If you want to roll back to a previously used NVMe driver, do a right-click onto the related Controller (is listed within the "Storage Controllers" section) and choose the options "Update driver" > "Browse my computer…" > "Let me pick…". Then click onto the Controller, which is listed as being compatible (here: "Standard NVM Express Controller") - thats all.
After the next reboot the OS will use the generic in-box MS NVMe driver.
I didn’t say that. It was just 1 of 2 possible reasons I saw for your performance problem.
Unfortunately I don’t have any idea about the real reason for your reported issue.
Have a nice week as well!
@Fernando
Thanks, I discovered Win10 offers a “Roll back driver” button/feature and used that.
I was surprised that the OFA driver degraded performance over the inbox Win10 driver.
XPG SX8200 Pro 512GB …
What does this mean?
There is no impact of a previously running storage driver on the performance of the currently running storage driver.
I’ve been having issues with the Community OFA NVMe driver and my X570 board/nvme drive (XPG S11 Pro). I can’t get sleep to work properly, or hibernate. Sleep just ends up forcing me to force shut down because it never comes out of sleep normally, the screen stays black. This is not an issue when I reverse to the Microsoft drivers. Is there another generic driver I could try that fits all boards/drives and that would have better performance than Microsoft’s driver?
Edit: Nevermind, I tried the Intel 16 platform one and so far so good!
@Fernando :
Greets,
Sir,
I want to bring it in your kind notice that I am very much interested in the case of my friend :
@Arctucas : Recommended AHCI/RAID and NVMe Drivers (98) .
I want to ask if it is anyhow possible to accomplish a stable RAID0 Array for his Samsung NVMes SSDs with Win 7 on his PC. We are ready to do all the hard work, take steps & furnish all the required information.
Is there a chance that we integrate some drivers into the ISO itself & a stable RAID0 Array is accomplished.
Can M$ NVMe updates make any difference ?
( One of my seniors linked me here : https://www.dell.com/community/Laptops-G…es/td-p/5072571 )
Thanks & Regards. …
@Vineet_Garg :
Since I have never tried to get an Intel NVMe RAID0 array running with Windows 7, I am not absolutely sure about the answers to your questions.
Here is my statement:
- The creation of an Intel RAID0 array doesn’t require any running OS. So it should be no problem to create such array from within the BIOS of a modern Intel Chipset mainboard.
Preconditions:
a) BIOS settings: The Intel SATA Controller should be set to “RAID” and booting in UEFI mode should be allowed or may even be forced (by disabling CSM).
b) BIOS content: The BIOS should contain an Intel RST EFI “RaidDriver”, whose version belongs to the v14.8 series (my recommendation) or to the v15 platform.
b) NVMe connection: The NVMe SSDs, which are designed to become members of an Intel RAID0 array, should be connected to the on-board M.2 ports, which do support the NVMe protocol.
(Attention: Since some on-board SATA and M.2 ports may share the same PCIe lanes, it may be a good idea to unplug temporarily all SATA connected HDDs/SSDs before trying to create the RAID array.) - To be on the safe side while trying to install Win7 onto the freshly created RAID0 array or (in case of any problem) onto a single NVMe SSD, I recommend to integrate the following NVMe drivers into the BOOT.WIM and INSTALL.WIM of the demanded Win7 ISO file:
a) the MS NVMe Hotfix KB2990941-v3 for Windows 7 and
b) a matching WHQL certified Intel RST(e) RAID driver (my recommendation: v14.8.18.1066). - As last step the user can start the installation of the prepared Win7 image onto the Intel RAID0 array by booting off the related data medium (DVD/USB) in UEFI mode.
- If the previously created Intel RAID0 array should not be detected by the Win7 Setup, I recommend to load the related Intel RST(e) RAID driver while the Win7 Setup offers to do it.
Good luck!
No matter whether the Win7 installation onto the Intel RAID0 array was successful or not, please write a short report into >this< Sub-Forum. This would be very helpful for other users, who are planning a similar project.
Thanks for all the information. It may take some time in execution but surely we would give it a try & report back. Its my duty now!
Thanks & Regards. …
@Fernando :
Ok here’s the answers:
- Windows 10 Home 64 bit
- PCI\VEN_8086&DEV_282A&SUBSYS_08EA1028&REV_10
Intel Chipset SATA/PCIe RST Premium Controller
ID Hardware of Samsung MZVLB256:
SCSI\DiskNVMe____SAMSUNG_MZVLB256201Q
Thanks in advance
Edit by Fernando: Unneeded fully quoted post replaced by directly addressing to the author (to save space)
@daddyxx1 :
Thanks for having posted the requested details.
They prove, that the NVMe Controller of your Samsung NVMe is currently managed by the on-board Intel SATA/PCIe RST RAID Controller using an Intel RST NVMe RAID driver (unfortunately you didn’t mention its version).
