Which Intel RAID driver for X79 Chipset running Win10?

Hi,
I am going to be upgrading from Windows 7 to Windows 10 when the next major updates hits, I have two 840 Evos in Raid 0 on a P9X79 Pro.
It seems I used v12.9.4.1000 drivers, according device manager and my old thread P9X79 Pro RAID0: RST or RSTe?
So should I still use those drivers, or won’t they work with Windows 10. Also are there any newer drivers \ bios mods that would be better?

EDIT by Fernando: Thread title specified (to avoid misunderstandings)

They will work with Win10 fine as well.

The newer Intel RST RAID drivers are worse for old Intel chipsets like yours.
Tip: Before you are going to upgrade to Win10, I recommend to uninstall the Intel RST Software from within the Control Panel. Once Win10 is up and running, you can reinstall the RST Software.

Hi, thanks for the reply.

I looked at the driver thread and it said that v11.2.0.1006 is the best version for X79, has something changed in the past two years? Also I am going to do a clean install of Windows.

Yes, the Intel RST driver v11.2.0.1006 is the best performing RAID driver, but it is not easy to get it properly installed with Win10. You have to remove the in-box Intel RAID driver from the boot.wim and install.wim of the Win10 image and to integrate the desired Intel RST RAID driver instead according >this< thread. Otherwise you will get a BSOD.

Ok, so v11.2.0.1006 is better than v12.9.4.1000 but since it is harder to get working v11.2.0.1006 was suggested to me 2 years ago? Also, if I choose to use v11.2.0.1006 would I need to re-mod my bios to v11? And is it really worth the effort?

Yes, 2 years ago Win10 has not been available and it is the new Win10 in-box Intel RAID driver, which causes the problems.

It depends on your personal willingness to spend some additional time just for the satisfaction to have gotten the best possible RAID0 performance.

Is this correct?

I changed the drivers to 11.2.0.1006 in the image on both the main WIM and the setup WIM after converting the main image to a WIN, the image is now around 500mb larger. Also stupid question, but there is there only one version of 11.2.0.1006 that works for all chipsets?

For the bios I have flashed to 11.2.0.1527, although not sure what EFI IRST RAID for SATA is, does it matter?

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OROM IRST RAID for SATA - 11.2.0.1527
OROM IRSTe RAID for SATA - 3.8.0.1029
EFI IRST RAID for SATA - 12.7.0.1936
 

You probably mean, that you have integrated the Intel RST driver v11.2.0.1006 into the INSTALL.WIM and into the BOOT.WIM of the Win10 image, but why and how did you convert the main image to a “WIN”?
The image size difference is caused by the customization and is always much greater than just the size of the files, which have been integrated.

All Intel RST RAID drivers are working with all Intel chipsets from ICH8R up, because they all do support the external DeviceID of the related Intel SATA RAID Controllers, which is DEV_2822.

The “EFI IRST RAID for SATA” means the EFI BIOS module (named “SataDriver” or “RaidDriver”), which will be used by Intel RAID systems, if the OS is running in “clean” UEFI mode (CSM disabled) or with enabled “Compatibility Support Module” (CSM) and prefered “UEFI” mode of the “Storage OpROM Policy” setting.
So if you want to make sure, that the “LEGACY mode” Intel RAID ROM v11.2.0.1527 will be loaded while booting (instead of the EFI RAID module), you have to use the BIOS settings, which prefers the “LEGACY mode” Option ROM for storage devices.

You probably mean, that you have integrated the Intel RST driver v11.2.0.1006 into the INSTALL.WIM and into the BOOT.WIM of the Win10 image, but why and how did you convert the main image to a “WIN”?


I didn’t integrate the drivers into install.win, just the main Windows 10 image and setup.wim, as I followed the guide. I had to convert it to wim as NTLite had to in order for it to be opened, I just double clicked Windows 10 Pro and it gave me the option to convert.

EDIT by Fernando: Unneeded parts of the fully quoted text removed (to save space)

It is not easy to understand what you mean.
What exactly have you done according which resp. whose guide?

It is not easy to understand what you mean.
What exactly have you done according which resp. whose guide?


