Hello, I have just got two 840 evo and I would like to RAID them. I have updated my bios to the latest version. My question is, do I use IRST or RSTe? From what I gather RSTe is the better version but I am not sure if this is true or not, and in addition the RAID menu states a version number of 3.5.0.1005 which dates back to 2012. So, what are the difference between the two versions and do I need to mod my bios?
Also, am I correct in saying that I should use the latest drivers from Intel’s site and not the latest from Asus’s?
@ Dark Light:
Welcome at Win-RAID Forum!
Many users with an Intel X79 chipset RAID0 system reported, that they had a better performance with the RST driver/OROM combination.
The main difference between the RSTe and RST Intel ROM modules is, that the Intel SATA RAID Controller of your mainboard gets a different DeviceID (RSTe: DEV_2826, RST: DEV_2822), when you use the BIOS option and switch between them. You don’t need to update the Intel RAID ROM modules of your mainboard BIOS, but it is recommended to do it, if you want the best possible performance and TRIM in RAID0 support.
Since you are asking me, I answer: Neither of them, because both are not always up-to-date and do not always offer the best Intel RAID drivers. If you want help regarding the driver choice, you may look into the start post of >this< thread. Furthermore you should consider, that the latest drivers are not aways the best for all systems.
If I were you, I would do the following:
- Update the Intel RSTe and RST RAID ROM modules of your mainboard to v3.8.0.1029 (RSTe) and v12.9.0.2006 (RST) by using the UBU tool (look >here<) and flash it into the BIOS chip of your mainboard.
- Decide, which Intel RAID ROM module (RSTe or RST) you want to be used, set the Intel SATA ports to "RAID" and create the RAID0 array after having hit CTRL+I.
- Install the OS onto a partition of your RAID0 array.
Regards
Fernando
Not really sure if it is a good idea to mod the BIOS, presuming that I can get TRIM working without having to mod the BIOS, would it be worth the risk and effort. So, would the RST and\or RSTe that I have give me TRIM and if so how much performance benefit would I gain from modding?
Version are:
IRST - 12.7.0.1936
RSTe - 3.5.0.1005
When you are going to update just the Intel RSTe and RST RAID ROM modules, both the risk and the effort are minimal.
- Your stock Intel RSTe RAID ROM v3.5.0.1005 doesn’t support the TRIM in RAID0 feature (contrary to the newer v3.8.0.1009 ROM module).
2. RAID0 users get the best results, when the installed Intel RAID driver matches the Intel RAID ROM of the BIOS. That means, that both should be from the same development branch (examples: RST RAID driver v12.9.4.1000 matches RST RAID ROM v12.9.0.2006, RSTe RAID driver v3.8.1.1006 matches RSTe ROM v3.8.0.1029).
Consequence: If you do not update the OROM modules, you will not get the full benefit of the newest RAID drivers.
So just to clarify, the only way to get TRIM is to mod the BIOS, so I just need to download and run that program and it will contain and update the .cap to the latest version (so I don’t need to download the actual ROM)?
Also, are those the latest ROMs for the BIOS. Another thing that comes to mind is my warranty, would modding the BIOS void the warranty? And Finally what is a CPU Microcode, do I need to change that?
Yes, you don’t have to download the OROM modules. The UBU tool will insert them. You need just to choose the versions you want.
No, there are newer OROM modules available, but they are designed for the newest and upcoming Intel 9-Series chipsets and not optimized for your Intel 6-Series chipset (X79 belongs to the C600 Series).
No!
No, you do not need to do that. The update of the CPU Microcode is the risky part of the UBU tool’s work and not really recommended for BIOS modding newbees.
Yes, you don’t have to download the OROM modules. The UBU tool will insert them. You need just to choose the versions you want.
No, there are newer OROM modules available, but they are designed for the newest and upcoming Intel 9-Series chipsets and not optimized for your Intel 6-Series chipset (X79 belongs to the C600 Series).
No!
No, you do not need to do that. The update of the CPU Microcode is the risky part of the UBU tool’s work and not really recommended for BIOS modding newbees.
So what about voiding the warranty and I am right in saying that regardless of what I do to the bios, I can always flash it back?
I have run through the process, is this correct?
Download UBU_v170
Create C:\UBU
Copy latest.cap
Run UBU.bat as admin
then
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Directory of C:\UBU
27/07/2014 23:57 <DIR> .
27/07/2014 23:57 <DIR> ..
