RAID0 trim and SRT seems possible on 6-series and 5-Series

[S3TRXV4]

Where in my registery can I find the driver entry's? I mean which HKEY_Local_Machines path? or another path?

In my C;\Windows\System'32\Driver folder there is a iastor file and an iastorV file that is good right.
In my HKEY_?_? ....... path should there be a iastor file to and I need to make sure it is enabled ''0'' right?

 

[S3TRXV4]

Ok there seems to be some things happening but what exactly I have no idea.

I tried the TRIM test with a textfile this time and the first time I've tried it after the deletion of the text file from root of C: and my recycle bin, at the specific offset I did not get to see all FFFFFFFFFFFFFFFF but the text of the file itself wasnt there anymore it was overwritten with other data, so it seems that trim worked but was overwritten with new data? Can this be possible so fast?

I wanted to make screenshots of this happening to post here,so I did the exact thing again but this time with making screenshots, and this is what happened:

Before:

http://imageshack.us/photo/my-images/89/beforetrim.png/

and after:

[URL=http://imageshack.us/photo/my-images/9/afterdelete.png/]

[/URL]It seems to suddenly work again right?

 

[xkater]

--

 

[xkater]

The Intel RST service start problem may be solved by replacing the file named ISDI2.dll by an older one, which you can download from >here<. For details you may look >here<.

!many thanks Fernando!
Just confirming that ISDI2.dll (11.5.9.1002) worked for me - now IRST runs on boot and IRST GUI also runs allowing me to 'Accelerate' my SATA boot disk with the onboard INTEL 20GB SSD

(11.6.0.1030) wasn't working on install of newest driver from INTEL support - [RST_11.6.0.1030_RAID_AHCI_driver_GUI_CLI_2012.10.11.zip]

Gigabyte GA-Z68XP-UD3-iSSD
INTEL 2500K
16GB
WinUlt7

 

[davidm71]

Was wondering if you guys have tried out the new intel orom 12.0.0.1783 yet? There's also a new Rst driver Verizon 12.0.0.1083 out..

Will the trim mod still work?

Thanks.

 

[Stress]

Yes - I found and modded the lookup table in the 12.0.0.1783 orom, inserted the modded orom into the bios, flashed the mobo and installed the new RST 12.0.0.1083 and trim was reported to be working under Win7 Home Premium x64 according to the trimcheck 0.4 tool for my 2-Intel 320 80 GB SSD's in raid0 on my Asus P7P55D-E LX mobo (Intel P5 SATA RAID controller). RST 12.0.0.1083 also seems to have some new features including options for Cache Mode that look interesting.

There seems to be some argument about whether the trimcheck 0.4 tool properly checks for trim - but that's all above me - so I'll rely on it until it's proved to be invalid.

 

[Fernando 1]

There seems to be some argument about whether the trimcheck 0.4 tool properly checks for trim - but that's all above me - so I'll rely on it until it's proved to be invalid.

The TRIM Check Tool may give more false negative results than the Hex Editor test, but I am pretty sure, that TRIM is definitively working within the RAID0 array, if you get the message "TRIM appears to be WORKING" within 15 seconds after having executed the tool.
The problem of any TRIM check is, that there is not a constant flow of TRIM commands within the SSDs. This is obviously the reason, that you get negative results although the TRIM command definitively passes through into the RAID array.

 

[Unit'Igor]

Yes - I found and modded the lookup table in the 12.0.0.1783 orom, inserted the modded orom into the bios, flashed the mobo and installed the new RST 12.0.0.1083 and trim was reported to be working under Win7 Home Premium x64 according to the trimcheck 0.4 tool for my 2-Intel 320 80 GB SSD's in raid0 on my Asus P7P55D-E LX mobo (Intel P5 SATA RAID controller). RST 12.0.0.1083 also seems to have some new features including options for Cache Mode that look interesting.

There seems to be some argument about whether the trimcheck 0.4 tool properly checks for trim - but that's all above me - so I'll rely on it until it's proved to be invalid.

Are you seeing improvement in speed.

 

[Fernando 1]

Are you seeing improvement in speed.

The speed improvements, which you only can see by looking at synthetic benchmark results, have to be compared with improvements you personally can realise while working (instant/delayed action, less/more stuttering, more/less stability, more/less desired features, reduced/enhanced booting time etc.).

 

[Unit'Igor]

Man i didnt want to be sarcastic,i am just tired of trying Intel RST drivers and OROMs.I now have 3 bios and every version of bios with 4 OROMs so thats 12 BIOS and when you multiply with last 4 Intel RST drivers you get 48 combination.Man thats lot of testing,so i say lets share testing experiences.The best combination for me is is 11.5.0.1582 OROM and 11.2.0.1006 driver.

