So try different branch’s of sata/raid drivers and benchmark them.
EDIT: Read the threads and pay attention if you system is configured as AHCI/RAID because theres 2 branchs of the drivers, classic iRTS or Enterprise RSTe.
Whats on ST is here also, versions are across the 2 places…
Well, I would need to know WHAT drivers to try. Currently I use Station-Drivers & Driver Booster to stay current.
— DS
@DeathStalker
I seriously doubt, that the low SATA performance of your system is caused by the in-use SATA driver.
By the way - which one is your OS Win10 currently using? You can check it from within the Device Manager by expanding the “IDE ATA/ATAPI Controllers”, section, doing a right-click onto the listed SATA Controller(s) and choosing the options “Properties” > “Driver”.
My tips:
Station-Drivers is a web site and offers only the newest available drivers, but the latest AHCI/RAID driver is not automaticly the best for each system.
Hi Fernando!
(Long time no talk! You’ve certainly helped me in the past! 
) I actually do not HAVE the “IDE ATA/ATAPI Controllers” section in Device Manager anymore - the controller info has moved under STORAGE CONTROLLERS:
Intel(R) C600+/C220+ series chipset SATA AHCI Controller v6.2.0.1238
Intel(R) C600+/C220+ series chipset SATA AHCI Controller v6.2.0.1238
Intel(R) VROC Virtual Controller v6.2.0.1234
LSI Adapter, SAS2 2308 Mustang v2.0.79.82
Microsoft Storage Spaces Controller v10.0.19041.3271
I also have the WD SES Device v4.55.25.661 under WD Drive Management Devices
To cover all bases, I have the following under USB Controllers -
ASMedia USB Root Hub v1.16.61.1
ASMedia USB3.1 eXtensible Host Controller v1.16.61.1
Generic SuperSpeed USB Hub v10.0.19041.3208
Intel(R) C610 series/X99 chipset USB Enhanced Host Controller #2 - 8D2D v10.1.1.45
Intel(R) C610 series/X99 chipset USB Enhanced Host Controller #2 - 8D2D v10.1.1.45
USB xHCI Compliant Host Controller (aka Intel(R) USB 3.0 eXtensible Host Controller - 1.0 (Microsoft)) v10.0.19041.3031
*All the USB Hubs have the option checked to allow the computer to turn off this device to save power (as I read elsewhere that was the desired option - power consumption doesn’t really make a difference to me)
I do NOT know what the firmware versions are, nor do I know how to tell what they are (though I would really like to).
Also, I always keep my TEMP files cleared.
I hope all this helps!
I know you had (might still have) the same mobo, so you undoubtedly know more about it than anyone else here
Also, drives are good with respect to fragmentation - I run Raxco.
Thank you!!!
— DS
One thing I DID just notice - Windows Update gives me driver options for just about EVERY chipset item -
EVERYTHING that beings with:
Intel(R) Xeon(R) E7 v4/Xeon(R) E5 v4/Xeon(R) E3 v4/Xeon(R)
There is NO difference in the naming convention, except that the drivers installed by Driver Booster ADD /Core i7 to the name
Driver Booster: Intel(R) Xeon(R) E7 v4/Xeon(R) E5 v4/Xeon(R) E3 v4/Xeon(R) D/Core i7 Power Control Unit - 6F98
Windows Update: Intel(R) Xeon(R) E7 v4/Xeon(R) E5 v4/Xeon(R) E3 v4/Xeon(R) D Power Control Unit - 6F98
WFIW, the driver Version for Driver Booster on that is v10.1.1.36
No way to tell what version it is from Windows Update.
Strange …
— DS
@DeathStalker
Thanks for your detailed reply.
To be able to help you I need more information:
No, I have never used a mainboard with an Intel Rapid Storage “Enterprise Edition” (RSTe) chipset.
Well, it could all be a moot point now. I ended up doing a clean install of Win10 Ent - and interestingly, 1) the ORIGINAL IDE ATA/ATAPI Controllers set is now back, & 2) the initial install did not install ANY of the CHIPSET components - they were all under the Optional Drivers. Downloading & installing them, however, has everything LOOKING good - I have not yet validated all the driver versions.
After a few more things, I will run the POWERSHELL command & get all the driver versions.
— DS
Still working on getting the correct PowerShell command to provide all the Driver & Version info - this is what I have so far, but it is cutting off the fields (especially the Version) - I am told -
“Do another -replace [it generates an initial 4 lines of error as i have a Virtual Drive as Drive B]
Pipe the output through Out-String -Width”
@(Get-WmiObject Win32_SystemDriver |% {
[PSCustomObject]@{
Manufacturer = ‘Microsoft’
Name = $.DisplayName
Driver = ($.PathName -split ‘\’)[-1]
Version = ((Get-Item $_.PathName).VersionInfo.FileVersion -replace '^ ’ -split ’ ')[0]
}
}
Get-WmiObject Win32_PnPSignedDriver | Where-Object { $.FriendlyName -ne $null } |% {
[PSCustomObject]@{
Manufacturer = $(if ($.Manufacturer -notmatch ‘Microsoft|Generic|(’) { $.Manufacturer } else { $.DriverProviderName })
Name = $.FriendlyName
Driver = $.InfName
Version = $_.DriverVersion
}
}) | Sort-Object Manufacturer, Name -Unique | Format-Table -AutoSize
Unfortunately, I am not a coder, so I don’t know how to implement the necessary changes. (For reference, this discussion is over in MyDigitalLife )
— DS
We are not interested to get knowledge about the version of all drivers.
