Hey Fernando and All Win-Raid Members,
I apologise if this question isnt strictly regarding Windows 10 OS. I have a MSI GT72S 6QF laptop that runs Chipset Intel® CM236. I have the following hardware installed:
1 x Sata 1TB 2.5" HDD
2 x Samsung 860 EVO M.2 SATA III 500GB (RAID0)
2 x Toshiba THNSN5256GPU7 SSM2TXG3-256 M.2 2280 NVMe SSDs PCIe Gen3 (RAID0)
The above M.2 cards sit on a 4 port interface card so 2 ports manage the Toshiba PCIe NVMe and the other 2 the Samsung Samsung 860 EVO SATAIII. The option for Raid is configured in the BIOS. Now I have recently started to look into dual booting Windows 10 and Ferdora Linux - but Linux cannot see the Toshiba NVMe. I will explain…
1. If I set the bios to ACHI. Windows and Linux sees all the devices as single individual devices. The bios option for “Intel(R) Rapid Storage Technology” disappears. Yes I could use this… but I would much rather have RAID0 configured.
2. if I set the bios to RAID. The bios option for “Intel(R) Rapid Storage Technology” appears and allow me to create 2 RAID0 arrays. 1 for the 2 x Toshiba NVM2 PCIe M.2 and 1 for the 2 x Samsung 860’s SATAIII M.2.
So option 2 is preferred but the issue is that Windows sees both RAID arrays. I am trying to dual boot on the Toshiba NVMe’s and Linux only sees the Samsung 860 RAID0 array. The Toshiba PCIe NVMe cannot be seen. So I assume BIOS intel rst raid module is getting picked up for the M.2 Samsung SataIII via Linux but not the NVMe - which leads me to think it could be a NVMe module thats the problem?
I am wondering if anybody out there has been able to overcome this issue. I am wondering if its a limitation of the MSI bios (locked) or the Intel Driver/OPROM? UEFI? NVMe?. Can tweaking the BIOS with an updated module (Intel OPROM EFI… or NvmExpressDxe_4.ffs etc) resolve this issue?
The intel white paper seems to indicate that Linux should be able to support RAID:
https://www.intel.com/content/dam/www/pu…linux-paper.pdf
It maybe that its just not possible Or the Toshiba NVMe’s are too old? Or Fedora Linux just cannot handle NVM via intel RST. I have spent a week or so looking into this and reading various forums including this one over and over 
There is soooo much info out there.
I have even tried looking at the MSI bios:
https://www.msi.com/Laptop/support/GT72S…html#down-bios
But not 100% sure. For example there is no CSMCORE in the BIOS. I have a Csmdxe which matches the same GUID that Fernando has mentioned in one of the main forum pages.
MMTool shows:
|084|CsmDxe |A062CF1F-8473-4AA3-8793-600BC4FFE9A8|001915E6|00F2EE|DRVR|
I’ll attach some results from the MMtool if it helps. If anybody has any ideas or known solutions please let me know.
Thanks and Kind Regards,
Kingkenny
P.S. Added Bios Screen shots for reference and Linux Boot from install USB.
EDIT by Fernando: Thread title shortened (was too long and too specific)
MSI Bios.txt (35.6 KB)
Bios.screen.shots.zip (3.34 MB)
Hi All,
Has Anybody been able to modify a MSI laptop bios?
I am curious to try and update/replace the current Intel and NVMe modules with the Intel RST(e) EFI "RaidDriver" modules v14.6 series / NvmExpressDxe_4.ffs from this site but once modified and renamed back to its original name "E1783IMS.121" I am unable to flash it. I get the msg - File Wrong Image Format 11. Not sure if there is some built in checksum going on?
Has anybody been able to get around this or know what the issue could be?
Kind Regards,
Kingkenny
@kingkenny - I can modify MSI BIOS, unlock or insert NVME Module etc, but I am not 100% sure what your solution needs to be here. Regarding your mod BIOS flash attempt, are you sure the mod was done 100% correctly?
Most of the time that would be the proper way to try and flash, that you mentioned, and that is not the usual error that would be presented if it wasn’t going to flash due to security issue or mod changed etc, so not sure what’s going on there but sounds like possibly incorrect BIOS mod.
Please attach or upload stock BIOS and your mod BIOS into one zip. And, please tell me exactly what you replaced in the mod so I can check that was done correctly
Hey Lost_N_Bios,
Thanks for the support. I have attached a zip file with detailed instructions of what I did and the BIOS - Clean and Moddied. I couldnt upload it as there appears to be a 6MB limit?
Please take a look at the link for mega that I have created.
https://mega.nz/#!1FVGjaQT!bQj47VZiDv5jy…P7nxy6N6sMeUZW4
Thanks and Kind Regards,
Kingkenny
@kingkenny - Thanks for files. First off, from your document, the main issue I see is that you are messing with/changing a manufacture enabled NVME module.
This is not suggested, if NVME compatibility is already there, then there is nothing to do in regards to NVME modding in the BIOS, you can however change RST versions, and yes UBU can do that or you can do manually with UEFITool provided you do it correctly
I think the stock BIOS NVME compatibility is fine, but the issue lies with Linux and what you’re wanting to do. I have no knowledge about Linux or RAID in Linux etc, so I cannot advise on any of that.
Your comment here confirms this, that with stock BIOS it already is compatible regarding NVME, but there is some “Linux” issue (not a BIOS NVME Issue, although could be RST module related, again unsure since I’m not familiar with Linux)
>> “So option 2 is preferred but the issue is that Windows sees both RAID arrays. I am trying to dual boot on the Toshiba NVMe’s and Linux only sees the Samsung 860 RAID0 array. The Toshiba PCIe NVMe cannot be seen.” <<
Someone with good knowledge of RAID, NVME and RST would be able to answer this for you, probably on one of the Linux related special forums
You’re replacement was done correctly, and that “might” work, or it may break all NVME functionality. It’s certainly not better than what was already there by manufacturer.
After switching you would need to follow all steps in Step #4 of this guide, exactly as written, however that applies to your dual boot setup type >> [Guide] How to get full NVMe support for all Systems with an AMI UEFI BIOS
Since you’re removing manufacturer compatibility and adding NVME Module made for BIOS that are not already NVME compatible by the manufacturer.
As for flashing the mod BIOS, where do you have this BIOS image, on root of USB? If yes, is the USB FAT32 formatted? If yes, does the stock BIOS image flash properly in this same manner?
If yes, please try reloading optimal defaults, reboot back to BIOS and try the mod BIOS flash again.
Also, did you pay attention to the BIOS update notes on their download page?
1.To complete the Processor Microcode update, please follow the SOP below to perform BIOS update twice with UEFI BIOS Utility. << You did this twice already with stock BIOS image?
2.If your system BIOS version is E1783IMS.10A or older version, please must update BIOS to E1783IMS.10D. Then update to version E1783IMS.121 << You did/checked this, confirmed OK to update to current attempted version now?
If you can’t ever get it flashed, I can help you reflash via FPT, but I don’t think a BIOS flash/mod is the answer to your concerns, but I will walk you through it if that is what you want to try and can’t get it otherwise.