19/06/2013 14:26 656,896 BRenamer.exe
17/07/2014 06:45 92,672 drvver.exe
23/06/2014 21:45 88,064 findver.exe
19/06/2013 14:26 58,368 hexfind.exe
19/06/2013 14:26 1,011,712 MMTool.exe
27/07/2014 23:56 <DIR> Modules
20/06/2014 06:19 8,390,656 P9X79-PRO-ASUS-4701.CAP
21/07/2014 13:09 45,271 UBU.bat
09/07/2014 12:18 625,152 UEFIPatch.exe
14/07/2014 02:40 3,126,272 UEFITool.exe
9 File(s) 14,095,063 bytes
Select option for update
1 Intel RST(e) OROM and EFI SataDriver
OROM IRST SATA - 12.7.0.1936
OROM IRSTe SATA - 3.5.0.1005
EFI IRST SATA - 12.7.0.1936
3 LAN OROM PXE and EFI UNDI - Intel, Realtek, BCM, QCA
OROM Intel PXE - 1.3.72
EFI Intel UNDI - 5.5.23
5 Marvell SATA Option ROM and EFI
OROM Marvell 88SE9128 - 1.0.0.1031
EFI Marvell SATA AHCI - 1.1.0.1001
8 Update Intel CPU MicroCode SandyBridge-E/IvyBridge-E
9 Look the Version of all UBU modules in VerDID.txt
0 Exit
Press ENTER - Re-Scanning ALL EFI modules.
Enter number:1
Intel RST OROM and EFI SataDriver
1 - Update to v11.6.0.1702
2 - Update to v12.9.0.2006
3 - Update to v13.1.0.2126
4 - Update to v13.2.0.2134
9 - Goto Update IRSTe/SCU
0 - Exit to Main Menu
Enter number:2
* Update OROM Intel RST Device ID 2822 ...Ok!
Intel RSTe OROM and EFI SataDriver
1 - Update to v3.8.0.1029 OROM/EFI/SCU
2 - Update to v3.8.0.1029 OROM + v12.9.0.2006 EFI
3 - Update to v3.8.0.1029 OROM + v13.1.0.2126 EFI
4 - Update to v3.8.0.1029 OROM + v13.2.0.2134 EFI
0 - Skip
Enter number:2
* Update EFI Intel SataDriver GUID 43A0A7B3 -...Ok!
* Update OROM Intel RSTe Device ID 2826 ...Ok!
OROM IRST SATA - 12.9.0.2006
OROM IRSTe SATA - 3.8.0.1029
EFI IRST SATA - 12.9.0.2006
Press any key to continue . . .
Then I flash it like any other BIOS and download drive v12.9.4.1000 WHQL dated 04/24/2014.
Another thing: Am I right in saying that, that is the driver for both RST and RSTe?
- You will not loose the warrenty regarding your mainboard by flashing a BIOS with updated Intel RAID ROM/EFI modules, but you are responsable your own, when you should not be able to use it after a wrong BIOS flash (e.g. by trying to flash a BIOS, which has been designed for another mainboard).
2. As long as you can enter the UEFI BIOS at all, you can reflash the original BIOS.
Yes!
Since your BIOS is a capsuled one (with the suffix .CAP), you will not be able to flash the modded BIOS the usual way.
You have
a) to rename the BIOS according to the ASUS flashback rules (the UBU tool will offer to do it for you automaticly at the end of the BIOS processing),
b) to insert the 32bit formatted USB flash drive containing the modded and renamed BIOS into the special "USB Flashback" USB port of your mainboard and
c) to push the special "USB Flashback" button.
For further details please look into your mainboard manual and into the start post of >this< thread.
No. When you have chosen the "RSTe" BIOS option, your Intel SATA RAID Controller will need an Intel RSTe driver of the v3.x.x.xxxx series. An Intel RST driver of the v12.x.x.xxxx series con only be installed, if you have set the BIOS to "RST mode".
Thanks for all your help, but I am still confused over which drivers I should to use. I think it would be best if I used the RST drivers. On the driver thread’s is recommends using v12.9.4.1000, but under download links in states that those are not for X79 and implies are RSTe, furthermore the X79 drivers seem to be only for RSTe and are 3.x and 4.x.
When you have set the Intel RAID Controller to "RST" within the BIOS, your "Intel X79 SATA RAID Controller" (DEV_2826) will be switched to an "Intel(R) Desktop/Workstation/Server Express Chipset SATA RAID Controller" (DEV_2822), which is fully supported by the Intel RST drivers v12.9.4.1000 WHQL. So there is no reason to be worried about the usability of the Intel RST RAID drivers v12.x.x.xxxx.
When you have set the Intel RAID Controller to "RST" within the BIOS, your "Intel X79 SATA RAID Controller" (DEV_2826) will be switched to an "Intel(R) Desktop/Workstation/Server Express Chipset SATA RAID Controller" (DEV_2822), which is fully supported by the Intel RST drivers v12.9.4.1000 WHQL. So there is no reason to be worried about the usability of the Intel RST RAID drivers v12.x.x.xxxx.
Thanks, got it working. Do you by any chance know what the best Ram Cache software would be?
No, I cannot help you with this. As long as I had a RAID0 array, I have never used any third party RAM Cache software.