990FX RAID 0 with EVO SSDs: Windows doesnt recognized array during installation

[mnick]

I'm having a hard time trying to setup my new Asus Sabertooth 990FX R2.0 motherboard with Windows 8 64bit using the onboard AMD RAID controller. What I'm trying to achieve is to install Windows 7/8 Pro 64 bit on the Samsung SSD drives in a RAID 0 configuration. I've tried a lot of different configurations which I'll go over in a moment. I've spent the better half of this last weekend reading the forums and I just can't find a solid answer. I'm starting to believe its unsupported?

Here is a overview of the hardware environment-

* 990FX R2.0 running Firmware 2501 (latest)
* SAMSUNG 850 EVO-Series MZ-75E250B/AM 2.5" 250GB SATA III 3-D Vertical SSD ** Running as RAID 0 ** (OS Drive)
* WD Red NAS Hard Drive WD30EFRX 3TB IntelliPower 64MB Cache SATA 6.0Gb/s 3.5" ** Running as RAID 1 ** (Storage Drive)

// * RAID Hard Drive Configuration *

I've confirmed that I'm using the AMD RAID controller.
I've configured the BIOS to use the SATA configuration as RAID.
I've built the RAID0 in the Legacy RAID ROM with the Samsung disks, with default settings (I've also tried with other settings within the RAID configuration).
I've built the RAID1 in the Legacy RAID ROM with the WD disks.
I've verified that after configuring the two RAID arrays that the BIOS sees the logical disks.

// * Attempt at installing Windows OS *

I get the same results whether I'm using a USB drive(s) or DVD ROM discs, I've gone as far as using different *.ISOs even when creating them with Rufus. The part that I get stuck on is the Windows installation does not recognize the RAID array containing the EVO drives. I've tried RAID 0/1 and both don't show up. The RAID 1 WD array shows up, no problem. I haven't tried to install to this as this isn't my end goal,

I go to load the RAID controller drivers from Asus's website and AMD's website and they don't work. I'm not able to get the AMD driver to even display on the list. Asus's driver shows the driver available and it loads it but still does not display the RAID 0 SSD array. On that note here are some details as to what I've tried-

I removed the WD drives from the equation (only the SSDs are connected) but the array does not show up under Windows Vista/7/8 Pro 64 bit installations.
I've unchecked the "hide drivers that aren't compatible with my system" when loading the drivers and individually loaded each of the the drivers on the list (even though they all show the same driver ahcix64s.inf).
I've canceled out of the loading drivers screen and swap USB ports (wild guess as previously suggested)
I've tried different USB drives, different USB ports (2.0 vs 3.0).
I've removed all the disks from arrays and they all show up during the Windows installation when the board is configured for AHCI.
I've tried the AMD SATA 3.0 controller ports on the board.
I've tried to install AMD's drivers even with "hide drivers that aren't compatible with my system" unchecked, including 32 bit as this supposedly has worked for some, without luck.

I'm sure there is more that I've tried but honestly, my head hurts. I'm open to suggestions at this point hence this forum post.

What is the workaround? Install the OS on a drive I don't need, as a temporary OS and then install Win8 64 bit Pro onto the RAID 0 from the GUI and reboot but upon rebooting, unplug all the drives except for the RAID 0 which contains the SSDs?

I was going to check the firmware on the EVO drives as I haven't explored that avenue yet.

Anyhow, thanks for reading

Cheers!

 

[mnick]

Sorry it didn't work for you. Like I said same thing happened to me and it took me about 6 hours of tinkering to finally get Windows to see the array.

That's what everyone continues to say (from what I've read). I just can't figure out what I've left out that hasn't been tinkered with!!

did you format the raid0 array in the legecy raid bios?

edit - and are all the drives plugged into AMD ports? (I see you also have AsMedia ports on that board too)

Yes, I've confirmed they are plugged into the correct AMD ports
I formatted the drive once joining them to the array. Actually what I haven't done is NOT formatted them, I wonder if that will matter?

I'm in the exact same boat, this is really frustrating. I have done all the above and still haven't gotten it to work. If you figure something out please let me know. I even went as far as purchasing another board thinking that my old board (which was the same as yours) was faulty. I'm having the same problem on the new one which is a Gigabyte 970A-UD3P. The only difference between our 2 scenarios is when I set mine to a raid 1 setup it found the drives after using the drivers from amd's website.

