Momentary system freeze when Seagate HDD wakes from standby with Intel RST.

[VSmy]

I have an issue with a new Win10x64 workstation based on an AsRock Z390 Taichi Ultimate, with 9900k. The OS is on an NVme SSD (AHCI setting in BIOS) and i have a Seagate ST2000DM006 with the latest firmware (CC26) for data.

After the system shuts down the HDD depending on the time specified in windows power settings, when i try to access the disk again, the system freezes and stutters for some seconds. If i disable the setting in windows power options or uninstall Intel RST and use the Win10x64 default SATA drivers the issue dissapears.

I have tried all available Intel RST drivers versions:

- 16.7.0.1009 (supplied with my motherboard disk) 

- 16.8.0.1000

- 17.2.0.1009 (the latest available from Intel).

 and the issue persists.

I also contacted AsRock and Seagate and they asked me to contact Intel since the disk or motherboard have no problems..

[Leonardo_C_Intel]

Hello VSmy Thank you for posting in the Intel Community. Please provide me with the missing information: • Board information: AsRock Z390 Taichi Ultimate • Board BIOS version: • RST Pre-OS version • RST OS version: 16.7.0.1009, 16.8.0.1000 and 17.2.0.1009 • Windows version: Windows® 10 64 bit • SATA Mode (AHCI/RAID): AHCI • RAID configuration? • Please attach to this thread the TXT file the Intel® System Support Utility will generate: https://downloadcenter.intel.com/download/25293/Intel-System-Support-Utility • Steps to save the report: 1- Run the utility. 2- Click on “Scan” to get the scanned system. 3- Once the scan is complete click on “next”. 4- Use the “save” option, save the report to your desktop. 5- To attach a file, you must click the “Attach” option on the bottom left-hand corner of the response box. Provide me with the Intel® RST report. Please follow the instructions below: 1. Open the Intel Rapid Storage Technology user interface (Start > Programs > Intel > Intel® Rapid Storage Technology). 2. Click the Help icon. 3. Click the System Report icon. 4. Click Save. 5. To attach a file, you must click the “Attach” option on the bottom left-hand corner of the response box. This information will help me to look into the behavior reported. Hope this helps. Regards, Leonardo C. Intel Customer Support Technician Under Contract to Intel Corporation

[VSmy]

Hello, here is the requested data:

• Board information: AsRock Z390 Taichi Ultimate

• Board BIOS version:  4.00

• RST Pre-OS version: ?

• RST OS version: 16.7.0.1009, 16.8.0.1000 and 17.2.0.1009 

• Windows version: Windows® 10 64 bit 

• SATA Mode (AHCI/RAID): AHCI 

• RAID configuration: ?

[Leonardo_C_Intel]

Hello VSmy Thank you for the information. Please fill up the information missing 1. RST Pre-OS version? 2. RAID configuration? Provide me with the Intel® RST report. Please follow the instructions below: 1. Open the Intel Rapid Storage Technology user interface (Start > Programs > Intel > Intel® Rapid Storage Technology). 2. Click the Help icon. 3. Click the System Report icon. 4. Click Save. 5. To attach a file, you must click the “Attach” option on the bottom left-hand corner of the response box. Hope this helps. Regards, Leonardo C. Intel Customer Support Technician Under Contract to Intel Corporation

[VSmy]

Hello,

in my previous attached txt i have both the requested reports in a single file. I attach again the RST report in any case.

There is no RAID configuration, the setting in BIOS is AHCI and i have no RAID builds, all 3 drives are single AHCI drives.

About the RST Pre-OS version, how can i check what version is installed?

[VSmy]

I recreated both reports and attach them again .

[Leonardo_C_Intel]

Hello VSmy Thank you for all the information, allow me to investigate the data provided an the behavior reported, i will be posting back as soon as news becomes available. Regards, Leonardo C. Intel Customer Support Technician Under Contract to Intel Corporation

[Leonardo_C_Intel]

Hello VSmy Thank you for waiting. In the Intel® RST user interface, there’s an option to disable link management (on the performance tab). Can you try disabling this to see if it changes the behavior? If this does not make a difference we recommend reporting the behavior with ASRock*. Regards, Leonardo C. Intel Customer Support Technician Under Contract to Intel Corporation

[VSmy]

Hello LeoC,

i have tried changing the setting of link management at the IRST options but it made no difference.

