ASRock.com Homepage
Forum Home Forum Home > Technical Support > Intel Motherboards
  New Posts New Posts RSS Feed - How To Install Windows On A PCIe SSD
  FAQ FAQ  Forum Search Search  Events   Register Register  Login Login

How To Install Windows On A PCIe SSD

 Post Reply Post Reply Page  <1 678910 28>
Author
Message Reverse Sort Order
Sarithis View Drop Down
Newbie
Newbie


Joined: 23 Sep 2017
Status: Offline
Points: 5
Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Sarithis Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 23 Sep 2017 at 6:17pm
Originally posted by parsec parsec wrote:

Originally posted by Sarithis Sarithis wrote:

Hello, 

I've got a problem with my NVMe SSD I've recently purchased. 
Motherboard: ASRock Z87 Extreme 3
UEFI version: 2.70 (updated today)
SSD: Plextor M8Pe(Y) 128GB

The SSD is not recognized in the System Browser. I've tried both PCI-E x16 slots. The SSD is supposed to work with PCI-E x16/8/4 gen. 3 slots. In the description of the latest UEFI update, you can find the following information: "3.Add NVMe support". Why is my UEFI's System Browser not recognizing the SSD? It simply says "PCIE2: empty, PCIE3: empty". I connected the additional SATA power cable to the SSD when I was installing it on my motherboard. The SSD has two light indicators: red and white, both are lit (not flashing). CSM is completely disabled and SATA mode is set to AHCI.


Mother boards designed before NVMe existed may not recognize an NVMe drive even in the System Browser tool. Particularly if they are used in a PCIe slot. The Intel 9 series chipset boards (Z97, etc) and Intel X99 are the first systems that will show an NVMe SSD in System Browser. So you normally won't get an NVMe SSD recognized in System Browser on a Z87 board.

Adding NVMe support simply allows an NVMe SSD to be used as the OS drive. My ASRock Z77 board also does not show an NVMe SSD in System Browser, but I was still able to use it as the OS drive. Nothing is wrong besides the UEFI/BIOS not being fully modified, if that is even possible, to display NVMe drives in System Browser.

Did you look in the Boot Order for your NVMe SSD? If you boot from your Windows 8.1 or 10 installation media, is the SSD recognized? If you have that SSD in a PC with Windows 8.1 or 10 already installed, it should be recognized by Disk Management. Have you checked any of those things?

The SATA mode used has nothing to do with an NVMe SSD, except in the latest Intel chipset boards, if you use RAID mode and have the PCIe Remapping options, which your board definitely does not have.

What version of Windows are you using? If it is Windows 7, you have a problem and will need a modified Windows 7 ISO installation.


Thank you, I didn't know that the SSD won't show in the System Browser on my motherboard. I've got Arch Linux - 4.12.13-1 (x86_64) operating system. NVMe is supported in Linux since kernel version 3.3. It doesn't show under /dev/nvm*, there's absolutely no mention of it in dmesg or lsblock. I also have Windows 7 x64 Ultimate (dual boot), but it also doesn't recognize the drive in the disk management tool. I've downloaded the official non-windows OS firmware upgrade for my SSD (it's a bootable ISO). After booting it, I got the following message "No NVMe drives found".
I know that Linux might not be the best option to troubleshoot such problems and I know that the drive officially doesn't support Windows 7. I will try to install Windows 10 and post here whether it recognizes the drive during the installation process. 
Back to Top
parsec View Drop Down
Moderator Group
Moderator Group
Avatar

Joined: 04 May 2015
Location: USA
Status: Offline
Points: 4996
Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote parsec Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 23 Sep 2017 at 9:50am
Originally posted by Sarithis Sarithis wrote:

Hello, 

I've got a problem with my NVMe SSD I've recently purchased. 
Motherboard: ASRock Z87 Extreme 3
UEFI version: 2.70 (updated today)
SSD: Plextor M8Pe(Y) 128GB

The SSD is not recognized in the System Browser. I've tried both PCI-E x16 slots. The SSD is supposed to work with PCI-E x16/8/4 gen. 3 slots. In the description of the latest UEFI update, you can find the following information: "3.Add NVMe support". Why is my UEFI's System Browser not recognizing the SSD? It simply says "PCIE2: empty, PCIE3: empty". I connected the additional SATA power cable to the SSD when I was installing it on my motherboard. The SSD has two light indicators: red and white, both are lit (not flashing). CSM is completely disabled and SATA mode is set to AHCI.


Mother boards designed before NVMe existed may not recognize an NVMe drive even in the System Browser tool. Particularly if they are used in a PCIe slot. The Intel 9 series chipset boards (Z97, etc) and Intel X99 are the first systems that will show an NVMe SSD in System Browser. So you normally won't get an NVMe SSD recognized in System Browser on a Z87 board.

Adding NVMe support simply allows an NVMe SSD to be used as the OS drive. My ASRock Z77 board also does not show an NVMe SSD in System Browser, but I was still able to use it as the OS drive. Nothing is wrong besides the UEFI/BIOS not being fully modified, if that is even possible, to display NVMe drives in System Browser.