It is enough to find out the manufacturer, version and date of the in-use storage drivers. You can get these information by expanding the “IDE ATA/ATAPI Controllers” and “Storage Controllers” sections of the Device Manager, doing a right-click onto the related Controllers and choosing the options “Properties” > “Driver” > “Driver Details”.
Under IDE ATA/ATAPI Controllers -
Standard SATA AHCI Controller Microsoft v10.0.19041.1889 - 2 entries
Which is interesting, because the mobo has the following-
1 x SATA Express Port (gray, compatible with 2 x SATA 6.0Gb/s ports)
8 x SATA 6.0 Gb/s ports (4 x beige/gray from Controller 1, 4 x black from Controller 2) - Due to chipset behavior, the SATA6G_78, SATA6G_910 ports (black) do not support IRST including RAID
Supports Intel Smart Response Technology, Intel Rapid Recovery Technology (These functions will work depending on the CPU installed.) – I have an Intel Core i7-6850K CPU @ 3.60GHz
I think that may be from a REVISED User Manual, as the original states -
2 x SATA 6gb Ports (brown)
4 x SATA 3gb Ports (black)
2 ASMedia 1061 SATA Controllers 6gb (grey)
As ALL the SATA register as 600, they clearly upgraded the 4 x 3gb (black) ports to 6gb later on.
As I have not installed the current ASMedia drivers (v3.3.5.0000 for the SATA), I am guessing that is why there is no SATA entry for the ASMedia ports (I also still have to update the ASMedia USB drivers to v1.16.61.1).
— DS
(I am also unsure of what the optimum RST & ME drivers are - currently no RST, & ME is v11.7.0.1045) I don’t know whether I should just install the individual component drivers from Station-Drivers, or use Driver Booster. I did install the current RealTek LAN driver and adjusted the default settings, and now my speeds are MUCH better than previously, but that is the only driver I have update (haven’t even done the RealTek Audio yet).
And what about the “Storage Controllers” section?
For STORAGE CONTROLLERS, all I have is -
LSI Adapter, SAS2 2308 Mustang LSI v2.0.79.82 (which is my PCI-SATA Expansion card)
Microsoft Storage Spaces Controller v10.0.19041.3271
Nothing else.
— DS
The LSI device is an adapter, but not a “Storage Controller”.
The real Controller is within the disk drive, which is connected to the adapter. If such disk drive is connected, it should be either an “Intel(R) VROC Virtual Controller” or an “Intel(R) C600 Series Chipset SAS RAID Controller”.
Please post the HardwareIDs of the device, which is listed within the “Storage Controllers” section of the Device Manager. You will get them by doing a right-click onto the device and choosing the options “Properties” > “Details” > “Property” > “HardwareIDs”.
Hi Fernando!
Before I did the clean install, I DID have that Intel VROC Virtual Controller listed separately, but never the Chipset SAS RAID Controller.
Those 2 items (plus ebly’s Virtual CloneDrive) are the ONLY items listed under STORAGE CONTROLLERS currently. The DISKS (HDDs) themselves, are listed separately, under Disk Drives, but it only lists each individual disk (by Mfr/Model), but ALL of the drivers (SATA, USB, & the SATA attached to the LSI card, which are listed as ATA SCSI) are just MS v10.0.19041.1865.
— DS
I am hesitant to even try DriverBooster (even though I’ve used it quite successfully in the past, and it does have very good reviews, before I hear your thoughts on things )
@DeathStalker
You have written about many off-topic details, but haven’t yet answered >these< questions.
If you should not need the LSI adapter, I recommend to remove it from the mainboard. I suspect, that this adapter resp. the attached device(s) have caused your performance problems.
The LSI adapter is 100% ABSOLUTELY needed - it connects 7 additional internal SATA II HDDs - it has never caused a single issue since I have had it.
