Bad M2 socket, or am I doing it wrong?

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webshooter

Jun 24, 2018
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Hi there. I'm looking for some help from the more experienced PC builders here.

After a bit of research (perhaps not enough) I purchased the following:

- ASRock Z370 Killer SLI/ac (https://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16813157790)
- SAMSUNG 970 EVO M.2 2280 1TB PCIe Gen3. X4, NVMe 1.3 (https://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16820147691)
- Intel Optane M.2 2280 32GB PCIe NVMe 3.0 x2 Memory Module (https://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=9SIA24G5S43044)

Since the MB comes with 2 M2 slots I figured I could use the nice fast Samsung EVO 970 as a boot drive and accelerate a 6TB hard drive with the Optane. After installing the 970 in M2_1 and the Optane in M2_2 I booted into the bios and saw that it recognized the Optane in M2_2, but it didn't see the 970 in M2_1. I swapped them and restarted only to find that the bios now saw the 970 in M2_2, but didn't see the Optane in M2_1. I understand that M2_1 and M2_2 are technically different types on M2 sockets (M2_1 is Key E and M2_2 is an Ultra M.2), so I guess my question is should these drives work in that M2_1 socket, or did I just get a faulty board? Or maybe I've missed something else? I've installed the Intel Optane driver software and it, like the bios, doesn't see the Optane drive installed in M2_1. I'd like to avoid an RMA if the drives shouldn't be recognized in that type of M2 socket anyway.

Thanks in advance for any info!

Note: I am using an 8th gen intel cpu and 300 series chipset to allow optane acceleration on a non-boot drive
 
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Lutfij

Lutfij

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If you want to use Optane, you should set the SATA controller to RAID. If you want to use the M.2 as the OS drive it should be on the first M.2 slot. Make sure you're on the latest BIOS update for your board. Connect your HDD to SATA port 1. SATA ports 5 and 0 will be used by M.2 slots 1+2(respectively).
 
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webshooter

Jun 24, 2018
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Thanks for the reply!

I do have the 6TB HDD connected to SATA_1, and the 1TB Samsung SSD is in M2_2 since it was not recognized when it was installed in M2_1 (just as the Optane memory isn't recognized in M2_1). I'll try switching the SATA mode to RAID and see if the Optane in M2_1 is recognized. And I did flash the MB bios to the latest P1.60 before I did anything else.

My main question is, is there any reason, other than a bad M2_1 socket, or incorrect bios config, that neither the Samsung SSD nor the Optane memory would show up in the bios when connected to M2_1?

Thanks again!
 
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Calvin7

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Feb 19, 2013
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NVME SSDs do not appear within the BIOS until Windows creates the system partition with the EFI Boot Sector. Your M.2 SSD contains UEFI driver information within the firmware. By disabling the CSM module Windows will read and utilize the M.2-specific UEFI driver.

Since you can have single drives with SATA configuration in RAID, you would set that to RAID.

1- The M.2 drive has to be the only drive installed. Disconnect power from other drives until you install OS.

Installation and Configuration for Intel Optane Memory
https://www.intel.com/content/www/us/en/support/articles/000025569/memory-and-storage/intel-optane-memory.html
 
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webshooter

Jun 24, 2018
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To be clear, they both show up in the BIOS prior to any OS installation, but ONLY if they are installed into the M2_2 slot.

For example I installed only the Samsung 970 SSD into M2_1 with nothing else attached - no Optane memory, no drives, not even a video card - and the BIOS showed nothing installed in M2_1. I then moved it to M2_2 and the BIOS showed it as installed there just fine. I did the same thing with JUST the Optane memory. If it is in M2_1, BIOS shows nothing installed. Move it to M2_2 and the BIOS shows it installed there no problem.

Is this because the M2_1 socket is different than the M2_2 socket? Maybe it doesn't show devices without partitions?

For testing I installed the Optane memory into M2_1, and the Samsung SSD into M2_2 so that I could install Windows. Note that during the Windows installation it could only identify a device if it was installed into M2_2, just like the BIOS. Once Windows was installed I followed the Intel Optane installation guide and installed the Intel RST software and drivers for Optane memory and restarted. Upon restart neither Windows Drive Manager nor the Intel RST software could detect the Optane device installed in M2_1, though they do see the Samsung 970 SSD (which is the boot drive now).

I'll change the BIOS SATA mode from AHCI to RAID as suggested above and see if that helps the BIOS, Windows or the Intel software to recognize the installed Optane memory in M2_1. If they still cannot I'm suspecting it is a bad socket on the MB rather than bad configuration. As it is, I would have been completely unable to even install Windows on the Samsung SSD if I had left it installed into M2_1 as the Windows installer detected no valid drives when I had it there.

