no response yet from ASRock on bios

[SSimm2]

Have sent several messages to my MB maker asking if their current latest bios is Intel® RST Pre-OS UEFI Driver version to 16.0.2.3402 or later, but no response yet, Their latest current bios version is v1.60 but but notes for it say nothing about it being Intel® RST Pre-OS UEFI Driver version to 16.0.2.3402 or later, am fearing not as their current latest RST Driver offered for my MB on their site is ver:15.8.1.1007. and when I contacted them asking if could use optane memory with my Secondary/data drive they said no, can only be used a the boot (system) drive.(said they tried in lab but optane setup would not detect/recognize the Secondary/data drive). My MBoard is their intel "Z370 KILLER SLI/AC" and my processor is a "8TH GEN I7-8700K". Also in first communication they seemed to not know about the latest RST driver ver 16.0.2.1086 and with it ability to use optane for Secondary/data drives. My question is can intel inquire to them why their site doesnt yet offer updates needed to use optane for Secondary/data drives?

asrock site for updates/download for my motherboard

https://www.asrock.com/mb/Intel/Z370%20Killer%20SLIac/index.us.asp# Download ASRock > Z370 Killer SLI/ac

[AlHill]

You can use optane for your secondary drive:

https://www.intel.com/content/www/us/en/support/articles/000027987/memory-and-storage.html Secondary/Data SATA Drive Acceleration with Intel® Optane™ Memory

However, if asrock is not responding, there is nothing we can do to make them respond.

You must continue your contact with them.

Doc

[idata]

Hello ssimm1958,

Thank you for your interest in the Intel® Optane™ Memory. I understand that you are interested in using the memory module to accelerate a secondary drive. As community member al.hill noted (as well as Intel agent Diego V. in your previous community thread /thread/126878 https://communities.intel.com/thread/126878), this setup is possible as long as your motherboard's manufacturer provides the corresponding driver. The implementation of the adequate driver as well as the corresponding support in this matter is the motherboard's manufacturer responsibility. Our suggestion is to continue trying to obtain answers from them since we have no influence in the manufacturer's timelines or technology road-maps. Regards,Andres V.

[SSimm2]

just received this post from ASRock

Hi Steve,

Unfortunately, I have not receive a reply from HQ yet that indicates HQ is still awaiting for Intel response.

Please be advice, the 2nd-dary DATA drives is already working with SATA OS drive which first Optane does not support previously.

Now, you are using with Samsung M.2 NVME drive which is differen

ASRock says they are awaiting a response from intel

I may have asked this prior but am wanting to have my OS system on a Samsung 970 PRO 512GB - NVMe PCIe M.2 2280 SSD (MZ-V7P512BW) have 2 PCIe ultra slots on my board, so is ok to have this NVMe drive in one slot then have optane in the other 4 2nd non boot hdd

from what they are telling me is using a NVMe drive and optane for 2nd non boot drive is an issue. Are they correct? not wanting optane for the m.2 drive. m.2 drives dont need optane. are plenty fast, want optane for my 8tb mechanical hdd, this possible if have proper bios,

correct? . I dont understand why there is no communication between intel and motherboard vendors/makers that make and sell optane ready intel motherboards. one would think since asrock are selling optane ready intel motherboards, intel would want the buyers ( us end users). to be able to utilize intels latest optane driver updates. have optane ready motherboard, have downloaded RST driver Version 16.0.2.1086 (Latest), have correct i7-8700k 8th gen processor-have all but a bios to support what intel is saying is possible, and my motherboard vendor has reached out to intel to verify this is possible with a updated bios to support it, but have not got a response from intel. am confused, am sitting here looking a optane on amazon ready to buy but wont till am confident it will work.

