Wanted: TRIM in RAID0 for Gigabyte GA-X58A-UD7 Rev. 1

Fernando · March 14, 2015, 4:59pm

No, not really.

This behaviour is normal. The 4K scores of a RAID0 array don’t differ much from those of a single drive.

felix · May 25, 2015, 6:31pm

Bittornado:

@lordkag :
That lookes really good! I would like to give that a try if you don’t mind
Will report how it goes and if every goes smoothly I’ll put up some scores here to compare to the other ROM version from Gigabyte Tweaktown as well

@Fernando:
I did try the Performance option m8, but still the same crappy 4K Read speed. The rest looks fairly good. Very strange that an isolated 4K Read score shows up pretty bad when other parameters looks fairly good…do you happen to have any other ideas as to why that might be?
Also, I tried only one of the SSDs without RAID. Although the other parameters subsequently and rationally became lower, the 4K Read score basically was essentially the same (only marginally lower) with one SSD non-RAID as in with 2 SSDs in RAID-0. I have submitted a picture.

Bittornado, your case resembles with ones of low CPU Usage.

Can you check if Intel C-States and C1E or other CPU-powersaving features are disabled in BIOS ?

If not, please run AS-SSD with all of them disabled and post the result.

Bittornado · May 11, 2019, 11:37am

@lordkag :

Hello old friend
Long time no see!

Well I still have that old Gigabyte board (GA-X58A-UD7) in use.
Unfortunately lost my old modded BIOSes…

I was wondering, except for the Marvell FW which from what I understood was not properly updated in this BIOS mod which you kindly worked on, does everything else work as it should?

Despite the non updated Marvell FW, is this modded BIOS itself ready to be put in use and I can update my BIOS without any risks for a brick?

BTW, hi Fernando, nice to be back here again

EDIT by Fernando: Unneeded fully quoted post replaced by directly addressing (to save space)

Thank you Fernando for editing my post, you’re absolutely correct. There was no need for the extra quoted text. Sorry m8

Bittornado · May 11, 2019, 3:50pm

@Fernando ,

My friend, would it be possible for me to ask you for a favor?

Could you be so kind to just take a look at this BIOS file and please let me know whether the TRIM for RAID0 procedure in the Intel RST(e) module in this file, is made with CPL0’s old method, which gave some negative issues with the Marvell ports, or it’s made with his new method and safe to use?

And also, do you happen to know if lordkag’s BIOS mod in his post above is safe and working as it is right now, to be tested on a live machine?

Oh, and one last question if I may…
My conclusion from your recommendations from different guidelines given at your site is that, for my X58 Chipset/ICH10R/RAID system, I should:

1. Use Intel RST(e) v11.7.4.1001 as my AHCI driver, see here:
Which are the “best” Intel AHCI/RAID drivers?

2. Use either Intel RST v11.2.0.1006 or Intel RST(e) v11.7.4.1001 as my matching RAID driver, see here:
Which are the “best” Intel AHCI/RAID drivers?

3. You recommend that for older systems, it’s best to pick Intel RST RAID ROM v11.2.0.1527 version, which is a matching RAID ROM for the Intel RST v11.2.0.1006 driver. See here:
AHCI & RAID ROM Modules

But if I want to go with Intel RST(e) v11.7.4.1001 as my RAID driver, then would you recommend Intel RST RAID ROM v11.6.0.1702 (I will be using the “Universally TRIM modified” Intel RST(e) RAID ROM v11.6.0.1702 with TRIM in RAID0 support variant) as the best matching RAID ROM version for the Intel RST(e) v11.7.4.1001 RAID driver?

Intel X58 chipset systems received a EFI compatibility update which is already in the latest BIOS version, it is not however a full UEFI BIOS interface, but it offers some EFI functions, for instance setting up your boot devices with GPT-EFI instead of MBR-BIOS and being able to use +3TB HDD/SSD. So if possible I would like to be able to use RST(e) instead of RST for my RAID ROM, IF that would be difference between the EFI and non-EFI functionality in BIOS.

Again thank you so much in advance m8

x58aud7-mod-F9D.rar (1.13 MB)

Fernando · May 11, 2019, 5:31pm

@Bittornado :
Since I am making holidays, I am neither willing nor do I have the required time
a) to find out a suitable BIOS modding tool (I don’t know the architecture of the BIOS),
b) to extract the Intel RAID ROM module,
c) to open it by using an Hex Editor and
d) searching for the related bytes, which may have been altered by anyone, and compare them with the origiunal ones.

From whome did you get the modded BIOS resp. the TRIM in RAID modded Intel RAID ROM?
You should ask that person or - even better - do the BIOS modification your own.
You can find the related guides and the desired TRIM in RAID0 modded Intel RAID ROM modules within this Forum.
The choice of the Intel RAID ROM version for your X58 chipset system depends on the structure of your specific mainboard BIOS. The best option would be the RST v11.2.0.1527, but due to its much bigger size than the older ones it may not be usable for you (>100KB sized RAID ROM modules need a newer bootloader).

Bittornado · May 11, 2019, 5:38pm

Thanks Fernando.

I got the BIOS file from here (you have to be registered in order to download):
https://www.jzelectronic.de/jz2/index.ph…D0mYWN0PTIwMzYx

Okay, I’ll try to investigate that to the level my skills allow me.

Just one quick remark to your previous answer:
When you say “The best option would be the RST v11.2.0.1527”, wouldn’t that mean that I will lose the EFI functions with that RAID ROM since that version is only a RST and not a RST(e) driver module?

Enjoy your holidays.

Fernando · May 11, 2019, 5:49pm

@Bittornado :
Which EFI functions are you afraid to lose with your old Intel X58 chipset system and what lets you think, that you will get them by using an Intel RST(e) RAID ROM module?
I have never heard about such difference. The difference between a classical RST driver and an Intel RST(e) one is, that the latter needs an additional SCSI Filter driver named iaStorF.sys.

Bittornado · May 11, 2019, 6:25pm

@Fernando :

Yes I apologize…I expressed myself poorly.

What I meant to ask was, what does the absence of that additional SCSI filter driver named iaStorF.sys, mean for a system using the Intel RST v11.2.0.1527?

I understand that the "TRIM in RAID0" function is still supported, but what are the consequences of the lack of presence of an actual Intel RAID ROM or EFI "RaidDriver" within the BIOS, using Intel RST v11.2.0.1527 when running a RAID configuration system? I even tried to google up this topic, but I can not fully understand what the benefits of having RST(e) vs RST are…

Fernando · May 11, 2019, 8:38pm

The Intel RAID users benefit from the absence of the additional SCSI Filter driver.
Proof: The Intel RST driver v11.2.0.1006 in combination with the Intel RST RAID ROM v11.2.0.1527 is by far the best for users with an old Intel chipset. If you want to see the related benchmark results, please look >here<.

The only disadvantage of the usage of a conventional Intel RST RAID driver (latest: v11.2.0.1006) is, that a "Legacy Mode" Intel RST RAID ROM module has to be used (there are no Intel RST EFI RAID BIOS modules available), but this doesn’t really matter for old systems.

Bittornado · May 11, 2019, 9:06pm

@Fernando :

Tremendous many thanks for your reply. That explained everything I needed to know
Thank you!