That makes me feel better that the MSI board is in the same situation. I only say that because I was kicking myself for not buying a MSI board vs. Asus.

Sorry that you aren't able to figure it out. I'll let you know what I find out though either way. Sounds like I might just buy a PRO drive instead of two EVOs

i'm gonna try this on my office server this week - though it'll be a RAID1 on 840 EVO drives. difference is mine is an intel build, not AMD. and i'm doing 2012R2 Essentials server. so yeah, it'll be totally different, but i'll post out of curiosity.

Please keep me posted!!!


I've installed Win8 on the WD drives and I'm going to run the Samsung Magician software to see if anything changes- I'll keep you all posted.

 

[mnick]

The Magician software says the firmware is up to date. I was going to secure erase the disks but I'm monitor/video card issues. Looks like I'll have to wait till my video card shows up on Wednesday to continue.

 

[mnick]

Emailed ASUS, expecting them to not be of any help but its worth a shot.
Attempting to reach out to Samsung as well.

 

[giantbucket]

i'm gonna try this on my office server this week - though it'll be a RAID1 on 840 EVO drives. difference is mine is an intel build, not AMD. and i'm doing 2012R2 Essentials server. so yeah, it'll be totally different, but i'll post out of curiosity.

Please keep me posted!!!


I've installed Win8 on the WD drives and I'm going to run the Samsung Magician software to see if anything changes- I'll keep you all posted.

so far so good. on MY system i was able to create a RAID1 using a pair of 840EVO and a RAID10 using a quad of Seagate1TB from the mobo / bios utility.

loading Win 2012R2 Essentials (server OS), and it easily recognizes both RAID arrays, so i point it to the EVOs and it's doing the install now.

piece of cake. go intel!

my mobo is an ASRock C226 WS so it's using an intel CPU and intel C226 chipset.

 

[popatim]

Try loading the amd Raid pre-install drivers thou I thought win8 had them built in.
http://download.gigabyte.us/FileList/Driver/mb_driver_amd_sataraid_raid_amd9series_w8.exe

*Asus doesn't list them even for win7 (which does require them) so I linked you gigabyte's which supplies them for both win7 & 8 installs.

 

[mnick]

I tried the gigabyte drivers and they contain the exact same file Asus uses. For the sake of saying I tried it, I did load that specific driver. No change- the driver loads but the SSD array is not visible

 

[popatim]

Can you show us the view drive assignments & LD View screens from the raid-bios utility plz & thanks.

 

[mnick]

Can you show us the view drive assignments & LD View screens from the raid-bios utility plz & thanks.

Here are the photos...

photo 1
photo 2
photo 3

Hopefully I didnt do the settings wrong?

Cheers

PS- No update from Asus yet either

 

[mnick]

I edited my last post so I'm not sure if it would send a notification update so Cheers to that!

 

[NigelJHatcher]

Having the same problem on my msi990fxa-gd80 v2 moBo with trying to raid samsung 850 evo as well, setting up raid in bios works fine, but can't get windows to see raid even with latest drivers

 

[giantbucket]

for kicks, can you guys try to install Windows Server 2012R2 Essentials? cuz on my office server, that OS installed and recognized the RAID array without issue. it's a free download with a 180day trial period. this may help to sort out if it's a Windows version issue or an AMD-vs-Intel issue.

 

[mnick]

for kicks, can you guys try to install Windows Server 2012R2 Essentials? cuz on my office server, that OS installed and recognized the RAID array without issue. it's a free download with a 180day trial period. this may help to sort out if it's a Windows version issue or an AMD-vs-Intel issue.

I think I have a disc of that. I will consider it. I also have the Win10 beta that I downloaded last night, I thought I might try that just for kicks.

I did hear back from Asus though, ha, great response-

"Dear [name],

Thank you for contacting ASUS Customer Service.
It is my pleasure to help you with your issue.

I understand that you want to setup RAID 0 on your motherboard with Samsung SSD drives.

I apologize for the inconvenience caused to you.

I am very sorry to inform you that the Samsung SSD drive is not compatible with your SABERTOOTH 990FX R2.0 motherboard.

Please follow the below link to find the compatible SSD for your motherboard.

http://dlcdnet.asus.com/pub/ASUS/mb/SocketAM3+/SABERTOOTH_990FX_R2.0/SABERTOOTH_990FX_R20-Device.pdf

Please check the motherboard with compatible SSD.

