Areca raid card and IVY BRIDGE motherboard comparability issues

[migit128]

So i wrote up about 4 pharagraphs only to lose focus in the text box and have IE start navigating to other pages, thus losing my text. Going to be very quick and to the point this time.

ASUS p8z68-v pro + areca 1880i + i7 2600k = WORKS!
intel DZ77RE-75k + areca 1880i + i7 3770k = DOESNT WORK!

xxxxxxxxxxxxxx + areca 1880i + i7 3770k = WORKS!

Fill in for the "xxxxxxxxx"! I need a motherboard that works properly with an areca raid card and an ivy bridge processor because my current motherboard doesn't even see there is a card in the slot (yet the card has power and you can visit the website hosted off the raid card). It doesn't boot up the raid card bios on start up so the card doesnt come up in the device manager in windows.

edit: small typo

 

[noidea_77]

Maybe a little to short this time! You are saying you don't see the card, but the raid array connected to it works? All mobo bios settings checked and "boot other devices" set? f6 driver installed?

 

[migit128]

Maybe a little to short this time! You are saying you don't see the card, but the raid array connected to it works? All mobo bios settings checked and "boot other devices" set? f6 driver installed?

In the motherboard BIOS, it shows no card is in the slot the card is in (mobo isnt detecting it). On my old mobo/processor, the raid card would have its own BIOS bootup sequence before windows would start loading. On the new mobo/processor, it skips this step. I've made sure the BIOS was set to output expansion card text. All boot optimizations are disabled. All "Boot to" options are enabled.

In windows, the RAID isn't accessible because it doesnt detect the areca raid card in the device manager (so you cannot install the drivers). This has to be because the raid card's bios isn't given a chance to boot. The raid card has its own ethernet jack and it hosts its own website. That website shows the card is up and running fine (so it's getting power (so it's plugged in correctly)).

I do not know what you mean by "f6 driver installed".

 

[noidea_77]

We are getting closer i think: did you update the areca bios? release notes say that the pci-e 3.0 ports of the intel board are supported since 2012-3-14.
f6 = mass storage drivers installed while win installation by pressing f6. Obviously you are not booting from the controller, so that's not needed.

 

[JeauxBleaux]

PCIE x16 Link Retrain • Enabled

This is used to adjust configuration for PCIe devices which may need accommodations to function properly when link training. Some PCI Express cards may not be detected properly. Link retraining allows the system to keep trying to train or detect and configure the card. This will increase boot time.

 

[migit128]

We are getting closer i think: did you update the areca bios? release notes say that the pci-e 3.0 ports of the intel board are supported since 2012-3-14.
f6 = mass storage drivers installed while win installation by pressing f6. Obviously you are not booting from the controller, so that's not needed.

I have not updated the raid bios and I don't think I will attempt it. I don't have a full backup of my raid so this isn't something I'm willing to risk. I'd rather go back to my old mobo. =/

 

[migit128]

PCIE x16 Link Retrain • Enabled

This is used to adjust configuration for PCIe devices which may need accommodations to function properly when link training. Some PCI Express cards may not be detected properly. Link retraining allows the system to keep trying to train or detect and configure the card. This will increase boot time.

This sounds extremely promising. Where's the option at? I dont remember seeing it when I was poking around in the bios.

 

[JeauxBleaux]

I hope this helps -> http://download.intel.com/support/motherboards/desktop/sb/biosglossarybymenu_v13.pdf

Under the Advanced > PCI Express Configuration Menu.

 

[migit128]

I hope this helps -> http://download.intel.com/support/motherboards/desktop/sb/biosglossarybymenu_v13.pdf

Under the Advanced > PCI Express Configuration Menu.

Checked every inch of the BIOS and that option isn't there =(

 

[JeauxBleaux]

Sorry to hear that.

Then you need to check in with intel support. Your card is most certainly booting (the webserver is working), it simply isn't being captured by the motherboard. I'm sure the folks at intel's support group can help when you describe the issue to them.
http://www.intel.com/p/en_US/support/contactsupport

 

[JeauxBleaux]

You may also want to check for "option ROM" settings. If your motherboard supports forcing Option ROM, then do it. I know your ASUS board did.

If you simply cannot get it to work, I'd get a refund and go back to the ASUS or ASrock line of boards. I also have an Areca and it is well worth the effort. I guess my point is, I'd lose the intel board before I'd lose the Areca.

 

[migit128]

Yea. It sucks I have to go through the tech support. Gotta wait till monday to call them too. That means I'll be without my raid for a few days... I wouldn't dream of dropping the areca card before the motherboard. I already planned on replacing the Intel board before posting here. I really just want someone who has an ivy bridge with a Z77 chipset to tell me what motherboard they are using so I know what to go out and buy. It'd be great to get this one working though...

What kind of mobo/processor do you have in your system?

 

[JeauxBleaux]

Still using LGA775 w/QX9650 in an ASUS P5E3 Deluxe. Not a gamer, no real reason to upgrade. Primarily a file server for audio/video collection.