 

[Okcizo]

Yes - I found and modded the lookup table in the 12.0.0.1783 orom, inserted the modded orom into the bios, flashed the mobo and installed the new RST 12.0.0.1083 and trim was reported to be working under Win7 Home Premium x64 according to the trimcheck 0.4 tool for my 2-Intel 320 80 GB SSD's in raid0 on my Asus P7P55D-E LX mobo (Intel P5 SATA RAID controller). RST 12.0.0.1083 also seems to have some new features including options for Cache Mode that look interesting.

There seems to be some argument about whether the trimcheck 0.4 tool properly checks for trim - but that's all above me - so I'll rely on it until it's proved to be invalid.

It's this possible for x58?

Thanks

 

[Fernando 1]

It's this possible for x58?

Probably not, if you mean TRIM in RAID0 support.
Reason: X58 chipset mainboards usually have an ICH9R or ICH10R Southbridge and no Intel 5-Series chipset SATA RAID Controller, which is required for the option to enable TRIM in RAID0 by a RAID ROM modification.

 

[Stress]

@Unit'Igor-

Wow that is a lot of benching. I'm too lazy to do all that benching so I can't say what combination of orom/drivers work best for me. I just try out the latest and if they seem to work I usually stick with them. After this last update though the system does seem a little snappier - but that could just be psychological. If you do more benching with the new orom/driver combination perhaps you could let us all know if either/both improves your performance.


After I had played around with the system trimcheck started showing that trim was not working. I can't say what happened for sure - I had disabled Link Power Management for one thing but didn't test to see if enabling it restored trim. I got so frustrated that I just did a system restore reinstalled rst 12.0.0.1083 and now trimcheck reports that trim is working. Perhaps disabling Link Power Management was to blame I don't know for sure - its enabled now and everything seems fine.

 

[Unit'Igor]

I think i will have to start more testing,i start to shake if i see new driver.
Good Igor say:you dont have to test it,everything will be the same.()
Bad Igor say:test it,test it my precious,performance will go UP!:twisted:
So i will post results when i test.

 

[Stress]

Alright - I think I know what messed up trim for me - I'm pretty sure it was unchecking and then rechecking "Enable Write Caching ..." and "Turn off Windows write-cache buffer ..." boxes in the Policies Tab in Device Manager. I have disabled Link Power Management using the RST app and trim still works fine. But apparently, for me at least, it seems that setting the cache mode and windows write-cache buffer flushing in the device manager rather than in the RST App disabled Trim. So I recommend using the RST App for these settings - not device manager - at least for RST 12.0.0.1083.

 

[uplinkpro]

you guys think that the 12.0.0.1783 orom can be flashed onto the new L2.31A z68 extreme 4 gen 3 bios ? if so could i get some help with this, im trying the 11.5 orom posted earlier but i have yet to get trim working on my raid in win 8.

 

[Fernando 1]

you guys think that the 12.0.0.1783 orom can be flashed onto the new L2.31A z68 extreme 4 gen 3 bios ?

Yes, that will be possible.

if so could i get some help with this, im trying the 11.5 orom posted earlier but i have yet to get trim working on my raid in win 8.

>Here< is a guide about how to do it. You will get TRIM working within your RAID0, if you insert an OROM, which has been modified by enabling this feature for P67 and Z68 chipsets (look >here<).

 

[john-117]

Update:
As you can read >here<, this EFI RAID module v11.6.0.1702 obviously can only be used, if a file named "SataDriver" (GUID starting with 90C8D394) is already present within the UEFI AMI BIOS file.
As long as there are no such BIOS versions for 6-series chipset mainboards available, it makes no sense to offer modded versions of this EFI RAID module with additional TRIM in RAID0 support.

Fernando, Gigabyte have just released a new bios for my Z68 motherboard, which has a SataDriver file inside. GUID is a little different, it reads 91B4D9C1. I tried out the new bios and my PC boots much faster into Windows 8 (UEFI boot options in bios), but I do not have trim for my SSD's (Raid 0). Windows where installed in EFI mode, but trim had never worked using the legacy CSMCORE raid rom. Could you check it out? And would you recommend raid rom v12.0.0.1783 or v11.6.0.1702 ?

Here is the new bios http://www.mediafire.com/?otwubde4udzmvya.

EDIT: I guess I'd might as well try to mod the satadriver file myself and see how it goes.
EDIT2: I've modded the SataDriver file I extracted, but when I try to replace it I get the error: "Invalid FFS File" from MMtool. Any ideas?

 

[Fernando 1]

Windows where installed in EFI mode, but trim had never worked using the legacy CSMCORE raid rom. Could you check it out?

Both original Intel RAID modules (LEGACY and EFI) do not support TRIM in RAID0 for Z68 chipset mainboards. If you want to get TRIM into your RAID0, you have to insert a modded LEGACY/EFI RAID module into your mainboard BIOS.