Did you look in the Boot Order for your NVMe SSD? If you boot from your Windows 8.1 or 10 installation media, is the SSD recognized? If you have that SSD in a PC with Windows 8.1 or 10 already installed, it should be recognized by Disk Management. Have you checked any of those things?

The SATA mode used has nothing to do with an NVMe SSD, except in the latest Intel chipset boards, if you use RAID mode and have the PCIe Remapping options, which your board definitely does not have.

What version of Windows are you using? If it is Windows 7, you have a problem and will need a modified Windows 7 ISO installation.

Back to Top
parsec View Drop Down
Moderator Group
Moderator Group
Avatar

Joined: 04 May 2015
Location: USA
Status: Offline
Points: 4996
Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote parsec Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 23 Sep 2017 at 9:34am
Originally posted by Svetlio Svetlio wrote:

Hello,

I have the following configuration:
 - Asrock B250M PRO4
 - Intel CPU Desktop Core i5-7500
 - Samsung UDIMM 16GB DDR4 2400 1.2V PC17000
 - Samsung SSD PM961Me 256GB OEM, M.2 PCIe, Read 2800 MB/sec, Write 1100 MB/sec
 - MSI RADEON RX 550 2GT LP OC
 - Cooler Master MasterBox Lite 3 MCW-L3S2-KN5N, mATX
 - Cooler Master MasterWatt Lite, 400W 80+
I try to install Windows 7 Pro (I have VL MAK license)via method 1 from the first post but unfortunately without success.

Can you help with some advice? 


Sorry, missed your post for a while... Embarrassed

Not much detail in your post, but there are two main problems with Windows 7, NVMe SSDs, and UEFI booting:

1. Windows 7 does not have a built in NVMe driver, so an NVMe SSD like your PM961 has no driver to use. You can try to install the Samsung NMVe driver used with their 960 series, but you must use the driver extracted from the Samsung NVMe driver installation program. You can install this driver in the Load Driver option in the Custom Installation section. That would be the "pure" NVMe driver, as it is called on the page below. It also has a guide for installing Windows 7 on an NVMe SSD.:

http://www.win-raid.com/t29f25-Recommended-AHCI-RAID-and-NVMe-Drivers.html

A method of integrating the driver into the Windows 7 installation ISO can be found here:

http://www.win-raid.com/t750f25-Guide-Integration-of-drivers-into-a-Win-image.html

2. The Windows 7 installation files have a mistake in the location of the EFI boot loader file. That can be fixed but takes some work, and you must modify a Windows 7 ISO file. But there are multiple ways to accomplish this. One is in the guide on the page below, scroll down to find the Windows 7 modification section. This guide is just another method for installing Windows 7, but does not address the missing NMVe driver issue:

https://www.eightforums.com/tutorials/15458-uefi-bootable-usb-flash-drive-create-windows.html

Back to Top
Sarithis View Drop Down
Newbie
Newbie


Joined: 23 Sep 2017
Status: Offline
Points: 5
Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Sarithis Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 23 Sep 2017 at 7:20am
Originally posted by sauria sauria wrote:

Is this an M.2 drive?   I have never been able to get one recognized on my Z-87 chipset .

No, it's directly connected to the PCI-E slot - it doesn't need an M.2 - PCI-E adapter. You can read its specs here.
Back to Top
sauria View Drop Down
Newbie
Newbie
Avatar

Joined: 21 Jul 2017
Location: USA
Status: Offline
Points: 6
Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote sauria Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 23 Sep 2017 at 7:09am
Is this an M.2 drive?   I have never been able to get one recognized on my Z-87 chipset .
Back to Top
Sarithis View Drop Down
Newbie
Newbie


Joined: 23 Sep 2017
Status: Offline
Points: 5
Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Sarithis Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 23 Sep 2017 at 7:05am
Hello, 

I've got a problem with my NVMe SSD I've recently purchased. 
Motherboard: ASRock Z87 Extreme 3
UEFI version: 2.70 (updated today)
SSD: Plextor M8Pe(Y) 128GB

The SSD is not recognized in the System Browser. I've tried both PCI-E x16 slots. The SSD is supposed to work with PCI-E x16/8/4 gen. 3 slots. In the description of the latest UEFI update, you can find the following information: "3.Add NVMe support". Why is my UEFI's System Browser not recognizing the SSD? It simply says "PCIE2: empty, PCIE3: empty". I connected the additional SATA power cable to the SSD when I was installing it on my motherboard. The SSD has two light indicators: red and white, both are lit (not flashing). CSM is completely disabled and SATA mode is set to AHCI.
Back to Top
Svetlio View Drop Down
Newbie
Newbie


Joined: 12 Sep 2017
Status: Offline
Points: 1
Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Svetlio Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 12 Sep 2017 at 4:49pm
Hello,

I have the following configuration:
 - Asrock B250M PRO4
 - Intel CPU Desktop Core i5-7500
 - Samsung UDIMM 16GB DDR4 2400 1.2V PC17000
 - Samsung SSD PM961Me 256GB OEM, M.2 PCIe, Read 2800 MB/sec, Write 1100 MB/sec
 - MSI RADEON RX 550 2GT LP OC
 - Cooler Master MasterBox Lite 3 MCW-L3S2-KN5N, mATX
 - Cooler Master MasterWatt Lite, 400W 80+
I try to install Windows 7 Pro (I have VL MAK license)via method 1 from the first post but unfortunately without success.