Did you happen to see an option for "Enter AMT BX Setup" in the Advanced > Management Configuration Menu? Do you even have an Advanced > Management Configuration Menu?

 

[JeauxBleaux]

Fill in for the "xxxxxxxxx"!

Start with this selection, if you have another manufacturer in mind, go to the right hand frame and select them.

https://pcpartpicker.com/parts/motherboard/#m=7,8&s=8&f=2&n=2,4&t=32768&c=52

Out of idle curiosity, what was wrong with the ASUS p8z68-v pro you mentioned?

 

[migit128]

Start with this selection, if you have another manufacturer in mind, go to the right hand frame and select them.

https://pcpartpicker.com/parts/motherboard/#m=7,8&s=8&f=2&n=2,4&t=32768&c=52

Out of idle curiosity, what was wrong with the ASUS p8z68-v pro you mentioned?

That site wont tell me specifically if it's compatible with my raid card. I'm really hoping someone who has an ivy bridge and a raid card posts here and tells me what mobo they have so I can order one. It takes too much time switching out motherboards so I want the next one to work right off the bat.

There is nothing wrong with the old mobo. It works fine, but I'd like to upgrade to a pci-e 3.0 gfx card soon and while I know a 3.0 card will work in a 2.0 port, it isn't ideal due to the raid card being present. the raid card uses 8 of the pci express lanes which leaves the gfx card only 8 lanes to work with. If I put a 3.0 card into a 2.0 x8 slot it'd have 1/4th the bandwidth as a 3.0 x16 slot. I know only having half hte bandwidth doesn't cause performance issues, but with 3 1080p monitors and a video game on one screen and a 1080p movie playing on another the bandwidth of the graphics card will be a bottleneck.

Plus, I got a free 3770k from work so I figured what the hell. I can switch back to the old mobo/processor for now, but in a few months when I go to upgrade the graphics card I'll need a motherboard compatible with my areca card that supports the pci-express 3.0 standard.

 

[noidea_77]

But as I told you before (taken from the release notes) the controller will NOT work with pci-e 3.0 ports, unless you upgrade the bios! It's not the mobo, it's the controller.

 

[migit128]

But as I told you before (taken from the release notes) the controller will NOT work with pci-e 3.0 ports, unless you upgrade the bios! It's not the mobo, it's the controller.

I'll have to try and get ahold of the guy at Areca that takes care of tech support. Last time I needed something from them it looked like it was only 1 person in their tech support division -_-

If he confirms the firmware update will fix it I might try it. I can't backup more than half my data though... Dont have enough spares -_-


There isn't a chance in hell i'm going to attempt a firmware update unless I have a full backup...

 

[migit128]

Figured I'd post back since I have it working now. As I originally suspected it was the motherboard that had the issue. It had nothing to do with the areca's firmware. When I switched out the intel motherboard for a Asus P8Z77-V deluxe it worked right out of the box.

 

[JeauxBleaux]

Glad to hear it! I did contact Areca on your behalf back when we were discussing this, they were all out for Chinese New Year holiday. I finally got a response a couple of days ago. Here's the string...
_____________________________________________________
Jeaux Bleaux

Feb 9 (11 days ago)

to support
Hi,

Will the 1880i work in a PCIe 3.0 x 16 slot? Will it work in a PCIe
2.0 x4 slot?

Thanks!
Areca Support

Feb 17 (3 days ago)

to me
Dear Sir/Madam,

1. if the PCIe 3.0 x16 slot works with PCIe 2.0 x8 mode, yes.
2. yes, 1880 can work with x4 mode.
_________________________________________________________

So, you could have possibly used the Areca in that x4 slot you had (on the Intel) and been just fine, But I believe the Asus to be a better choice in any case.

 

[migit128]

Glad to hear it! I did contact Areca on your behalf back when we were discussing this, they were all out for Chinese New Year holiday. I finally got a response a couple of days ago. Here's the string...
_____________________________________________________
Jeaux Bleaux

Feb 9 (11 days ago)

to support
Hi,

Will the 1880i work in a PCIe 3.0 x 16 slot? Will it work in a PCIe
2.0 x4 slot?

Thanks!
Areca Support

Feb 17 (3 days ago)

to me
Dear Sir/Madam,

1. if the PCIe 3.0 x16 slot works with PCIe 2.0 x8 mode, yes.
2. yes, 1880 can work with x4 mode.
_________________________________________________________

So, you could have possibly used the Areca in that x4 slot you had (on the Intel) and been just fine, But I believe the Asus to be a better choice in any case.

Interesting. I'll have to try this tonight!

 

[migit128]

Best answer selected by migit128.

 

[migit128]

It's running great in my PCI express 2.0 x4 slot and I haven't noticed any performance loss in cutting its bandwidth in half. Thanks for that. Didn't even think this would have been possible.

 

[JeauxBleaux]

It's running great in my PCI express 2.0 x4 slot and I haven't noticed any performance loss in cutting its bandwidth in half. Thanks for that. Didn't even think this would have been possible.

You'fe welcome and thanks for the BA!