Hello there, I have just registered to this beautiful forum to share my issue and maybe get a solution.
Let’s start with my config:
Cpu: C2D E8500
Mb: Asus p5q-e (p45 and ich10r)
Bios: P5Q Series 5th Anniversary FINAL mBIOSes (intel O-ROM has been downgraded from 11.2 to 10.1)
I’m using a raid 1 array with 2 Seagate 2tb hard drives (for storage purpose) and a WD Velociraptor 256gb with Windows 7 and some apps.
I decided to mount a Crucial mx100 512gb and upgrade to windows 10.
On windows 7 I’m using RST 13.6.0.1002 and everything is ok. But I read in the forum that I the best drivers are the v11.2.0.1006 WHQL, am I right? Can I safely do a downgrade?
On Windows 10 as far I download the latest driver 14.6.0.1029, I get my system stuck after the restart, the system just don’t load, everything works fine with 14.0.0.1143 version (both downloaded from intel website).
Should I update AHCI/RAID ROM modules?
How can I achieve the best performance for my ssd (and use the trim feature) and be sure to don’t have any problem with my raid 1 array?
Thank you in advance.
@ Nemo1985:
Welcome at Win-RAID Forum!
I do not recommend to “downgrade” from an Intel RST(e) driver v11.5.x.xxxx or higher (having an additional SCSI filter driver) to a conventional RST driver like the v11.2.0.1006 one. The only way to get the “best” Intel RAID driver safely installed and proper working is
1. to remove the generic in-box Intel RAID driver from the OS image and
2. to do a fresh OS installation either by having integrated the desired Intel RAID driver into the OS image or by loading it at the beginning of the OS installation.
All Intel RST(e) drivers from the v13 and v14 line have been designed by Intel for the newest Intel Chipsets from 8-Series up and not for old Intel Chipsets like yours.
The latest Intel RST driver, which natively fully supports your Intel ICH10R Southbridge, is the v11.7.4.1001 one.
I suspect, that you will not be able to get any newer Intel ROM module working with your system.
This question is not easy to be answered, because your special system has a lot of limitations (no fully support by the latest Intel RAID drivers, >100 KB sized Intel RAID ROM modules cannot be loaded ec.).
If I were you, I would try the Intel RST(e) drivers v11.7.4.1001.
Regards
Dieter (alias Fernando)
Thanks for the quick and complete answer.
I won’t install windows 7 again. So I will be using the RST v13.6.0.1002.
For windows 10 I can start again, if you advice me to use the v11.2.0.1006 or v11.7.4.1001, what is your advice?
Talking about the AHCI/RAID ROM modules, the developer of the modified version that i’m using has choose to downgrade the intel O-ROM from 11.2 to 10.1 for maximum compatibility.
I used “MMTOOL v3.22_1B_21Fix-BKMOD” and replaced the current version with “Intel-RST_RAID-ROM_v11.2.0.1527_TRIM-mod-acc-CPL0” but the system was unable to boot because during the raid bios screen it showed broken characters, like if it was corrupted. I have been able to restore my system only when I disconnected every sata device and I have been able to flash the working bios again (that could be useful if someone do the same mistake I did).
Now I have 2 ways to update the ahci\raid module: use the >Intel RST RAID ROM v11.2.0.1527< classical version of the rom instead of >“Universally TRIM modified” which didn’t work, or I can take the unmodified bios and extract the rom, then put it on the modified version.
What is your advice?
Thank you again for your support.
Edit: Well I was wrong, the last official bios for the mb uses the v8.0.0.1038 rom version. I’m going to investigate how the user who developed the modified bios was able to make it work with 11.2 version.
The main question is, whether she/he got it working with a RAID system.
I am pretty sure, that there were some AHCI users, who reported, that they successfully updated the Intel RAID ROM of their BIOS to any version higher than v10.1.0.1008, but never tested it with a RAID system.
If I were you, I would reinstall Win10 by using the Inte RST driver v11.2.0.1006 WHQL.
The best way to get the Intel RST driver v11.2.0.1006 properly working is to remove the Win10 in-box Intel RST(e) RAID driver v13.2.0.1022 from the Win10 image and to integrate the Intel RST RAID driver v11.2.0.1006 WHQL according >this< guide.
This verifies, that the system has problems to load a nearly 120 KB sized Intel RAID ROM module while booting. So you should insert the TRIM in RAID0 modded Intel RST RAID ROM v10.1.0.1008 instead.
Both of them will not work. The TRIM in RAID0 modification affects just 1 byte and has nothing to do with your issue.
Thank you, I will do it tomorrow.
It would be usefull even if I don’t use a raid 0 array?
You were right… I tried to flash the beta modified bios with the v11.2.0.1527 rom version. I had the same issue. I suppose there is no chance to make it work. Even if I would remove something like the logo, right?