Contacting AsRock was the first step i took. Asrock asked me to check the following among others trying to resolve the issue:

1. Link state power management at windows pci express power settings.
2. SATA Aggresive link power management at BIOS.
3. Uninstall RST and check with windows 10 integrated storage drivers.

The last step fixed the issue. But i want to create a RAID array in this workstation so uninstaling RST is not a solution for me.

After Asrock i contacted Seagate in case it was a HDD's firmware issue, but after numerous emails they asked me to contact Intel.

Now you ask me to report the issue to AsRock again.

Do you think it is a hardware issue with my motherboard or with the BIOS? Since the issue occurs only when using any version of the Intel RST drivers and dissapears completely when using the Win10 storage drivers, isn't it safe to assume that Intel drivers are the cause for it? If you still think i should report the issue to AsRock again is there and tecnical info you could give me so that they locate the issue?

Thanks.

[Leonardo_C_Intel]

Hello VSmy Thank you for the information. Since you mentioned that you system is on SATA mode AHCI and you are interest on building a RAID on the system you will have to change your SATA mode to RAID and this will cause that you have to reinstall the operating system (OS) in this case if the system comes with a pre-installed OS we recommend confirming the steps to follow with ASRock* to complete the change from AHCI to RAID. Have you tested the system with the SATA on RAID mode at some point? Hope this helps. Regards, Leonardo C. Intel Customer Support Technician Under Contract to Intel Corporation

[VSmy]

Hello LeoC,

i have not tried switching the system to RAID mode and reformatting, since i want to make sure that the issue with the Seagate HDD is resolved before proceeding.

The workstation is custom built by me for our company and no OS is preinstalled..

Vasilis

[Leonardo_C_Intel]

Hello VSmy Thank you for the information. In order to precede whit the RAID setting on the system you have to complete the SATA mode changes and OS Install. NOTE: we recommend having a back up off all the data on the system before proceeding with the changes. Regards, Leonardo C. Intel Customer Support Technician Under Contract to Intel Corporation

[Leonardo_C_Intel]

Hello VSmy Have you been able to try the system with RAID mode? Regards, Leonardo C. Intel Customer Support Technician Under Contract to Intel Corporation

[VSmy]

Hello LeoC,

No i have not tried to switch the system to RAID mode, i want to make sure first that the issue is resolved and after that i will try the RAID setup.

I have also opened a case with Intel support in case they could examine the issue more.

[Leonardo_C_Intel]

Hello VSmy Thank you for the information. We cannot guarantee that the delay will not happen; our recommendation is to test the system with RAID mode. Hope this helps. Regards, Leonardo C. Intel Customer Support Technician Under Contract to Intel Corporation

[VSmy]

Hello LeoC,

Ok i will build in the next days a test system in RAID mode to check if the issue occurs and report back.

[Leonardo_C_Intel]

Hello VSmy Please keep us posted. NOTE: we recommend having a back up off all the data on the system before proceeding with the changes. Regards, Leonardo C. Intel Customer Support Technician Under Contract to Intel Corporation

[VSmy]

Hello LeoC,

I switched my system to RAID mode using the latest 17.20.1009 RST drivers and the short freezes/stutters occur again.

If i uninstal RST or remove the Seagate drive from the system the issue dissapears, exactly as in AHCI mode.

[Leonardo_C_Intel]

Hello VSmy Could you provide me with a video of the freezes/stutters that you have on the system, and one without the behavior? Looking into the system reports is see that you have the WDC WD20EARS-00MVWB0 drive on port 1 (transfer speed 3 GB/s) and the Seagate ST2000DM006-2DM164 on port 0 (transfer speed 6 GB/s), also you have a DRW-24D5MT port 3 (transfer speed 1.5 GB/s. could you try the following testing: Test the system without the DRW-24D5MT. Test the system with the Seagate ST2000DM006-2DM164 connected to the last SATA port of the Motherboard (port 5 probably). Regards, Leonardo C. Intel Customer Support Technician Under Contract to Intel Corporation

[VSmy]

Hi, i will make a video and send it via pm.

Should i make the other tests on AHCI or RAID mode?

[Leonardo_C_Intel]

Hello VSmy You can complete the test propose with RAID mode, I am going to sent you a private e-mail for you to attack the videos. Regards, Leonardo C. Intel Customer Support Technician Under Contract to Intel Corporation