Can you help with some advice? 
Back to Top
Dan View Drop Down
Newbie
Newbie
Avatar

Joined: 28 Sep 2015
Location: Virginia USA
Status: Offline
Points: 122
Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Dan Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 31 Aug 2017 at 5:40pm
Parsec,

Well, that explains it! My little H110M-STX works nicely. I'll be using those two Crucial SSDs, one for backup and the other for data. They both are happy little SSDs, knowing that SATA is good for them.

Dan

Edit: In an earlier post, I showed pictures of how I added two USB ports to the H110M-STX motherboard. I can report that both ports work as specified in the manual. I'm using one for the mouse and the other for the keyboard. We need USB ports! We also need an audio output jack on the rear of the board. That front audio jack looks ugly when using speakers.
Back to Top
parsec View Drop Down
Moderator Group
Moderator Group
Avatar

Joined: 04 May 2015
Location: USA
Status: Offline
Points: 4996
Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote parsec Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 31 Aug 2017 at 11:57am
Originally posted by Dan Dan wrote:

Parsec,

I've completed building a mini PC using the ASRock H110M-STX motherboard. To get started for the first time, I entered the UEFI and set it to boot UEFI, by disabling the CSM, per your instructions. I'm using the Samsung NVMe 960 Pro as the boot device.

My UEFI version is P7.00. Your instructions also state, in Storage Configuration, to set SATA mode to AHCI. My UEFI has no option to change SATA to AHCI. I find no option mentioning AHCI at all. I can only set SATA to Enabled or Disabled.

I have two Crucial 2.5" SSDs installed. If I disable SATA, the two drives are not recognized, in UEFI or in Windows. Setting it to Enabled allows the two Crucial drives to be recognized, in UEFI and in Windows.

I booted to the Win10 USB system install stick in UEFI mode and installed Windows 10 Home on the Samsung 960 Pro with no issues.

My question is why my UEFI has no option to set SATA to AHCI. Maybe I don't understand the instructions.

Dan


There is no problem and you are not confused. There is a simple explanation that applies to boards that use the H110 chipset like the H110M-STX board.

Currently, new AMD, Intel, and the past few generations of Intel chipset mother boards only provide two SATA storage modes, AHCI and RAID. The old IDE mode which predates SATA, is no longer offered as an option (Yay!!) But a few Intel chipsets don't support RAID, one of them being the H110.

If RAID mode is not supported, and IDE is no longer an option, that just leaves AHCI. So there is really no point in offering a SATA mode setting if it only has one option, AHCI. That is the automatic, default SATA mode for your board.

That leaves us with just an option to enable or disable the SATA controller. You should of course enable the SATA controller, otherwise you can't use your SSDs, as you know.

I specify AHCI mode only so IDE mode is not used, where it is still available as an option for the SATA mode. AHCI mode is not needed or used by NVMe SSDs, since they are not SATA drives, and do not use the board's SATA controller. I added the SATA description in the guide because we can install Windows for UEFI booting with SATA SSDs too, and AHCI mode enhances the performance of any SATA drive, HDD or SSD. Plus there is no reason to use IDE mode with any modern SATA drive, whether UEFI booting or not.

Back to Top
Dan View Drop Down
Newbie
Newbie
Avatar

Joined: 28 Sep 2015
Location: Virginia USA
Status: Offline
Points: 122
Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Dan Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 31 Aug 2017 at 11:16am
Parsec,

I've completed building a mini PC using the ASRock H110M-STX motherboard. To get started for the first time, I entered the UEFI and set it to boot UEFI, by disabling the CSM, per your instructions. I'm using the Samsung NVMe 960 Pro as the boot device.

My UEFI version is P7.00. Your instructions also state, in Storage Configuration, to set SATA mode to AHCI. My UEFI has no option to change SATA to AHCI. I find no option mentioning AHCI at all. I can only set SATA to Enabled or Disabled.

I have two Crucial 2.5" SSDs installed. If I disable SATA, the two drives are not recognized, in UEFI or in Windows. Setting it to Enabled allows the two Crucial drives to be recognized, in UEFI and in Windows.

I booted to the Win10 USB system install stick in UEFI mode and installed Windows 10 Home on the Samsung 960 Pro with no issues.

My question is why my UEFI has no option to set SATA to AHCI. Maybe I don't understand the instructions.

Dan
Back to Top
 Post Reply Post Reply Page  <1 678910 28>
  Share Topic   

Forum Jump Forum Permissions View Drop Down

Forum Software by Web Wiz Forums® version 12.04
Copyright ©2001-2021 Web Wiz Ltd.

This page was generated in 0.266 seconds.