[SOLVED] Is Win10 setting Link speed(/Gen) of PCIe X4(M.2)(NVMe) ?

[Goobs]

I have an ASRock B450M Pro4. Ryzen 5 3600, WD Black Sn750 on the PCIe 3.0 x4 M.2 slot, XPG Z1 3200 (DRZ1) 2x8GB on A2/B2 slots, XFX RX 580 GTS Black Edition on the top (PCIe 2.0?) PCIe x16 slot, 5 case fans.

So the problem is I can't seem to keep my SN750 NVMe to stay at Gen3 on Windows 10. While sometimes after messing with the BIOS, even getting 3200MHz and timings right, I sometimes get Gen3 on my PCIe x4, but after a reboot, and every reboot after, it is stuck at Gen1. Stock clocks on my RAM seem to not have affect on the Link speed, especially after a fresh BIOS flash, or CMOS reset. I've ran the Trial Non-install Ubuntu mode on a USB external SSD, and was able to have both my XMP speed(3200/timings), and full Gen3 rated speeds for my SN750.

ASRock technical support could not help me, I've tried basically everything within my abilities and kept my support specialist up to date.

I am not sure if this is a motherboard issue, a RAM issue, a drive issue, or a Windows 10 issue. But I am still within return period both everything. Still frustrating AF!

Anybody have an idea what's going on.? Anyone with similar setup and have full NVMe speeds and RAM overclocked on Windows 10?

Thanks

 

[rgd1101]

where did you see it running at gen 1?

 

[Goobs]

where did you see it running at gen 1?

WD Dashboard. Also, CrystalDiskMark and other bench tools do not show it reaching over Gen1 x4 speeds(1GB/s). Actually now that I think about it. When I first built it, I ran benchmarks and I was also seeing under 1GB/s, this was before updating the BIOS or overclocking the RAM. So I might be mistaken in assuming stock clocks allow it to stay in Gen3. The changelog for the newer versions of the BIOS state that it "optimized NVMe speeds" I've tried the latest BIOS and the exact one that said that to no avail.

 

[Goobs]

The drive is rated at 3400 MB/s. I have reached these speeds after some BIOS resets or changes(and booted into Windows 10), even combined with XMP 3200 at 1.30v(changed from 1.35v) . But it does not stick after a reboot of Windows.

 

[rgd1101]

sound more like motherboard issue

is this a new build? fresh windows 10 install for it?

 

[Goobs]

sound more like motherboard issue

is this a new build? fresh windows 10 install for it?

Even if it's able to hit those speeds at Gen3 and 3200mhz once, it will stay there for the remainder of my sessions, reboot, poof? It SEEMS to work on Ubuntu, however I only ran tests through a non-installed version of it on a USB drive. The motherboard is capable of supporting both Gen3 x4 AND 3200mhz. I have also ran benchmarks on another install of Win10 from an External USB SSD, and it is still limited to Gen1 speeds.

 

[rgd1101]

so not a fresh os install for the build?

 

[Goobs]

so not a fresh os install for the build?

I've done 3 fresh installs of Windows 10 with different BIOS settings before each install.

 

[Goobs]

I can change BIOS/RAM settings around and sometimes get Overclock speeds + Gen3 NVMe speeds on the same installation, but it never sticks after a reboot:::: I can go in BIOS right now and mess with the XMP/voltage timings, and I might luckily get 3.4GB/s with RAM Overlock on my next boot, but after reboot, it's most certainly going to revert to Gen1(1GB/S) . I have tried many configurations, times, voltages, on EVERYTHING. (Well not the advanced timing stuff).

 

[rgd1101]

check for bend pin on the cpu.
rma motherboard, and/or the cpu too

 

[Goobs]

Yeah I'll check when I send it back .

 

[Goobs]

Gives me a chance to upgrade to B550m so I'll get a more future proof board, even though it most likely won't support the next generation of Ryzen, but even an upgrade to the x900s is good enough, they might throw in some AM4 6000s, who knows.

Would be 100% fine with this board though, if it worked as advertised.