topic Re: Why no X79 RAID support with Intel's RST(e) v11/v12 series drivers? in Rapid Storage Technology

Why no X79 RAID support with Intel's RST(e) v11/v12 series drivers?

DZand — Mon, 11 Mar 2013 09:49:56 GMT

Many users with an X79 chipset RAID system are already using the Intel RST(e) v11 or v12 series drivers instead of the regular RSTe v3.x.x.xxxx ones, because the v11/v12 drivers obviously

are running rock stable with X79 RAID systems,
boost the X79 RAID performance and
give X79 RAID0 users the chance to get TRIM into their RAID array.

Only disadvantages:

There are no F6 Intel RAID drivers v11/v12 available, which can be used by X79 chipset RAID users, who want to do a fresh install of Windows 8 in EFI mode.
The driver installation from within an already running Windows OS has to be forced, because the DEV_2826 support is missing within the original iaStorAC.inf file.
Unfortunately the RST Console software v11/v12 series cannot be installed at all due to the missing support of the "Intel(R) C600 Series Chipset SATA RAID Controller". Bad consequence: The popular feature "Write Back Caching", which gives RAID users a far better write performance, can not be enabled,

Since the original Intel RST(e) drivers of the v11 and v12 series do already support C600 Series Chipset SATA AHCI Controllers, it would be a good idea, if Intel would add the native support of the related SATA RAID Controllers as well.

Question:

What is the reason why the support of Intel's C600 Series Chipset SATA RAID Controllers is missing within the actual RST(e) driverpacks of the v11.x.x.xxxx and v12.x.x.xxxx series?

Re: Why no X79 RAID support with Intel's RST(e) v11/v12 series drivers?

idata — Mon, 11 Mar 2013 12:36:19 GMT

Re: Why no X79 RAID support with Intel's RST(e) v11/v12 series drivers?

idata — Mon, 11 Mar 2013 13:33:53 GMT

Count one more for this question.

Re: Why no X79 RAID support with Intel's RST(e) v11/v12 series drivers?

idata — Mon, 11 Mar 2013 21:27:45 GMT

I agree with the OP, could we please have a response to this?

Re: Why no X79 RAID support with Intel's RST(e) v11/v12 series drivers?

idata — Wed, 13 Mar 2013 13:34:39 GMT

Hear hear, I'm about to give up on this problem that Intel doesn't seem interested in solving, and buy a new board with a chipset that will support trim for Raid 0. Funny thing is, I've been an AMD user for the past 15 years, and this is my first Intel chipset/ CPU since owning a Pentium 133 system back in the mid 90's.Needless to say, this Intel experience has been a very bitter and very expensive disappointment.

I've seen absolutely no response from Intel on any of these posts regarding these issues and for me, this issue goes back to last July when I built this system. I have an Asus P9X79DLX with an Intel i7 3820. I'm not sure if there is a chipset that will support my processor and memory and RAID 0 trim but I'm starting my search as soon as I post this reply. One other note, even Intels SSD toolbox would not work correctly with this horrible X79 chipset. In fact, I started out with a single Intel SSD drive installed in this machine and was disppointed with the performance so I moved to a RAID 0 setup, this is how I initially found out about the RAID 0 trim issue. Even my original Intell SSD could not be recognized in Intel SSD Toolbox! That is pathetic. How did this even get to market in the first place? I feel duped.

Re: Why no X79 RAID support with Intel's RST(e) v11/v12 series drivers?

DZand — Wed, 13 Mar 2013 15:03:05 GMT

Although Intel employees obviously have already read the question of this thread, there is yet no reaction from their side.

This is really strange, because nobody else than Intel knows the answer.

Re: Why no X79 RAID support with Intel's RST(e) v11/v12 series drivers?

Fred_D_Intel — Thu, 14 Mar 2013 23:40:27 GMT

Hi all,

Your feedback is important to us and we thank you for taking the time to communicate this. I will check your inquiries and then come back to you with the information.