As long as the Intel SATA Controller is running in “RAID” mode (has been set within the BIOS), you can neither use the generic MS Win10 in-box NVMe driver nor any specific Samsung NVMe driver (not even a modded one). Reason: None of these drivers do support the DeviceID DEV_282A.
If you should not be satisfied with the currently in-use Intel RST NVMe driver, there are only 2 options for you:
- a) You enter the BIOS and switch the setting regarding the Intel SATA Controller to “AHCI”.
Bad consequence: You will not be able to boot into the currently running OS afterwards, because the Windows Boot Manager cannot use anymore the Intel NVMe RAID driver. You have to “Repair” your OS installation or even to do a fresh install of it. - b) You try another version of the currently in-use Intel RST NVMe RAID driver.
By the way - in any case you will not be able to use Samsung’s Magician. Only Retail (and no OEM) SSDs are supported by this tool.
@Fernando
many thanks for your explanation. I’ll stick with Intel RST driver.
I did some benchmark and performance is very good.
Now i’m reading other thread in the forum to see if is it possible to update the PM981 firmware 
@daddyxx1
I do observed and measured always poor and unstable performance of a PM981 SSD installed by MSI on a laptop.
I do suspect a bad SSD firmware, but unfortunatly I have some doubt that PM981 firmware is updatable by a user.
Can u help me too about that chossing the right driver for the Samsung PM981 thing, please?
Answering the questions you made:
1. the OS and the OS architecture (32/64bit) you are running: It is Win 10 Home 64 bits
2. the HardwareIDs of the NVMe Controller:
PCI\VEN_144D&DEV_A808&SUBSYS_A801144D&REV_00
PCI\VEN_144D&DEV_A808&SUBSYS_A801144D
PCI\VEN_144D&DEV_A808&CC_010802
PCI\VEN_144D&DEV_A808&CC_0108
@reduck :
Welcome to the Win-RAID Forum!
The choice of the “best” NVMe driver depends on your priorities (stability vs. performance).
My advice: Test it yourself! Maybe a view into the start post of >this< thread will help you.
Regards
Dieter (alias Fenando)
Oh! Ok then. I thought it would be one amongst all the ones included in the file.
I’ll be testing one by one to see which one is the winner.
Also, I would suggest to @daddyxx1 that, if you can and know how to do it, change the BIOS SATA mode from Raid to AHCI (you have to boot in safe mode, boot again, make the BIOS change to AHCI, let it boot again). Then you have to reinstall the controllers drivers. Those would be the NVMe controller one and the AHCI SATA one. Currently, I’m using the Samsung one for the NVMe controller (but you can also use the standard microsoft one - stornvme - until u decide about the modded one) and the standard microsoft one for the AHCI SATA controller (storahci), but you can use the one provided by the vendo (mine would be Intel (R) 300 series Chipset Family SATA AHCI Controller). The important thing is to change from the RAID controller to an AHCI controller (so it corresponds to the BIOS configuration).
I didn’t see any good comments about using RAID-on mode coming from people that tested this and AHCI. Especially if u use SSD plus HDD, nobody sees the point in using RAID instead of AHCI. But do a research and decide for yourself. I hope you can solve the problems with your SSD.
The only thing I couldn’t find out how to do with this Samsung PM981 is a firmware update. Tried some stuff (like using Lenovo’s updater), but no go. If someone in here finds out how to do it, please leave a comment!
And thanks very much to @Fernando for all the help and for providing some updated driver for us with this OEM Samsung thing! You’re my hero!
@daddyxx1 : @reduck :
Just for your information: >Here< is the thread about the options to get the Firmware of the Samsung PM981 SSD updated.
Yeah, yeah! I read that thread too, but it didn’t work for me, unfortunatelly. I changed the lines in the file, like someone explained and all (even cared to change the line that would corrspond to my 256 ssd), but I’ve got a greyed update button. So I am still researching how to do it. Dell could simply release a software for that and simplify life for us.
Just feed back about the correct driver for the Samsung PM981: the one that works for me is the "Dell Express Flash NMVe PM1725 1.6TB PCIe SSD Controller". Other ones I tested made my Start Panel work incorrectly. I hope it helps you people that have the same SSD.
Hello,
I would like to ask what driver to use for Patriot Scorch 256GB nvme drive with Phison® 5008 controller? Thank You.
edit:
So since there is no advice, I helped myself. I measured performance in CrystalDisk Mark and Generic OFA NVMe driver v1.5.0.0 and Standart Nvme driver in Windows have the same results. In addition, after installing the OFA driver, my disk mounts as removable which I do not want. I have tried Intel NVME and it has problems, so I am happy with the standard nvme driver.