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

[Sagath]

Yes, mainboard manufacturers like Sony and Intel don't make it easy for the users to look into the BIOS components and to modify the BIOS.

Sooo, what you're saying is that Im SOL since I'm using an Intel DP67BG on the latest 2209 bios?

After reading the news feed, I fiddled a bit, but being that the file name was xxx.BIO I couldnt get to read it with any of the previously mentioned editors

Please let me know your thoughts Thanks!

 

[Stress]

Using Fernando's easy trim test it appears to me that trim now works for my 2x intel 80GB 320 SSD's in raid0 under Win7 x64 on my ASUS P7P55D-E LX main board on the Intel Desktop/Workstation/Server Express Chipset SATA RAID Controller running IRST 11.6.2.1002 after updating the bios using OROM 11.6.0.1702 with the lookup table modified as described by Dufus for P55 chipsets.

 

[Makaveli]

Sooo, what you're saying is that Im SOL since I'm using an Intel DP67BG on the latest 2209 bios?

After reading the news feed, I fiddled a bit, but being that the file name was xxx.BIO I couldnt get to read it with any of the previously mentioned editors

Please let me know your thoughts Thanks!

If you rename the file to .ROM does the editor open it?

 

[el-Capitan]

Another successful TRIM-enabler here. All tests well for a Gigabyte GA-Z68MA-D2H-B3 and two Vertex 3 120GB (they write 0's).

Happy to share the modded official beta UEFI BIOS. PM me.

Dufus you've done great spotting this. Thank you very much for testing and sharing this here.
Vielen Dank auch an Dich, Fernando, fuer deine ausfuehrlichen Anleitungen und prompten Antworten.

:awe:!!!

 

[Sagath]

If you rename the file to .ROM does the editor open it?

Yes, but contains nothing that it should, and only 2 lines (of which they have no names)

 

[Fernando 1]

@ Sagath:

The Aptio UEFI MMTool is the only regular BIOS tool, which is able to open an Intel UEFI BIOS, but contrary to all other mainboard manufacturers Intel doesn't use the normal AMI UEFI BIOS structure. That is why you don't see any special file like "CSMCORE", if you open an Intel UEFI BIOS.
If you really want to extract the Intel RAID ROM module from an Intel UEFI BIOS, you have to strip down the content completely by using the "Phoenix Tool", but this is a Hacker/Warez tool, which can be used for illegal purposes. That is why I don't give a link.
Side note: After having extracted the big amount of files from an Intel UEFI BIOS by using the Phoenix Tool you do not know, which is the file containing the Intel RAID ROM BIOS, because the file names are absolutely misleading.

 

[Smilen]

Thanks for the great work Fernando and others. I'm having trouble getting the modified OROM to 'hold'. I have used the Aptio UEFI MMTool to replace the OROM (in CSMCORE) on the latest bios for my MSI Z768a GD 55 Motherboard.
There no longer appears to be a flasher tool which simply flashes any bios. Intead MSI provide an executable which extracts the flasher and the bios onto a bootable USB, in my case I replace the bios extracted with my modified one.
I have also tried manually invoking the flasher providing it with the modfified bios as an argument at the command line.
The flashing process is succesful as far as I can tell, however on enabling RAID mode in the bios I see the version of the OROM has not changed, it is still 11.0.xxx.

My best guess is the flashing tools MSI provide have an automatic and silent check for modified bios's and will instead re-extract the official one to use in the case that there is a mismatch.

Anyone have any success with this using an MSI board? Any help would be much appreciated!

 

[ney2x]

Thanks for the great work Fernando and others. I'm having trouble getting the modified OROM to 'hold'. I have used the Aptio UEFI MMTool to replace the OROM (in CSMCORE) on the latest bios for my MSI Z768a GD 55 Motherboard.
There no longer appears to be a flasher tool which simply flashes any bios. Intead MSI provide an executable which extracts the flasher and the bios onto a bootable USB, in my case I replace the bios extracted with my modified one.
I have also tried manually invoking the flasher providing it with the modfified bios as an argument at the command line.
The flashing process is succesful as far as I can tell, however on enabling RAID mode in the bios I see the version of the OROM has not changed, it is still 11.0.xxx.

My best guess is the flashing tools MSI provide have an automatic and silent check for modified bios's and will instead re-extract the official one to use in the case that there is a mismatch.

Anyone have any success with this using an MSI board? Any help would be much appreciated!