CONTROLLERS - BOTH are labeled EXACTLY the same, with the same HARDWARE ID
PCI\VEN_8086&DEV_8D02&SUBSYS_86001043&REV_05
-Standard SATA AHCI Controller
ASUS BW-16D1HT (BD-RW Drive)
TOSHIBA HDWF180
-Standard SATA AHCI Controller
SAMSUNG EVO870 SSD
TOSHIBA HDWE150 x 2
TOSHIBA HDWN180 x 1
TOSHIBA MD05ACA800
WD181KFGX-68AFPN0
Which disk drive contains the OS (drive C:) and the boot sector (usually hidden drive)? Samsung EVO 870 SSD
When (at which situation) have the Intel SATA AHCI Controllers been moved within the Device Manager from the “IDE ATA/ATAPI Controllers” into the “Storage Controllers” section? They are NOT (now that I have done a clean install of Win10 x64 Enterprise 22H2 19045.3393 Exp Pack v1000.19044.1000.0
Which is the purpose of the “LSI Adapter, SAS2 2308 Mustang v2.0.79.82” and which device(s) are connected to it? As stated above, it is an internal SATA III Expansion card -
ATA TOSHIBA HDWE150 SCSI Disk Drive x 1
ATA TOSHIBA HDWN180 SCSI Disk Drive x 2
ATA TOSHIBA MD04ACA5 SCSI Disk Drive x 2
ATA TOSHIBA MD05ACA8 SCSI Disk Drive x 1
ATA WDC WD181KFGX-68 SCSI Disk Drive x 1
If you never had any issue with your system, why did you start this thread?
Why is the LSI SAS adapter absolutely needed for you (having an old X99 chipset system)?
Why did you buy a SAS adapter card and connect just SATA HDDs to it? For a real performance gain you need SAS drives. Please have a look into >this< discussion.
The LSI adapter is the LSI00301 SAS 9207 adapter, it is a SAS AND SATA III adapter ( Amazon.com: LSI Logic Controller Card LSI00301 SAS 9207-8i 8Port Internal SAS/SATA 6Gb/s PCI Express Single Retail : Electronics )- I need it for the additional HHDs, not sure what is so incomprehensible about that.
I asked a couple of specific questions with respect to what drivers are BEST suited for the system, given the stated hardware, and I provided specific answers to ALL of your questions. CLEARLY I am not going to change out the SATA III HDDs AND the LSI Controller for SAS items, I don’t even understand why that would be brought up.
You asked “what about the “Storage Controllers” section?” - and I responded with what is there.
The system is clearly configured as ACHI, but it is NOT clear what the BEST drivers (and MEI) are to use. It LOOKS like I should potentially use the Intel RSTe drivers v6.3.0.1022 drivers, but i am not positive - since the v6 are titled Intel VROC NVMe RAID driver v6.3.0.1022 WHQL, while the v5 are titled Intel RSTe AHCI & RAID drivers v5.5.4.1036 WHQL.
I read through the ME Analyzer thread & the GitHub site, and I still don’t have a clue as to how to use it - all I know is that CURRENTLY, the MEI is v11.7.0.1045.
— DS
I apologize for the “intrusion”, but i’ve been following this thread and the reports posted by the thread owner, … a bit confused/repeated, but thats only my opinion, so besides the more experienced on this subject, our GURU Fernando, i would like to share my contribution.
First of all, the tool ME Analyzer is not related to any operations on the Intel ME OS driver.
This tool is for analysing/identify the Intel ME Firmware image on the current SPI/Bios of a system. You should read it again… and later on you can even update your system.
Current Asus bios file comes with the 9.1.37.1002.
Now back to the main issue, lets ignore here the LSI as it uses its own drivers and not related to the mainboard/chipset controllers (But it uses her BUS…), you can even disable/unplug the card for later on individual tests/benchmarks for a more dedicated/clean analysis of the standalone mainboard controllers performance.
Motherboard chipset reported VEN_8086&DEV_8D02:
Intel (R) 9 Series Chipset Family SATA AHCI
aka
Intel(R) C600+/C220+ series chipset SATA AHCI
aka
C610/X99 series chipset 6-Port SATA Controller AHCI
As the system has only an SSD and AHCI sata disks, no raid disks/arrays reported and configured in bios as standard AHCI, then we can exclude the use of the Intel RSTe driver set, as we see here offered by Fernando
But before this final set of drivers (AHCI mode), there’s a situation that it needs attention
Upon a fresh system install, these controllers appears as standard MS names “Standard SATA AHCI Controller” as you noticed already, but as we do want a performance and updated system, the 1rst thing to do is always the installation of the Intel(R) Chipset Device Software
After performing this operation and rebooting the system, the name of the controllers will change their name according the Intel INF controllers ID related drivers.
All this of course is just the same HW ID controller DEV_8D02, this is the IDs that usually we need from users to help them.
As you may noticed in the Asus product support, it was offered the v13 and being the latest package the v14.
Well that’s exactly what we see in Asus latest bios file and if the current system bios is untouched an is set as AHCI mode, its what you have now…
So i do suggest to take your decisions in driver select/testing, following the linked drivers from Fernando regarding v13/v14 (Intel 8-9/X79/X99), reading his described driver notes and performing tests/benchmarks, without/with the LSI controller card and take your conclusions.
Its also there but ill remind it again… the Intel controller OROM has no influence in a system as AHCI, only as RAID and thats not the case here, so its excluded.
Again sorry for the intrusion to both and good luck.
Hello @MeatWar !
Thank you for the nice, very clear explanation on things I have downloaded the Series 6+ chipset file Latest Intel Chipset Device INF files v10.1 Series WHQL comp 08-18-2023 and will install that, and then the non-RSTe drivers - and of course, the current ASMedia SATA & USB drivers.
What about the MEI - should I update that as well?
Thanks much!
— DS