Then please follow the below link to setup the RAID 0 on your motherboard.

http://rog.asus.com/77402012/rampage-motherboards/what-is-raid-setup-guide/


Please feel free to contact us if you have any queries

Thank you very much.
[name]

Customer Service Center.
ASUSTek Computer Inc.

Component Product Support: 1-812-282-2787

 

[NigelJHatcher]

Downloading will post results

 

[NigelJHatcher]

Does not show up in server 2012 either

 

[giantbucket]

sounds like AMD chipsets are to blame?

i'm shocked at mnick's interaction with Asus, and them saying that the most popular SSD series (Samsung Evo) is somehow NOT qualified on their board... that's like Porsche saying their cars haven't been tested on Michelin or Pirelli tires, only Coopers. f'n epic fail.

 

[mnick]

sounds like AMD chipsets are to blame?

i'm shocked at mnick's interaction with Asus, and them saying that the most popular SSD series (Samsung Evo) is somehow NOT qualified on their board... that's like Porsche saying their cars haven't been tested on Michelin or Pirelli tires, only Coopers. f'n epic fail.

Notice NONE of the EVO drives are on the list however a lot of people are using them not in a RAID configuration. I think its just a cop out because they don't know why it doesn't work.

Oh well, hopefully I can sell one of the drives and I'll just use the 1 drive as previously suggested. Honestly, I can't believe I'm the first one they have told this and why its not posted elsewhere online?

And I will be pushing back to Asus when I install Windows just fine on a single disk- this is BS!

 

[USAFRet]

Notice NONE of the EVO drives are on the list however a lot of people are using them not in a RAID configuration. I think its just a cop out because they don't know why it doesn't work.

Oh well, hopefully I can sell one of the drives and I'll just use the 1 drive as previously suggested. Honestly, I can't believe I'm the first one they have told this and why its not posted elsewhere online?

!

Because SSD + RAID 0 = mostly useless.
Hence, not many people trying it. Fewer still with your particular combination of drives.

 

[giantbucket]

Notice NONE of the EVO drives are on the list however a lot of people are using them not in a RAID configuration. I think its just a cop out because they don't know why it doesn't work.

Oh well, hopefully I can sell one of the drives and I'll just use the 1 drive as previously suggested. Honestly, I can't believe I'm the first one they have told this and why its not posted elsewhere online?

!

Because SSD + RAID 0 = mostly useless.
Hence, not many people trying it. Fewer still with your particular combination of drives.

hmm, you know, maybe that's part of the reason that they (Asus et al) don't bother to check or support that functionality on desktop boards? my board was a workstation / server board, so maybe the mfg puts in a wee bit of extra effort to support RAID on OS drives. i actually didn't even bother checking the QVL for my board - i just shoved in a pair of EVOs and went at it.

 

[NigelJHatcher]

same lol, I am returning my 6 850 evo's gonna go a different route.

 

[giantbucket]

like, give up on RAID SSD or buy a different mobo that supports it without issue?

 

[NigelJHatcher]

i read somewhere that perhaps the samsung 840/850 pros work, might give that a try. or get a decent controller card and not use the mobo one.

 

[mnick]

Notice NONE of the EVO drives are on the list however a lot of people are using them not in a RAID configuration. I think its just a cop out because they don't know why it doesn't work.

Oh well, hopefully I can sell one of the drives and I'll just use the 1 drive as previously suggested. Honestly, I can't believe I'm the first one they have told this and why its not posted elsewhere online?

!

Because SSD + RAID 0 = mostly useless.
Hence, not many people trying it. Fewer still with your particular combination of drives.

I'm starting to agree and moving forward with just using a single SSD but like I said, I wanted to try it since I planned for it.

 

[mnick]

Well crap, this sucks, I can't have the board in RAID and AHCI mode, how can I utilize the SSD as a single disk and still have a RAID1 with my spinning disks?

 

[mnick]

Are the other 2 SATA ports (that aren't AMD) by default in AHCI? I didn't think about that until this morning. Maybe I can use those and keep the RAID of spinning disks on the AMD controller.

EDIT: actually I remember I had the SSDs originally plugged into those ports first and they didnt work so I'm thinking at this point I need a new MoBo that supports simple RAID functions- wth! How does a board like this get such good ratings and not support Samsung disks?

 

[mnick]

called Asus this morning, their tech support call time was too long so a phone representative told me that they'd call me back within 24 hours