NUC7i7BNH - optane issue

[LHoza]

Today morning I found my NUC power LED lighting blue, not sure what woke it up.

But switching the TV to NUCs HDMI didn't work, it said something like the device is not connected.So I had to power off the NUC by pressing the power button for 10s or so.

After that I could only see:

Checking media presence....... No booting media present (or similarly)... whenever I tried to power it on.

After entering the BIOS I could see just 2 Network booting options, nothing else.

Under the Devices\SATA I could see my SSD.Under Devices\PCI it said M.2 Slot Not Populated.In the RST config on the PHYSICAL DISK INFO screen I could see the option "Reset to non-optane", which I was affraid to use before I do a backup image of my SSD. Below this option there was also details about my SSD.All were fine but the Status said "Disabled" and Controller Type was AHCI, which is strange because the Devices\SATA screen says RAID and not AHCI.

I wanted to do the disk image on the NUC, but it never saw the SSD while being conected to SATA, so I have decided to remove it and use a USB2SATA cable and did the image outside NUC on other PC.

When I came back after half an hour to NUC and mounted the disk and attached the power again, it booted to windows with no issue.

Only issue is that the Intel Optane Memory app says that my system is ready but no Intel Optane memory modules were detected.

In the BIOS I can see an entry "UEFI:SATA:PORT1:Windows Boot Manager:PART1:OS Bootlo..."

Under Devices\PCI it still says M.2 Slot Not Populated.There is no more the option "Reset to non-optane" in the RST config on the PHYSICAL DISK INFO screen.Status now says "Non-RAID" instead of "Disabled".Conroller Type is still AHCI.

What could be wrong?

thanks for any hint

LH

[idata]

Thank you very much for contacting the Intel Communities Team, L.H. I will be more than happy to assist you.

In order for me to assist you better, please provide me with the .txt file that the https://downloadcenter.intel.com/download/25293/Intel-System-Support-Utility-for-Windows- System Support Utility will generate. To attach a file, you must click the "Attach" option on the bottom right-hand corner of the response box.In addition, please share with us a screenshot of the Devices > SATA Section on the Intel® Visual BIOS of your NUC. Furthermore, can you please provide me with the model of your Intel® Optane™ Memory Module?Finally, can you try switching from AHCI mode to RAID and boot to the OS? Share with us the results.Antony S.

[LHoza]

Hi Antony,

here is the report you have requested.

I will send the model of the optane memory later when I switch the NUC off again.

I am also attaching the screenshot of the SATA section.

I am pretty sure that changing to AHCI will not allow my system to boot, because the AHCI driver isn't enabled.

Do you want me to change the registry to make the system bootable when switched to AHCI and then try to boot and check what happens?

regards

Lubomir

Edit: the optane module sticker also attached

[idata]

Thank you very much for your reply, L.H.

There is no need to switch from RAID to AHCI. My apologies, I understood that AHCI mode was set on the system.By checking the screenshot attached, I can see that the Optane™ module is not recognized by the system. Can you please remove and then install the Intel® Optane™ Memory module into the M.2 slot?In addition, please try to perform a BIOS Recovery through the security jumper using the following instructions: https://www.intel.com/content/www/us/en/support/articles/000005532/mini-pcs.html https://www.intel.com/content/www/us/en/support/articles/000005532/mini-pcs.htmlHere is the .bio file of the 0065 version: https://downloadmirror.intel.com/27886/eng/BN0065.bio https://downloadmirror.intel.com/27886/eng/BN0065.bioAntony S.

[LHoza]

I already updated the BIOS using the F7 boot option while trying to fix the issue.

There was version 0063 before it happened.

Should I really try it with the jumper?

there is a note in the article you've mentioned, which says:

"BIOS recovery using the BIOS security jumper clears trusted platform module keys, Intel® Platform Trust Technology (Intel® PTT) keys, and High-bandwidth Digital Content Protection (HDCP) keys. These keys will not be restored after the BIOS recovery."

I have also already tried to remove the module and even boot without it.

But reverting it back didn't really help.

But I will try it once more and see what happens.

thanks

Lubomir

[idata]

Thank you very much for your response, L.H.

Removing the BIOS Recovery through security jumper is the best method for this troubleshooting step so, I would appreciate if you can follow this method in that way.Let us know how it goes.Antony S.