Thanks again for all the info! And if anyone else has any info, please feel free to post it. :)
 
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Calvin7

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Hardware requirements for system acceleration with Intel Optane memory?
•PCIe NVMe drives not supported for system acceleration.

As I wrote before, NVME SSDs do not appear within the BIOS until Windows creates the system partition with the EFI Boot Sector.

Looks like your planning on using an unsupported type of boot drive for Intel Optane. (Samsung 970 SSD M.2).

You don't have an OS installed so it is hard to see why you would have Optane working anywhere.

How to create a bootable UEFI USB drive with Windows 10 Setup (for booting the Samsung 970 SSD M.2)
https://winaero.com/blog/how-to-create-a-bootable-uefi-usb-drive-with-windows-10-setup/

 
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webshooter

Jun 24, 2018
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Sorry if I was unclear. I am not using the Optane memory to accelerate the boot drive. I'm using it on a non-boot drive as specified in the Intel docs here (https://www.intel.com/content/www/us/en/support/articles/000027987/memory-and-storage.html). This drive is a Western Digital Black 6TB HDD that I have now installed and have running on SATA_1. It's just not being accelerated since nothing - not the Windows Drive Manager, not the Intel RST/Optane software, not the BIOS - can see any device plugged into M2_1 which is where the Optane memory currently sits.


I have attached the Samsung SSD to M2_2 and installed Windows there, no problem. I've installed the Optane memory into M2_1 and attached the WD HDD to SATA_1. The Samsung SSD works fine. The WD HDD works fine. The Optane memory installed into M2_1 is absolutely unavailable at any level.


And, again, to be clear both of these NVME SSDs DO SHOW UP in my BIOS storage info display - even before I installed Windows anywhere - but only when they were installed in the M2_2 socket. During the new MB/CPU/SSD(s) installation I swapped these 2 several times to verify that they both registered in the BIOS in M2_2, but never in M2_1. In fact they'd _have_ to wouldn't they? That's a hardware level check - how would Windows Drive Manager even know there was a device attached to create a drive partition on if they didn't register as installed/attached by the MB?

I'm not trying to be difficult or contrarian as I know my understanding of these things was left somewhere back in the early 2000's :). I'm just reporting what I see so I can figure out if I should go through the hassle of RMA'ing this board.

Again, thank you for the information. I do really appreciate the help!
 
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webshooter

Jun 24, 2018
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Yes. That information is what I am using. In fact, the link I provided in my last post is what this lists as it's source.
 
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R0GG

R0GG

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With the latest Intel Optane Memory and Intel® Rapid Storage Technology (Intel® RST) applications (Version 16.0.2.1086 or later), the Secondary/Data drive can be accelerated with Intel® Optane™ Memory modules.
How to Configure, Install, and Manage Intel® Optane™ Memory Before Installing Windows® 10 (Advanced)
https://www.intel.com/content/www/us/en/support/articles/000023853/memory-and-storage/intel-optane-memory.html

I am wondering if activating intel RST in Bios downgrades M.2 drives speed as they'll be operating in RAID mode not AHCI.
 
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webshooter

Jun 24, 2018
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[strike]Again, all information I have previously referenced in my posts and stated clearly that I am following. Is this some kind of bot, or a person who is not reading the messages in this thread before making posts?[/strike]

Sorry, I didn't see that you'd actually provided more than just the link. Thanks for the info. I do not know if the settings affect the speed in any way. My outdated understanding was that it probably would slow it down, but frankly there have been so many changes in the last 10+ years that I'm lost :-(

At this point I'm just hoping to not have to sit idle for a week without a machine while I RMA this board back to Newegg...
 
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R0GG

R0GG

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Activating intel RST in the Bios should get you an extra entry in the Bios to configure your RAID and the RAID drive created should appear as a booting choice in device boot priorities list.

Z370 AND COFFEE LAKE OPTANE SETUP >> http://z370.weebly.com/optane-setup.html
Intel says a Bios update is required for Secondary/data drive acceleration through Intel® RST

So basically it's far from being a straight forward process for someone new to it, don't give up too fast mate !
I would start by getting more acquainted with your motherboard bios through some youtube videos, motherboard manual, and some browsing through your mobo Bios, then verify you have the latest bios version (Asrock website), update it carefully if needed.

[ASRock Classroom] Intel Optane Memory One Click Install Via ASRock APP Shop >> https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_7kPJIqoOYE

 
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