom vs 15.9-x MSI driver - does not work
.,., I’ve tried it before and this combination freezes in the system randomly
in addition, I remember that there were often errors on the RAID0 disk "CHKDSK"

it all disappeared with the help of new drivers :smiley:

I will try the current 18.36-x drivers on ROM 18.31-x / or i try 18.36 drivers // “CSM mode” Orom 18.35-x
at least a week and we’ll see what happens

//
is possitible use or send here files for “remove header” from UBU/TEMP ?? or need special extraction ??
,.,.,.,thank for help @Fernando

15.5 and 15.9 are completely different development branches. Furthermore: The BIOS module should never belong to a newer development branch than the in-use RAID driver. The v15.5 driver knows nothing about the functionality of the v15.9 BIOS module.

https://mega.nz/folder/LpV1HILT#Fz6cKS2G13o3wExHZwCvzQ here is EFI Intel RST18.31.1.5256 (RaidDriver.efi)

@dormancygrace :
Since your linked Intel RAID BIOS module is an EFI "RaidDriver" and not an Option ROM one, I have moved your post into the correct Sub-Forum.
Info: There is already a newer "RaidDriver" version v18.31.51.5346 within the start post of this thread.