SSD Toolbox can't communicate with Intel SSD nor HDD in SATA RAID

[idata]

I've discovered that having a direct SATA connection to Intel SSD is not enough for the Toolbox to communicate despite what the SSD product FAQ's and other instructions say. It appears that configuring mobo BIOS for RAID is yet another hurdle the application can't get over. I didn't test this w/o BIOS RAID configuration so I don't know if that works or not.

The relevant system components are entirely Intel. My Intel DX79SI mobo with i7-3930 processor is configured with one 300GB Intel 320SSD as system disk and a set of 3 mechanical drives in a RAID5 data set controlled with an Intel C600 SATA controller. It boots and runs fine. However the SSD Toolbox reports that SMART is disabled so it can't display SMART wearout and drive health data. Neither can the Toolbox view SMART data for any of the other SATA HDD in the RAID set. Given this issue I don't trust that it is properly reporting the firmware level, or that it can safely update SSD firmware if it thinks it's warranted.

It doesn't appear that Intel has posted this as a known issue in any literature, but I'm assuming this problem isn't strictly limited to my system. I'd like a response saying this is either a known issue else is known to work. We can proceed from there.

[idata]

Hey gang,

I'm under the impression that if you have an SSD, TRIM is a must to keep it functioning. See Wikipedia for TRIM discussion.

According to Intel, raid is not an option for using TRIM and the toolbox. You must be in IDE.

What am I missing? How can you work around?

Thx,

raz

[DShar11]

Your first assumption is not correct. I have had my two 520's in R0 since the day I bought them, quita a few weeks ago now. They have never seen a trim command from the os.

They have not slowed down one bit that I am able to notice. Trim is vastly overrated imho, would much rather have aggressive GC than trim any day of the week.

Sorry, but I never go to wiki for information on anything. Just as well ask some random person on the street.

If you have only a single drive you already have trim, activated automatically, and the toolbox should work also. You do not have to be in IDE for trim to work. Actually you are much better off in achi mode.

[idata]

Well, Intel tech support responded

Hello Tom,

Thank you for contacting Intel(R) Technical Support.

We understand you have questions on the Intel(R) 520 Series SSD's.

In regards to your question, the Intel(R) SSD Toolbox does not recognize any SSD if it's configured as RAID on BIOS, either if the SSD belogs or not on a RAID array.

Note that AHCI mode or IDE mode is recommended, as the TRIM command and the SMART features works on those modes. Due to limitations on the SSD Toolbox, the error you are seen is to be expected.

We would suggest checking on the motherboard BIOS to see if there's an option to just RAID certain ports and not all of them, and leave the SSD as a stand-alone AHCI mode drive.

If by design you cannot setup AHCI on just one port, the Intel(R) SSD Toolbox cannot be used on this type of configuration.

Please do not hesitate to contact us again if you need further assistance.

Sincerely,

Javier.

Thank you all again for sharing your thoughts. It is a shame though, I have two x58 chipset boxes wit the same drive configuration as my new x79 and I hoped the new one would mimic the old when it came to the tool box.

I guess I should be thankful since I have yet to experience any other problems.

[idata]

To all on this thread,

I'm not a computer tech guy at all. What I've learned is just from trying to get my computers working properly and Intel chat. I buy custom made because I require multiple screens and a fast unit. The SSD seemed the way to go. New stuff always seems to cause me headaches.

I hope I haven't caused anyone bigger problems but I was so happy to have my computer working properly again. That's why I passed along what I've learned.

IF IT"S NOT GETTING TRIM, YOU WILL HAVE PROBLEMS.

I use my computers 5 days a week 9-10 hrs./day. It took 6-9 months b/4 I noticed any problems. Then it continued to get progressively worse until I had a blue screen every time I tried to turn them off. When I finally got the TRIM to work...BINGO! new computer.

I wish you all the best. Nothing in life is more frustrating than a messed up computer

[idata]

t53186, Thanks for posting that, interesting... I wonder if that reply was meant to apply ONLY to X79 mother boards using the RSTe RAID software. I don't have experience with that platform, but I don't think everything stated there is correct. I've used the SSD Toolbox for a long time, but I can't remember if the old Toolbox behaved as described in that reply to your questions.

Regardless, the following is what the Intel SSD Toolbox 3.0.2 displays with my SATA mode set to RAID on an Intel P67 chipset mother board (not made by Intel), IRST driver, and two 120GB 520 SSDs in RAID 0. The tech that wrote that statement may have been referring only to using the SSD Toolbox on a X79 system with the RSTe driver with SSDs in RAID volumes.

First is the RAID 0 volume itself. Most Toolbox functions are not available with a RAID volume, but it certainly is recognized IMO. The limitations with RAID volumes are clearly stated in the SSD Toolbox Installation Guide. I named the volume "520 RAID0" (seen in the Serial Number field), but the other information was found by the Toolbox software. The size of this volume is less than the sum of the two 120GB SSDs, due to my manual over-provisioning of the volume. SMART data for an array of drives combined into one volume is not standardized and really does not make sense.

Next is one of the 520 SSDs in the RAID 0 volume. Again some of the Toolbox functions are not available because the SSD is part of a RAID volume, but the Drive and SMART information, etc, can be displayed. You can see the second 520 of the pair in the unhighlighted tab to the right of the first one.

SMART data is available for the members of the RAID volume.

This is my Intel 510 SSD, not in a RAID array, but in the same PC and connected to the same Intel PCH/SATA controller in RAID mode, that my 520's are. All Toolbox functions are available for this SSD. A single SSD used in RAID mode is really operating as if the SATA mode was set to AHCI. An important detail in this configuration is, a single SSD that is not a member of a RAID array/volume will receive TRIM commands from the OS with the SATA mode set to RAID.

As mentioned in the reply, enabling differing SATA operating modes for each SATA port on a single PC SATA chipset would be an unusual feature that does not exist in modern chipsets. The suggestion about trying that in the reply is just wrong. I won't mention anything else in that statement that is not correct, you can see that for yourself in the pictures. If the tech was referring only to X79/RSTe systems, that was never mentioned in his reply. Given the size of Intel, and all that is going on simultaneously, I can see how misinformation or miscommunication happens, but it's still not good, to put it mildly. The 3.0.0 version of the SSD Toolbox was released in October, 2011, with two very minor updates since then. It's been like this for six months. RAID has existed for years, and SSDs are not new any more.

I can't believe that Intel will forsake the X79 platform for use with the SSD Toolbox, IMO, something will be updated to fix the current issues it has with the X79 platform, and/or RSTe driver.