Thanks!

Re: Why no X79 RAID support with Intel's RST(e) v11/v12 series drivers?

idata — Fri, 15 Mar 2013 14:33:51 GMT

Thanks Fred, we look forward to some good news. Considering how much more expensive the x79 platform is over the current offerings, we would really like to not be overlooked.

Cheers!

Re: Why no X79 RAID support with Intel's RST(e) v11/v12 series drivers?

DZand — Sat, 16 Mar 2013 07:43:25 GMT

Fred_Intel schrieb:

Your feedback is important to us and we thank you for taking the time to communicate this. I will check your inquiries and then come back to you with the information.

Thank you very much for your willingness to attend to this topic.

Any authorized answer done by Intel will be much appreciated.

By the way: Since we didn't yet get any statement, I have no idea, why my question has been set as being already "answered".

Re: Why no X79 RAID support with Intel's RST(e) v11/v12 series drivers?

idata — Sat, 23 Mar 2013 01:34:37 GMT

THNX to Fernando for starting this important topic.

No need to add much after "kimmda1's" reply, it's really disappointing after (1month) building 3k € high-end/performance brand new LGA-2001/X79 desktop pc + Double SSD's 520, to stuck with the IRST((e)) enterprise v3.xx driver and its functionality with the SSD Toolbox software.

Hope Intel will do something about it soon.

Re: Why no X79 RAID support with Intel's RST(e) v11/v12 series drivers?

idata — Tue, 26 Mar 2013 14:42:57 GMT

Fred_Intel wrote:

Hi all,

Your feedback is important to us and we thank you for taking the time to communicate this. I will check your inquiries and then come back to you with the information.

Thanks!

Hello Fred, do you have any updates on this that can be shared with the community? Surely you have heard something by now.

Cheers!

Re: Why no X79 RAID support with Intel's RST(e) v11/v12 series drivers?

DZand — Wed, 27 Mar 2013 10:12:47 GMT

Today Intel officially has released the RST(e) drivers v12.0.0.1083 (look here: http://downloadcenter.intel.com/Detail_Desc.aspx?agr=Y&ProdId=3449&DwnldID=22595&keyword=Rapid+Storage+Technology&lang=eng http://downloadcenter.intel.com/Detail_Desc.aspx?agr=Y&ProdId=3449&DwnldID=22595&keyword=Rapid+Storage+Technology&lang=eng ), which are the very first of the brandnew v12.x.x.xxxx AHCI and RAID driver branch.

Unfortunately X79 chipset RAID systems are still not supported by these new Intel drivers.

When will Intel add the missing HardwareIDs within the iaStorAC.inf file?

Re: Why no X79 RAID support with Intel's RST(e) v11/v12 series drivers?

idata — Wed, 03 Apr 2013 16:00:21 GMT

Hello Fred or anyone else at Intel,

Can someone please supply an update on this issue/question??

Re: Why no X79 RAID support with Intel's RST(e) v11/v12 series drivers?

idata — Sat, 06 Apr 2013 18:40:08 GMT

I'd like to throw my agreement in here that this is really frustrating. In addition to the RAID driver issue, the lack of Smart Response Tech support in X79 is extremely annoying as well.

Re: Why no X79 RAID support with Intel's RST(e) v11/v12 series drivers?

Fred_D_Intel — Wed, 10 Apr 2013 16:42:56 GMT

Hi all,

What happens is that C600 is a Server chipset so; the software that will recognize all of the features is Intel RSTe. The OROM that is used with X79 chipsets is not an iRST OROM so; iRST driver was not designed to work with that type of OROMs.

F6 drivers for RAID are going to be released only for Intel RSTe.

Re: Why no X79 RAID support with Intel's RST(e) v11/v12 series drivers?

