ASUS X99 Gaming + SM961 Issue

[JayBeeAB]

Hi Folks,

I bought a Samsung SM961 M.2 NVMe (512GB) and plugged it into my M.2 slot. Booted up, it appeared, I installed Windows 10 on it. Windows naturally rebooted and then the drive was gone and wouldn't appear again (Even after reseating it).

The BIOS was v1201 so I upgraded to v1401, reseated it again and it appeared. I rebooted it, it was still there. I then booted into the Windows 10 installer and it was gone!! Now its gone from the BIOS again!!!

I thought it was a defective drive, but I have been told from the site I bought the PC that the X99 boards don't support the SM961 or PM961.

So...

Question 1.
Anyone know if this is true, does the mobo not support these drives? Anyone know the fastest possible SSD I can get that it does support (I seem to see some videos implying the SM951 works, but I think its ACHI and not NVMe - is that true? Is that why it works and the SM961 doesn't?)

Question 2.
Anyone here a member of the ASUS forums? Their registration is broken and so I can't ask there (it says "you didn't agree to T&C's" when in fact the box is ticked.). I've tried 3 browsers across 2 OS's and its definitely borked. Can someone that is a member PM the admins of the forum and let them know so I can register?

Many thanks folks.

 

[SgtScream]

When you boot to the installation media and you are at the prompt where you drives are supposed to show. Can you add nvme drivers that will give you the ability to recognize the drive?

 

[JayBeeAB]

I could try, but I'm assuming because it appears and disappears from the BIOS boot priority list, that there is some kind of intermittant conflict. I would doubt that on the times it doesn't show up that it would boot to Windows. I imagine it would not see it and boot to the next item on the boot priority list or boot back to BIOS if there is nothing else.

 

[SgtScream]

I could try, but I'm assuming because it appears and disappears from the BIOS boot priority list, that there is some kind of intermittant conflict. I would doubt that on the times it doesn't show up that it would boot to Windows. I imagine it would not see it and boot to the next item on the boot priority list or boot back to BIOS if there is nothing else.

I agree, its sounds like you should get your hands on another nvme drive.

 

[JayBeeAB]

A replacement you think? Or another model due to incompatibility with the board?

I think the SM951 ACHI works, but I'm guessing is quite a bit slower.

 

[SgtScream]

What motherboard do you have?

 

[JayBeeAB]

ASUS Rog Strix X99 Gaming

https://www.asus.com/uk/Motherboards/ROG-STRIX-X99-GAMING/

Which lists:
"M.2 Socket 3 Type M
PCIe Gen 3.0 x 4 NVME"

Though, the Manual (http://dlcdnet.asus.com/pub/ASUS/mb/LGA2011/STRIX_X99_GAMING/E11712_STRIX_X99_GAMING_UM_V2_WEB.pdf?_ga=1.131609613.363283992.1484601411) says:

" 1 x M.2 Socket 3 with M Key, type 2242/2260/2280/22110 storage
devices support (supports PCIE SSDs only)*

*
These functions will work depending on the CPU installed."

My CPU is an OC'd 6850K.

 

[SgtScream]

You read the manual for the x99 board, but I also found a manual for the nvme drive. Did you read the installation instructions on that?
http://www.google.com/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=web&cd=&ved=0ahUKEwi6uPO57uLRAhUI12MKHfpFACAQFggaMAA&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.samsung.com%2Fsemiconductor%2Fglobal%2Ffile%2Finsight%2F2015%2F08%2FNVMeSSD_User_Installation_Guide_whitepaper-0.pdf&usg=AFQjCNEQCxgVi_MTv0QmXYLBhFMPHHpxgA&bvm=bv.145063293,d.eWE

 

[JayBeeAB]

Hey,

No the drive (ordered from scan.co.uk) came alone with no manual inside a static proof sleeve but nothing else (inside A LOT of bubble wrap). Can you point me to that manual?

Thanks.

 

[SgtScream]

Google "Samsung NVMeSSD_User_Installation_Guide"

 

[JayBeeAB]

Page 16 is interesting. It acknowledges the fact that the drive might not appear in the BIOS (though mine is intermittant). And does indeed indicate loading the driver inside the windows installer...

Presuming this is the driver, I might pop it on a USB stick and try it later.
http://www.samsung.com/semiconductor/minisite/ssd/download/overview.html

Edit: Actually, that driver link is an executable which is unlikely to work....

 

[SgtScream]

Let me know how you make out. I'm just going to put my money towards a higher capacity sata III ssd. It's not worth all this trouble and I doubt i'll utilize m.2 throughput speeds when all I do is game.

 

[JayBeeAB]

Cheers, I'll maybe ring ASUS support and ask them too.

Also, as in my original post. If any ASUS forum members could PM an admin or moderator about the broken registration that would be awesome.

Thanks.

 

[Violet915]

Hey, had your exact same issue only worse. It turns out the SM961 is not compatible with the ROG Strix x99 Gaming model. I was mega annoyed, and worse - I've already got to return a 960 Evo because apparently THAT isn't compatible either. (At this time i thought it was a faulty model or the case of it being OEM) But if you think this is wrong and the 961 could be supported by this board, let me know?

 

[JayBeeAB]

Hey, yes its totally ridiculous and shame on ASUS for pumping out ****. I never tried it personally, but was told that the Asus Hyper M.2 PCI-E riser cards work at the same bandwidth, although obviously use a PCI-E slot. When I say work, it detected the card 10 out of 10 times from cold boots, whereas the M.2 slot worked 'once in a while'. I bought the machine custom built from pc-specialist and they performed the tests. I never bought it myself as I had already returned the SM961 and felt too fed up to follow up.

If you do buy a riser and it works for you, let me know as I might try it out at some point.

 

[Violet915]

Hey, yes its totally ridiculous and shame on ASUS for pumping out ****. I never tried it personally, but was told that the Asus Hyper M.2 PCI-E riser cards work at the same bandwidth, although obviously use a PCI-E slot. When I say work, it detected the card 10 out of 10 times from cold boots, whereas the M.2 slot worked 'once in a while'. I bought the machine custom built from pc-specialist and they performed the tests. I never bought it myself as I had already returned the SM961 and felt too fed up to follow up.

If you do buy a riser and it works for you, let me know as I might try it out at some point.

https://gyazo.com/7965e746dedf3fbb8707c007ea8eb1b5 -- This is what caused me the issue. This site's compatability lists are not up to date. Definitely double check anything you buy in future.