This may help you alot ---> asus-asrock-msi-bioss-with-updated-raid-rom

 

[Smilen]

This may help you alot ---> asus-asrock-msi-bioss-with-updated-raid-rom

Thanks but still no joy. The bios provided there is actually older and is still just a naked bios file. I have succesfully created a bios file with the modified OROM and confirmed the OROM is present in the bios file. But on flashing the OROM is not upgraded.
Again I wonder if this is related to how the flashing is performed - the flashing tool is an exe file which contains the newest bios internally, it could be falling back on using the internal bios when it detects the one I am providing is modified?

 

[Fernando 1]

I have succesfully created a bios file with the modified OROM and confirmed the OROM is present in the bios file. But on flashing the OROM is not upgraded.

Did you check, that there was just a single Intel RAID ROM module within the BIOS?
I have already opened BIOS files, where 2 Intel RAID ROM files have been inserted by the mainboard manufacturer.

Again I wonder if this is related to how the flashing is performed - the flashing tool is an exe file which contains the newest bios internally, it could be falling back on using the internal bios when it detects the one I am providing is modified?

I don't believe that. Usually you get an error message while trying to flash a BIOS, which is not accepted.

 

[Smilen]

Did you check, that there was just a single Intel RAID ROM module within the BIOS?

I have double checked using MMTool and extracting from any module I suspect could be hiding an NV OROM - as far as I can see there are 4 candidates - satadriver, satacontroller, CSMCore and ahci. I have again tried a flash which was succesful however the OROM has not updated.
After the flash I extracted the OROM from the file used to flash and confirmed it still contains 11.6.

I am at a loss as to how to make this work at this point.

If anyone is interested the modified bios I am using is attached here.

 

[Fernando 1]

I have again tried a flash which was succesful however the OROM has not updated.
After the flash I extracted the OROM from the file used to flash and confirmed it still contains 11.6.

Make a clear CMOS and look what happens afterwards.

 

[uplinkpro]

Not much luck here I have an ASrock z68 Extreme 4 Gen 3 and im using : 8086-2822_v11601702_mod_for_P67+Z68 on the latest bios like shown, with the RST 11.6.0.1030. trying to raid two ocz vertex 3's. but using your method of testing trim no matter if i reboot or not the file still exists in hex. However the file does change when i reboot just not fully 0 out.

 

[el-Capitan]

Not much luck here I have an ASrock z68 Extreme 4 Gen 3 and im using : 8086-2822_v11601702_mod_for_P67+Z68 on the latest bios like shown, with the RST 11.6.0.1030. trying to raid two ocz vertex 3's. but using your method of testing trim no matter if i reboot or not the file still exists in hex. However the file does change when i reboot just not fully 0 out.

Had the same with my Vertex 3's and a first flash. Content changed after reboot. Blamed it the sectors being available again. I was not convinced it was Trimming.

So I modded the BIOS again, loaded defaults, flashed the BIOS again, and then it worked - without having to reboot. Beautiful zeros everywhere.

I dont know where my error was, possibly a fault in modding the BIOS, or perhaps because I did not default the BIOS prior flashing...?

Can only suggest to try again from scratch.

 

[uplinkpro]

Had the same with my Vertex 3's and a first flash. Content changed after reboot. Blamed it the sectors being available again. I was not convinced it was Trimming.

So I modded the BIOS again, loaded defaults, flashed the BIOS again, and then it worked - without having to reboot. Beautiful zeros everywhere.

I dont know where my error was, possibly a fault in modding the BIOS, or perhaps because I did not default the BIOS prior flashing...?

Can only suggest to try again from scratch.

Yea im pretty new ad hexing and bios modding im not sure what i could have done wrong though maybe something simple I missed. I retried it but the same results. Could windows 8 be another factor as to why its not working?

 

[davidm71]

We don't know it until now, but you may test it, if you want.
Preconditions:
1. It should be possible to update the Intel RAID ROM module of your mainboard BIOS to v11.6.0.1702.
2. Dufus's SATA ID Tool must show a valid Alternate Device ID. >Here< you can find the link. Please run the tool and tell me the Alternate Device ID. Then I will try to enable the TRIM in RAID feature for your mainboard.

Hi,

On my X58 rig the SataID tool couldnt find the alternate id and said '0' for an answer. I think I put the wrong alternate id in there..

Thanks

 

[ney2x]

@Fernando

Does installing IRST 11.6.2.1002 on Windows 8, the filter iaStorF.sys installed too? I haven't got the chance to try Windows 8 yet that's why I am asking And lastly, does Windows 8 better than Windows 7 in regards to TRIM support? TIA.

 

[Ourasi]

X58 Alternate ID.

If you have any X58 friends/requests for TRIM+Raid0, could you have them try this Id: 3a05 if you could hexopen that ID..