DZand — Wed, 10 Apr 2013 19:16:49 GMT

Hello Fred,

thanks for your statement, which answers somehow my question, but probably will not satisfy the X79 chipset RAID users.

As I already stated within the start post of this thread, the Intel RST drivers from v11.5.x.xxxx up to v12.x.x.xxxx are running fine with X79 RAID systems (maybe even better than the RSTe ones), but the related RST software cannot be installed, because the needed DEV_2826 entry is missing within the iaStorAC.inf file. Since the addition of the HardwareID would not be a problem for Intel, it is not easy to understand for the X79 users, that Intel doesn't want to do it.

The C600 series chipsets may have been primarily designed by Intel for Server systems, but you certainly know, that the mainboard manufacturers sell the X79 chipset boards as platform for high-end consumer desktop systems. Furthermore your statement doesn't explain at all, why Intel is offering actual RST drivers v11.7/12.0 with full AHCI support for X79 systems, but refuses the support of X79 RAID systems by the same drivers.

Re: Why no X79 RAID support with Intel's RST(e) v11/v12 series drivers?

idata — Tue, 23 Apr 2013 19:32:05 GMT

So does Intel consider this matter closed? We would like this discussed further please. How can we get the server class driver updated to support TRIM?

Re: Why no X79 RAID support with Intel's RST(e) v11/v12 series drivers?

Fred_D_Intel — Thu, 25 Apr 2013 22:02:09 GMT

Hi all,

What happens is that there are no plans to develop RAID drivers for Intel RST. Drivers are going to be available under Intel RSTe only.

TRIM support is being evaluated for Intel RSTe but, I cannot guarantee it is going to be released.

Re: Why no X79 RAID support with Intel's RST(e) v11/v12 series drivers?

DZand — Fri, 26 Apr 2013 12:03:22 GMT

Fred_Intel schrieb:

What happens is that there are no plans to develop RAID drivers for Intel RST. Drivers are going to be available under Intel RSTe only.

Hello Fred,

thanks for your reply.

There is no need to develop any new RAID drivers v11 or v12, which do support Intel(R) C600 Series SATA RAID Controllers, because they are already available (see the OP and my last post).

The only thing, which Intel should do for the X79 RAID users, is the addition of the following 2 lines into the iaStorAC.inf file of the actual RST(e) drivers v12.x.x.xxxx:

%PCI\VEN_8086&DEV_2826&CC_0104.DeviceDesc% = iaStorA_inst, PCI\VEN_8086&DEV_2826&CC_0104
PCI\VEN_8086&DEV_2826&CC_0104.DeviceDesc = "Intel(R) C600/C220 series chipset SATA RAID Controller"

This way all TRIM in RAID problems of the X79 RAID users will be solved at once.

Re: Why no X79 RAID support with Intel's RST(e) v11/v12 series drivers?

idata — Fri, 26 Apr 2013 13:23:57 GMT

After reading Fred's answer, I would like to further elaborate on this question:

A) Asrock and Gigabyte are offering "RST" (11.6.x+) OROMS for their X79 boards via a toggle in Setup. ASUS (I'm not sure if Asrock and Gigabyte are also doing this) is offering a 11.6.x UEFI driver. My question basically boils into: Are both of those practices sanctioned by Intel?

B) If the above is sanctioned (which shows that the platform devices are compatible), then why doesn't Intel switch to a Unified OROM and UEFI driver and let us be done with these RST vs RSTe nonsense? If the above practice is not sanctioned, why are OEMs allowed to do this and what are the actual incompatibilities?

It is my understanding, so far, that the device id is not added because Intel deems it's incompatible. My basic question is: Is that incompatibility dependent on actual platform hardware OR the UEFI Driver/OROM that is matched with the driver? If it's the first, then why are the practices in A occurring and if it's the later, why don't we have a Unified firmware as explained in B.

I understand there may be IP issues involved in explaining incompatibilites but a simple answer on what happens and why, without disclosing any IP related information, should be possible.