And would you recommend raid rom v12.0.0.1783 or v11.6.0.1702 ?

I recommend to insert the v12.0.0.1783, because this is the newest version. Furthermore it definitively will support the upcoming Intel RST(e) drivers v12.x.x.xxxx.

I guess I'd might as well try to mod the satadriver file myself and see how it goes.

That is not as easy as to modify the Intel RAID ROM, because the "SataDriver" module has an internal checksum control system.
Nevertheless I was able to create a modified Intel EFI RAID "SataDriver" v12.0.0.1783 for P67+Z68 chipsets, which doesn't give a checksum error while trying to replace it within the BIOS and which hopefully will give you TRIM support for your RAID0 array.
If you want, you may test it at own risk. You can download the latest BIOS for your mainboard containing the already modified Intel EFI RAID "SataDriver" v12.0.0.1783 from >here<.
Please report here, what you have done and which results you got.

 

[john-117]

Well Gigabyte boards have dual bios, so in theory if one gets bricked, then it will boot from the other one. That said, the SataDriver file you have modded has a different GUID, so my bios will probable get bricked...

 

[Fernando 1]

Well Gigabyte boards have dual bios, so in theory if one gets bricked, then it will boot from the other one. That said, the SataDriver file you have modded has a different GUID, so my bios will probable get bricked...

The GUID changed after the insertion of the original SataDriver as well. So it did not change due to the modification.

 

[Fernando 1]

@ john-117:

Meanwhile I have done I deeper look into the different Intel EFI RAID SataDriver modules and detected, that the GUID code is layed down within the first offset line.
So the SataDriver module v11.6.0.1702 of your BIOS has a different GUI code (beginning with 91B4D9C1 instead of 90C8D394) and a different hex code at the beginning of the file than the "normal" SataDriver modules we have seen until now.
Furthermore I found out, that the internal checksum check is layed down within the line starting with the offset 10.

After having recognized these things I have done the following:

1. At first I extracted the EFI "SataDiver" module from the actual BIOS for your mainboard.
2. Then I enabled the TRIM in RAID feature for P67 and Z68 chipset mainboards by changing the related hex codes.
3. At least I corrected the checksum of the file and was able to replace the original "SataDriver" v11.6.0.1702 of your BIOS by the modified module.

If you want to test this BIOS containing the SataDriver v11.6.0.1702 mod for P67+Z68, you may download it from >here<.

 

[john-117]

@Fernando

Thanks! I will try it out. But in the meantime, I had inserted the newer v12.0.0.1783 SataDriver file in the bios. It seems to work without any issues. However trim doesn't seem to work (using the trim check tool mentioned before, v0.4).
I want to secure erase my drives (Vertex 3 Max Iops), recreate the array using 11.6 raid rom, and do a clean install of Windows 8. But how do you enter the raid rom option menu while booting in uefi mode? Ctrl+I does not work...

 

[Fernando 1]

I will try it out.

That would be fine.

But in the meantime, I had inserted the newer v12.0.0.1783 SataDriver file in the bios. It seems to work without any issues. However trim doesn't seem to work (using the trim check tool mentioned before, v0.4).

Which SataDriver module did you insert: the original file or that one i had modified for TRIM with P67+Z68 chipset RAID0 systems?

I want to secure erase my drives (Vertex 3 Max Iops), recreate the array using 11.6 raid rom, and do a clean install of Windows 8. But how do you enter the raid rom option menu while booting in uefi mode? Ctrl+I does not work...

Enter the BIOS, set the SATA Controller to "RAID", reboot, enter the "Enhanced Options" BIOS screen, use the > button of your keyboard until you see the "Intel(R) Rapid Storage" tab on top of the screen.
Then you can create your RAID array as usual.
Big advance: Since the Intel EFI RAID Utility is part of the BIOS, you will have no boot delay anymore caused by the RAID array.

 

[john-117]

Which SataDriver module did you insert: the original file or that one i had modified for TRIM with P67+Z68 chipset RAID0 systems?

Yes.

Enter the BIOS, set the SATA Controller to "RAID", reboot, enter the "Enhanced Options" BIOS screen, use the > button of your keyboard until you see the "Intel(R) Rapid Storage" tab on top of the screen.
Then you can create your RAID array as usual.
Big advance: Since the Intel EFI RAID Utility is part of the BIOS, you will have no boot delay anymore caused by the RAID array.

It seems I can't do that, my bios doesn't have the Rapide Storage tab. Probably because it's a beta bios. On the other hand, at least they are releasing new things for my Z68 board...
As a workaround, I will insert a modded legacy 11.6 raid rom, create the array in legacy mode and then switch to uefi mode before I install Windows.