This is the most promising ID I have found for X58 that are actually a Raid Controller (Device 8086:3a05) (82801JD/DO (ICH10 Family) SATA RAID Controller) residing on X58 motherboards..

Link: http://pci-ids.ucw.cz/read/PC/8086/3a05
Link for the entire Intel 8086 database: http://pci-ids.ucw.cz/read/PC/8086

 

[Fernando 1]

@Fernando
Does installing IRST 11.6.2.1002 on Windows 8, the filter iaStorF.sys installed too?

No, Windows 8 doesn't use the iaStorF.sys. It is not even present within the Windows\System32\Drivers folder.
Reason: Win8 natively is able to send the UNMAP command and doesn't need a separate SCSI filter driver to get TRIM through the RAID Controller into the RAID0.

And lastly, does Windows 8 better than Windows 7 in regards to TRIM support?

With my Z77 RAID0 system I haven't seen any difference regarding TRIM between Win7 and Win8.

 

[davidm71]

If you have any X58 friends/requests for TRIM+Raid0, could you have them try this Id: 3a05 if you could hexopen that ID..

This is the most promising ID I have found for X58 that are actually a Raid Controller (Device 8086:3a05) (82801JD/DO (ICH10 Family) SATA RAID Controller) residing on X58 motherboards..

Link: http://pci-ids.ucw.cz/read/PC/8086/3a05
Link for the entire Intel 8086 database: http://pci-ids.ucw.cz/read/PC/8086

I tried that one and every id listed for 82801 raid controller and 5-series. I tried 2822, 3b25, 3a05, 2925, and a couple other ids and none of them worked. So either I'm using the wrong id or its not supported.

 

[NotSmart]

Acceleration is go...

After adding support in the main BIOS it seems SRT is possible for the P67, I think there is a good chance it might also work on the P55 5-series too, will try to check it out when I have the time.

Enhanced mode accelerating C: drive partition on WD 5400RPM 250GB drive.

Change mode

SRT is not for me I think, while it does offer a nice speed up I think I'll stick to my RAID0

How do I get SRT working with this? Most of the discussion seems to be TRIM in RAID.

I have an ASUS P67 board as well. (but not the Evo) Controller ID 2822, Alternate ID 1C04.

 

[Fernando 1]

On my X58 rig the SataID tool couldnt find the alternate id and said '0' for an answer.

According to Dufus this means, that TRIM in RAID0 cannot been activated by a simple ROM modification.
More important than the chipset of the mainboard (in your case: X58) is the Southbridge chip. There obviously are X58 mainboards with an onboard "ICH10 Family" (Alt. DeviceID is 3a02), "ICH10R" (ID is 3a25) or even "ICH9R" (ID is 2925) SATA RAID Controllers.
Maybe it will help to check the DeciveID of the onboard Intel SATA AHCI Controller. If that Controller is a real "5-Series SATA AHCI Controller" with a DeviceID beginning with "3B" instead of "3A", which stands for ICH10 SATA Controllers, the TRIM in RAID feature may be activated by the correct DeviceID within the RAID ROM file.

 

[RReapeR]

HY guys firstly , im using a p8p67 evo rev B3 with 2302 bios on it, ive been watching the the trim forum here and also on station drivers aswell..... can some1 direct me to some specfic links dlds for my mobo , i want to try it bit if i am to try it i want to try the faster version RAID ROM v11.5.0.1414, Intel RST(e) drivers of the v11.5 branch (actual: v11.5.0.1184) , ty in adavance

 

[Fernando 1]

@ RReapeR:
Welcome at AnandTech Forum!

im using a p8p67 evo rev B3 with 2302 bios on it, ive been watching the the trim forum here and also on station drivers aswell..... can some1 direct me to some specfic links dlds for my mobo , i want to try it bit if i am to try it i want to try the faster version RAID ROM v11.5.0.1414, Intel RST(e) drivers of the v11.5 branch (actual: v11.5.0.1184) , ty in adavance

If you want TRIM within your P67 RAID0 without doing any additional work yourself, I recommend to look into >this< thread. Garikfox is offering there the actual BIOS 3602 for your P8P67 EVO with already integrated TRIM supporting modified Intel RAID ROM v11.6.0.1702. If you want a special TRIM supporting BIOS version with a special RAID ROM version, you probably have to do the BIOS modding procedure yourself. >Here< you will find a download link to the requested Intel RAID ROM v11.5.0.1414 (not yet customized for P67 TRIM support).

 

[Sagath]

Fernando,

Would you mind giving me a hand (maybe via PM would be best) to try to get this enabled on my Intel BIOS? It is clearly outside the scope of the existing walkthroughs and above my skill level to figure out on my own.

Either way, thanks for your hard work assisting others with this hack