NVMe M.2 SSD RAID-0 on ASUS Z170 PRO GAMING

[Peter-CPH]

Hi guys
I'm trying to setup a bootable RAID-0 on ASUS Z170 PRO GAMING mobo.
I'm using two NVMe M.2 SSD (Samsung 960 EVO 250 GB). Installed latest Samsung NVMe driver. I've placed one SSD in the build-in M.2 slot on the board. The other SSD placed in a PCI Express card (internal M.2 NVMe, v3.0 x4) placed in 2'nd PCI-e port (my graphics card sits in 1'st PCI-e port and takes 8 lanes). BIOS updated to latest version 3016, containing Intel RST.
Running Windows 10, 64-bit, from a Kingston 250 GB SSD (SATA).
In BIOS I can see both M.2 SSD drives in AHCI mode. Likewise in Windows I see both M.2 SSD drives, and they both benchmark perfectly.
But when I change from AHCI to RAID mode in BIOS, I can only see one M.2 SSD drive, the one in the PCIe port?!
I've tried close to every combination of settings, no luck. Even switched the two M.2 SSD's - after removing SATA devices to avoid any conflicts there. Same result. Also tried moving M.2 SSD from PCIe port 2 to PCIe port 3. Same result, no luck.
Have any of you guys succesfully setup a bootable RAID-0 (Windows 10, 64-bit) with same mobo and same NVMe M.2 SSD's? And how the heck did you do that...?
Any help will be so very much appreciated - before I end up at the funny-farm
Copenhagen over, but not out

 

[kanewolf]

Don't. RAID0 for your boot device is a bad idea. Especially with M.2, you won't benefit in any real-world way. Your benchmark numbers might be great, but the hassle and risk of data loss is just not worth it.

 

[Peter-CPH]

Don't. RAID0 for your boot device is a bad idea. Especially with M.2, you won't benefit in any real-world way. Your benchmark numbers might be great, but the hassle and risk of data loss is just not worth it.

Thx kanewolf, appreciate your answer!

I guess this is probably a matter of taste. Maybe I'm just an ignorant sucker for speed, willingly facing the risks involved with RAID-0. Maybe I'll learn a RAID-lesson the hard way (which is actually not that hard anyway), or maybe it will be a GREAT-lesson running like a wet dream

These new M.2 SSD's seems to be much more reliable and rock-solid than ealier versions and types. So I'll like to have a go at it - and see for my self.

Tomorrow I'll try to setup a bootable RAID-0 running the two M.2 SSD's from two identical PCIe cards (internal M.2 NVMe, v3.0 x4). Will post results

 

[Peter-CPH]

Don't. RAID0 for your boot device is a bad idea. Especially with M.2, you won't benefit in any real-world way. Your benchmark numbers might be great, but the hassle and risk of data loss is just not worth it.

Thx kanewolf, appreciate your answer!

I guess this is probably a matter of taste. Maybe I'm just an ignorant sucker for speed, willingly facing the risks involved with RAID-0. Maybe I'll learn a RAID-lesson the hard way (which is actually not that hard anyway), or maybe it will be a GREAT-lesson running like a wet dream

These new M.2 SSD's seems to be much more reliable and rock-solid than ealier versions and types. So I'll like to have a go at it - and see for my self.

Tomorrow I'll try to setup a bootable RAID-0 running the two M.2 SSD's from two identical PCIe cards (internal M.2 NVMe, v3.0 x4). Will post results

No luck yet with the two PCIe cards. Both M.2 SSD's shows up nicely in BIOS, but only in AHCI mode. And they both perform very well in Windows 10. But changing to RAID mode none of the M.2 SSD's are visible.

Just looked at my mobo's latest "Hardware Periphery Compatibility" from ASUS (published a few weeks ago). The Samsung 960 EVO M.2 NVMe is not included! Actually most/if not all of the supported M.2 SSD's seems to have hit the market more than a year ago! So that's a good (obvious) lesson: Always look such stuff up BEFORE buying a new mobo, jerk! To my own defence, the wish to RAID came AFTER I saw the crazy-fast performance of a single NVMe M.2 SSD. More wants more I guess...

I'll get in touch with ASUS Support and see if there's any possible way to RAID-0 my M.2 SSD's on that mobo. If not possible, I'll try to return the mobo, and hopefully get one with two or three internal M.2 slots (that will RAID-0 my Samsung 960 EVO's).

Love to hear from someone who runs Windows 10, 64-bit, on a RAID-0 partition based on two Samsung 960 EVO's. What mobo should I look for?

c",)

 

[Peter-CPH]

Update:

I ended up calling the dealer (small shop) and talked to the owner. Very friendly guy, he suggested the ASUS Prime Z270-P mobo, that they just received. And sure, no problem returning my rig with the ASUS Z170 PRO GAMING mobo and switching to the Z270-P (featuring two M.2 slots). "Just bring your rig, and we'll change the mobo for you". Total price all included (mobo switch + time spent): 55 dollars. Sweet! That mobo looks so much nicer and "future-friendly". And ASUS directly states:
"Native M.2/NVMe PCIe RAID Support for Lightning Fast Storage Speed",
read more here: https://www.asus.com/dk/Motherboards/PRIME-Z270-P/

That ends this thread.