Sorry I did integrate install.win, got mixed up with the other .wim above setup.win. And I followed this guide, [Guide] Integration of drivers into a Win7/8/10 image.

The correct names of the Win10 image files are install.wim (main image) and boot.wim (image just for the Win10 Setup). Maybe the NTLite GUI shows them with another name.

EDIT: To avoid misunderstandings by the visitors of this Forum I have customized resp. specified the thread title.

The “EFI IRST RAID for SATA” means the EFI BIOS module (named “SataDriver” or “RaidDriver”), which will be used by Intel RAID systems, if the OS is running in “clean” UEFI mode (CSM disabled) or with enabled “Compatibility Support Module” (CSM) and prefered “UEFI” mode of the “Storage OpROM Policy” setting.
So if you want to make sure, that the “LEGACY mode” Intel RAID ROM v11.2.0.1527 will be loaded while booting (instead of the EFI RAID module), you have to use the BIOS settings, which prefers the “LEGACY mode” Option ROM for storage devices.


I couldn’t find an option to set it to legacy mode in the bios.

EDIT by Fernando: Unneeded parts of the fully quoted text removed (to save space)

For old Intel chipset like yours the “LEGACY” mode OptionROM loading is the default procedure.
You can find out the required BIOS settings by hitting CTRL+I while rebooting (pre-condition: the Intel SATA Controller has to be set to “RAID”). If you get access to the DOS based “Intel RAID Utility”, your currently used BIOS settings are ok and the desired Intel RAID ROM v11.2.1006 will be loaded at each bootup.

For old Intel chipset like yours the “LEGACY” mode OptionROM loading is the default procedure.
You can find out the required BIOS settings by hitting CTRL+I while rebooting (pre-condition: the Intel SATA Controller has to be set to “RAID”). If you get access to the DOS based “Intel RAID Utility”, your currently used BIOS settings are ok and the desired Intel RAID ROM v11.2.1006 will be loaded at each bootup.


I flashed the bios to the one I created, however when I try and boot it gives me a compatibility message telling me to adjust my CSM setting. I played around with it but nothing changes.

I tried a few other things, I can’t get it to boot in RAID mode, It just comes up with the boot device is not fully supported change your settings message, which seems to be UEFI since I have a cursor. I’ve tried legacy doesn’t do anything, disabling it just causes it to be automatically re-enabled.

Is the OS with the customized Win10 image already installed? If yes, have you installed the OS in UEFI mode (working with the “Guimode Partition Table”) or in LEGACY mode (using the old Master Boot Record)?
Can you get access to the Intel RAID Utility at all (maybe from within the BIOS)?

No I haven’t installed anything, the two drives just have my old RAID array with Windows 7 on it, I can’t access any utility. Another thing, when I set it to RAID more all SATA drives are not able to be booted from, it’s like I need to set up which is in RAID and which isn’t but it isn’t letting me do so.

Please remember: After having flashed a new BIOS (no matter if original or modded) onto an Intel RAID system you have
1. to enter the BIOS and choose the option “Set all settings to DEFAULT”,
2. to set the SATA Controller to “RAID” mode,
3. to save the BIOS setting changes,
4. to turn off completely your computer for ca. 1-2 minutes,
5. to restart your computer and to enter the BIOS again,
6. to do the other previously used special settings and finally
7. to save the latest BIOS changes again.
After having done all that, you should try hitting CTRL+I while booting.
If you cannot get access to the LEGACY mode Intel RAID Utility this way, enter the BIOS and search for the “Intel(R) Rapid Storage Technology” option (it may be within the “Advanced” > “Storage Configuration” section.

I set everything back to default, set it to IRST RAID, saved and rebooted. I just get the “The Bois settings do not fully support the boot device” and that I must change my CSM setting. I turned the system off for a few minutes and same message, I changed the CSM settings all the legacy, same message. I set it to RSTe mode, then I can get into the RAID utility, I set all drives to non-raid and then reboot and set it back to RST, same message. There is also no section to enter the utility, just the Intel(R) Rapid Storage Technology (or something like that) setting to change form RST to RSTe.