M.2 Drive Support for Intel Rapid Start Technology

[fbagnato]

Hello all,

I'm setting up an ASUS H97M-PLUS based computer and was at the point of installing Intel Rapid Start Technology but am hitting a brick wall.

I have created the special "Hibernation" partition (several times!) with enough space for the RAM on the computer but whenever I try and ENABLE the Intel Rapid Start Technology setting in the BIOS I get a "No Valid Partition" message below the setting.

I do have a valid partition so that isn't the problem.

The drive that is installed in the computer is a M.2 NVMe drive.

I cannot find up to date documentation on Intel Rapid Start Technology that specifies that M.2 drives are supported. Any documentation specifies that an SSD drive is required. It doesn't mention M.2 drives so I'm wondering whether SSD means a traditional SATA SSD and NOT a PCIe M.2 drive? If that is the case then the error in the BIOS would make some sense as it cannot see the special Hibernation partition on the M.2 drive.

Has anyone got any definitive answer on why the BIOS cannot see the Hibernation partition that I correctly created and if M.2 drives are supported? The BIOS is the latest version for the ASUS H97M-PLUS motherboard.

Regards,

fbagnato

[Jean_Intel]

Hello fbagnato,

Thank you for posting on the Intel️® communities.  

Keep in mind that the Intel® Rapid Start Technology requires a select Intel® processor, Intel® software and BIOS update, and a solid-state drive (SSD) or Hybrid drive. Depending on system configuration, your results may vary. Contact your system manufacturer for more information as they implement several customizations to the system that may impact the functioning of the Intel® Rapid Start Technology.

There is an Intel® Rapid Start Technology user guide that you may find helpful. You can find information about steps to follow and system requirements. 

https://www.intel.com/content/dam/support/us/en/documents/motherboards/desktop/sb/rapid_start_technology_user_guide_v14.pdf

Best regards, 

Jean O.  

Intel Customer Support Technician

[fbagnato]

Hello Jean,

Thanks for your reply.

I had already found and followed the instructions on that guide but did not succeed in getting past the BIOS error.

There is a more comprehensive Intel document on Intel Rapid Start Technology at https://kipdf.com/intel-rapid-start-technology_5ac35d011723ddaef79b2d9d.html and from that document is the statement "Intel Rapid Start Technology is only supported on PCH SATA/m-SATA SSD based solutions. (PCIe-based solutions are not supported at this time.)".

I know the M.2 socket on the motherboard is a PCIe slot so I just need to confirm that PCIe is still not supported by Intel Rapid Start Technology and that is why I cannot get past the error I am facing.

Unfortunately there are little resources on the internet about Intel Rapid Start Technology so my searches on the subject have not been fruitful and hence why I am reaching out to Intel on the subject and problems encountered.

Regards,

fbagnato

[Jean_Intel]

Hello fbagnato,

Keep in mind that the Intel® Rapid Start Technology is an old technology used to accelerate the HDDs using SSDs. There is another technology used to accelerate the NVME drives is the Intel® Optane™ Technology.

https://www.intel.com/content/www/us/en/architecture-and-technology/intel-optane-technology.html

Best regards, 

Jean O.  

Intel Customer Support Technician

[LeonWaksman]

AFAIK the NVMe SSD can't be accelerated by Optane Memory (only SATA SSD and only Intel NVMe SSD 660p/665p series can be accelerated). 

Usually a NVMe SSD is high performance drive and acceleration is not needed.

Leon

[fbagnato]

Hello Jean and Leon,

I appreciate the information on Intel Optane Technology but it is outside the scope of the (older) computer I am setting up.

I really need a definitive answer on whether PCIe M.2 drives are supported by Intel Rapid Start Technology.

I am trying to find out why I cannot set it up successfully on this computer, which has Intel Rapid Start Technology support and I have correctly followed all the prerequisites to get it working.

As I said earlier there is little information on the internet about Intel Rapid Start Technology so I am having to reach out to the Intel Community for my answers.

Regards,

fbagnato

[Jean_Intel]

Hello fbagnato,

Thanks for your response.

Remember that the Intel® Rapid Start Technology works alongside your system BIOS, which indicates that your OEM has to implement their BIOS to support this feature. Manufacturers may do customizations to their BIOS to meet their system expectations, and their customization may bring some limitations. When you try to set the Intel® Rapid Start Technology, you receive a BIOS error message, I would recommend you contact your motherboard manufacturer for confirmation on whether or not the BIOS supports this technology with M.2 SSDs and see if they have any information about the BIOS error message, as well as proper setting instructions.

Also, you should consider that your motherboard chipset is not listed on the technology requirements, as it's stated that it needs an Intel® Z87, Q87, H87, B85, Z77, Z75, Q77, or H77 Express, and your system is an H97M chipset motherboard.

Best regards, 

Jean O.  

Intel Customer Support Technician

[fbagnato]

Hello Jean,

I will reach out to the motherboard manufacturer with my questions, but do note that if I can confirm that Intel Rapid Start Technology does not support M.2 drives then any other requirements, such as the requirements you stated in your last post, become irrelevant.

It would be good to find out if M.2 drives are, or are not supported by Intel Rapid Start Technology.

This should be information that Intel would provide, not the motherboard manufacturer as Intel Rapid Start Technology is Intel's product, not ASUS'.

Regards,

fbagnato