[LHoza]

I have just removed the jumper and did the BIOS recovery.

After the recovery finished I could see the TPM has been also cleared, because it didn't want to let me sign in via PIN and I had to configure it again.

Unfortunately the OPTANE modul is still being reported as not populated.

I have tried to install an NvME SSD to the M.2 slot and it reported again the status of the M.2 slot as not populated.

Then I realized that the ePCI remapping option was enabled, it must have been enabled by the jumper BIOS recovery.

After I disabled it the BIOS could see the NvME disk suddenly.

Unfortunately nothing of this helped with the OPTANE modul, it still is reported as not being inserted.

I am trying to recover the BIOS again without the OPTANE module being inserted.

Let's see what happens

L.

[LHoza]

nothing new

it doesn't matter what I try the OPTANE module is not available in BIOS

L.

[idata]

Thank you for your response, L.H.

Can you please enable the PCIe remapping once again and set the Optane™ module?Antony S.

[LHoza]

Hi, I am not sure what you mean by "set the Optane module"

The module has been in place since yesterday.

I have enabled the PCIe remapping as you asked but with no visible effect.

I have spent the whole afternoon trying to change the BIOS settings in the SATA, PCI and Add-ins sections of the BIOS.

Enabling and disabling the remapping, M.2, RAID, SATA options.

But the only result was that when I finally signed-in with my ordinary user account, the desktop started to disappear and reappear.

It looked like the user profile haven't been able to load completely crashing on something.

I have decided to sign-in with my admin account, where everything looked OK.

I went back to the BIOS and tried the remapping option again, and eventually my admin user profile started to do the same as the users one.

In the end I have removed the Optane module and did the Windows reset keeping my files.

After the reset both my profiles were OK, so I went for another round trying to change the remapping and M.2 options.

But with no luck, the optane module still invisible in the PCI section and RST in add-ins.

Is there any way to check the module in PC with some tool?

have a nice weekend

L.

[idata]

Thank you for replying back, L.H.

Regarding your inquiry "Is there any way to check the module in PC with some tool?": You should be able to see the module through Intel® Rapid Storage Technology software.Then, for me to continue researching into this issue, please confirm for me if you NUC is just the https://ark.intel.com/products/95065/Intel-NUC-Kit-NUC7i7BNH NUC7i7BNH or the https://ark.intel.com/products/122938/Intel-NUC-Kit-NUC7i7BNHX1-with-Intel-Optane-Memory NUC7i7BNHX1?Antony S.

[LHoza]

And on the other PC, does it have to be connected directly or can I use a USB enclosure?

Does the PC have to have a chipset with support of the Optane module?

On the sticker there is just the NUC7i7BNH (without X1) and it came with the Optane module preinstalled.

regards

L.

[idata]

Thank you for your response, L.H.

Regarding the questions that you have, please refer to the link below so you can check the Intel® Optane™ requirements:https://www.intel.com/content/www/us/en/support/articles/000023994/memory-and-storage/intel-optane-memory.html https://www.intel.com/content/www/us/en/support/articles/000023994/memory-and-storage/intel-optane-memory.htmlThen, can you please check on the box of the NUC the model that it shows. Additionally, in the receipt of this unit, did you pay the Optane™ Module and the NUC separately?Antony S.

[LHoza]

Does it mean that one can test the optane module only in PCs with 7th or newer generation of i7 CPU?

On the packaging sticker there it says Product Code: BOXNUC7i7BNHX1.

And on the paper box it says "A Mini PC Kit with Intel Optane Memory"

As I wrote it came with the memory preinstalled and I paid it as one piece.

thanks

L.

[n_scott_pearson]

Well, that's close. You need a chipset (PCH component) that supports Optane Memory and those chipsets that do have this support work with 7th generation and later processors. As the same time, you also need an Optane-ready board - which means having both a supporting chipset and a supporting BIOS.

...S

[LHoza]

That's a pity, I have no other PC like that.

I thought one could run some diagnostic tool while having it inserted in any M.2 slot.

Let's see what are the next steps recommended.

L.

[idata]

Thank you for your reply, L.H.

In this case, I am afraid that the Optane™ module is defective. I have sent you a private message to discuss some information about the warranty of your unit. Please double check your inbox.Antony S.