I’m still more of a fan for 11.7.4.1001 because they have support for the MSI mode which is faster in theory. Google for message-signaled interrupts.
They don’t share an IRQ with other components, frees them up basically.
Yes, according to lordkag it is not a lack of space within the BIOS, which is responsable for this issue, but a BIOS internal problem to get any >100 KB sized Intel RAID ROM module loaded while starting the computer.
Hello Fernando, unlucky it seems I have a new problem.
One of my 2 hard drives in raid 1 is dead, it was out of warranty so I bought 2 new hard drives (TOSHIBA DT01ACA300), with the o-rom version v10.1.0.1008 the raid screen wasn’t show the 2 new hard drives, so I had to get back to the original one (which is v8 if i’m right), unlucky a new issue has appeared the hard drives are detected as 7xx gb instead of their capacity, while intel RST on windows detect their right dimension:
What can I do?
Thank you in advance.
It is hard to believe that.
What did the Intel RAID Utility v10.1.0.1008 show instead?
I recommend to reflash the BIOS, which contained the Intel RST RAID ROM v10.1.0.1008 and post a picture of the Intel RAID Utility resp. Intel RST RAID Console regarding the RAID configuration.
I’ve downloaded the Intel-RST_RAID-ROM_v10.1.0.1008 fom here and flashed the rom with the new o-rom
Here is the result:
Bios
Original o-rom
v10
Same issue as before, the hard drives aren’t detected just on o-rom, I suppose the newer version isn’t fully compatible with my p5q-e…
@Nemo1985 :
Thanks for the pictures. The Intel RST RAID ROM is obviously unable to add the 2 Toshiba HDDs to the existing, but degraded RAID1 array.
Questions:
1. What does the Intel RST RAID Console show regarding the available Disk Drives?
2. What happens, when you unplug the Seagate HDD, start the computer and hit CTRL+I?
You are right, I didn’t want to add the toshiba to the existing raid1 array but create a new with the 2 toshiba hard drives, transfer the files from the degraded and then delete the old array…
1. The raid console can’t see the 3tb hard disks, in fact if I try to create a new array it says there are no suitable hard disks.
2. it’s something I didn’t try, because i’m worried to lose the raid1 setting and then the data on the seagate. Is it something I can do safely? I don’t know where the raid information is stored somewhere on hd mbr?
As a side note, I’m considering to change the whole pc (buy a Asrock Z170 Extreme4, i5 6600 and 16gb ram.) in this case, what will happen to the degraded raid1 array? Will the new mb somehow recognize it?
Thank you for your support.
@Nemo1985 :
As far as I interpret your posted screenshots, the old MSM RAID ROM believes by mistake, that it would be able to add the Toshiba HDDs to the RAID0 array, but wouldn’t be able to do it, because it cannot manage >2 TB sized RAID volumes, whereas the RST RAID Utility didn’t even show the Toshiba HDDs as potential RAID1 members, because it knew, that it wouldn’t be able to manage it.
Yes. The RAID1 informations (partition table etc.) will not be destroyed, if you temporarily will unplug the still existing RAID1 member, start the computer and hit CTRL+I while booting.
Yes, it will.
I’ve tried to unplug the seagate and plug the toshiba hard drives, After the first post screen the intel o-rom does not appear, it starts to load the OS it never happened with the original o-rom, I really believe my mb is not fully compatible with v10 or just an hardware limit.
Do you know if the newer Intel Rapid Storage Technology have a console from windows? Maybe I can create the array using the windows program…
I don’t think, that the RST RAID ROM v10 series is worse for your system than the MSM RAID ROM v8 series.
Questions:
On which HDD is your MBR?
Have you tried to hit CTRL+I while booting?
Which sort of “Windows Program” do you mean?
Do have installed any Intel RST Software? If yes, which version?
The mbr is on the WD hard drive (the raid 1 is used as storage), I didn’t try to press CTRL+I, I tried to boot 3 times but after the first post phase the system start to load the OS, it never happened before (if I remember right) that the o-rom didn’t show up during the post, it probably believes by mistake that there is no other hard drive than the WD (the segeate is disconnected and the toshiba don’t show in the o-rom as we both know)
I mean this guide shows up it is possible to create an array from windows with IMSM, but it seems very old. I’m using Intel rst v13.6.0.1002 with windows 7 64.
The installation of an Intel RST(e) Drivers & Software Set v13.6.0.1002 was a big mistake, because none of the v13 series IRST drivers and Console versions do support your old Intel Southbridge.
These new driverpacks are installable with old Intel Chipset systems, but do not fully work.
I know, you have told me last time that it’s a bad idea to downgrade to Intel RST v11.2.0.1006 (which are the best for my old mb), so I had to keep using them…
Is it only the IRST Software v13 or the driver as well?