Stephen Simmons

[idata]

Hello Stephen,

Thank you for sharing the response provided by the ASRock* agent. I think that you may want to ask the ASRock* agent to rephrase his reply, because my interpretation is that he hasn't received any reply that indicates that his headquarter is awaiting for an Intel response (this matches what I stated in the previous post). I think you may have read the message as: Unfortunately, I have not received a reply from HQ yet, that indicates HQ is still awaiting for Intel response. The comma between "yet" and "that" changes the meaning of the message, since it leads to think that his headquarter is awaiting for a response from Intel. But since there is no comma, the agent is reporting that nothing indicates that ASRock is waiting a response from our side. Now, since the agent mentions that "the 2nd-dary DATA drives is already working with SATA OS drive which first Optane does not support previously" I would ask if he is referring to the Intel Optane in general, or as confirmation of your inquiry (if you have the corresponding driver for secondary drive acceleration). Regarding your question about the NVMe drive, you may want to check this statement (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.html):Intel Optane memory can only accelerate SATA-based drives (SSD, SSHD, HDD). You can use it with 2.5", 3.5", or M.2 form factor drives as long as they're connected with chipset lanes. That means that you can indeed use your M.2 drive for booting and accelerate your HDD (SATA) with the Optane memory. Please keep in mind that drivers are provided by the motherboard's manufacturer because that specific software has to match the architecture present in the motherboard. That is why our suggestion is to ask for confirmation from the motherboard's manufacturer.Regards,Andres V.

[FChan9]

I have a similar problem. Am using Asrock Z370 Taichi latest Bios 3.1, and also Samsung Evo 970 as OS drive. I am trying to accelerate a secondary sata HDD drive (HGST 8TB). I have EVO 970 on M 2_1 and Intel Optane on M 2_2. The sata hdd is attached to sata 2 with no conflict with either M 2_1 or M 2_2. Bios 3.1 do not come with pre-OS RST 16 (as far as I can see). I try to install RST 16 and Optane memory inside Windows 10. But I am getting error message of "incompatible disk drive". When I hover over the disk to look for problem details, all I see is unknown problem. What I want to know is if using Samsung EVO 970 as system OS is the problem. The link you refer to does not have that information, and note that I am not trying to accelerate the system OS, just the secondary SATA HDD. Secondly, if that's not the problem, if the Asrock BIOS need to have RST 16 EUFI pre-OS installed driver, and I can't install RST 16 in windows OS. Surely, if Asrock is selling "Optane ready" motherboards, there should be communication between Intel and Asrock as to where things are at. It's highly disappointing that RST 16 has been released for 6 months now and we consumers is still unable to have clear instructions as to if and how we can get it working.

[idata]

Hello fredkc,

Thank you for your interest in the Intel® Optane™ Memory. I understand that you are having trouble contacting your motherboard's manufacturer to find out if the latest BIOS version is compatible with secondary drive acceleration. The SSD you are using as booting drive should not generate any issue (assuming you have the corresponding Intel® RST Pre-OS UEFI Driver version) as long as this drive is also formatted with a GPT partition (both the primary and secondary drive should be formatted with this style in order to enable any type of acceleration). Please keep in mind that Optane-ready motherboards guarantee the acceleration of the primary drive. The acceleration of the secondary drive was a feature implemented afterwards, that is why the manufacturer should provide a new BIOS version as well as the corresponding driver. In case you have any update or question don't hesitate to contact us. Regards,Andres V.

[FChan9]

Tried a few more times after getting some advice from Steve Simmons (a fellow poster). Thought I have everything setup but still unable to enable optane. See attached screenshots, I have BIOS with pre-OS RST 16 driver. All physical disks set to non-raid. Left unallocated space of 50G at end of disk (right hand side in disk manager view?) for both EVO 970 OS disk as well as SATA HDD disk just in case. See attached photo of error message I can (incompatible disk with unknown problem !!). Not sure what else I should try. Seem strange to me both System OS disk and Optane memory are on the same port number 0. Can you help please.

[idata]

Hello fredkc,

Have you received confirmation from the motherboard's manufacturer regarding the BIOS compatibility with secondary disk acceleration? The "Incompatible drives detected in the system error message" has to do with the fact that you have an NVMe drive as booting device, and NVMe drives aren't supported for system acceleration. I'm aware that this is not the drive you want to accelerate, and that you want to accelerate your secondary HDD, but that specific message leads me to think that the BIOS you currently have installed is not compatible with secondary drive acceleration. I know I have insisted in contacting the motherboard's manufacturer, but until we are sure that the BIOS is compatible with secondary acceleration then there is no point in suggesting any troubleshooting, since all the setup is based around the BIOS installed. I'll be waiting for your response. Regards,Andres V.

[FChan9]

As it turns out, I don't have to change the bios. Asrock just released Intel Rapid Storage Technology driver and utility ver:16.5.0.1027_PV. That includes the optane enabling function. I installed that and it's now working.

[SSimm2]

congrats