Taichi x399 cannot install windows in RAID mode

It's driving me crazy that I can't try this AMD NVMe RAID myself!

You know there has been at least one successful user, free-eagle is the ASRock user that had success in the other AMD NVMe thread (sorry for text only, the forum link tool fails with URLs with a '?'):

http://forum.asrock.com/forum_posts.asp?TID=6152&PN=1&title=asrock-x399-taichi-m2-nvme-ssd-raid

I'll post this here again that I posted in the other thread. I noticed something odd in the table, not sure if it is a typo. Check the last line in the valid configurations table:



It shows SATA RAID not enabled, but the NMVe RAID setting enabled is enough for it to work. The table shows NVMe RAID supported, but not SATA RAID in that configuration. Maybe taking SATA RAID out of the picture will help make things easier?

A few general hints that may help you, FWIW.

When you attempt to create a RAID array and then have whatever error afterwards, particularly during a Windows installation, you should clean everything off the drives. As MisterJ suggested, using the Diskpart clean command will do that completely. That insures the RAID metadata is removed and if it was not right it won't affect future attempts. Removing any partitions during the Windows installation may not remove the metadata.

MisterJ, removing the board's battery while doing a UEFI/BIOS clear with the jumper will clear the UEFI chip's memory, for an absolute fresh start. Reflashing the UEFI is worth trying, you never know.

In the UEFI, setting the CSM sub-option, Launch Storage OpROM Policy option to UEFI Only insures that the AMD UEFI storage Option ROM is being used, which I believe is a requirement for AMD NVMe RAID. It is required for Intel's NVMe RAID. Setting the CSM option to disabled will also set Launch Storage OpROM Policy option to UEFI Only. You must Save and Exit the UEFI to apply these settings.

The small 16GB and 32GB Optane caching SSDs were meant to be used with Intel's "storage acceleration" feature, which is created with their IRST RAID software. But they can be used as a standalone SSD just fine. Just small for an OS or storage drive. I use three in an Intel RAID 0 array as a Windows 10 drive, just to test Optane in general. I can tell you that for use as an OS drive, the UEFI must be configured for full UEFI booting, meaning the CSM option is set to disabled.

i had the same issues with ghost arrays displayed all the time. you can clear them in the bios but after booting to win 10 they are back again in the bios. 

Yes a strable system with nvme raid 0 and a sata raid 1 plus a sata ssd on slot m3

MisterJ, I know my comments aren't helping you much at all, but I remain curious about your problems.

free-eagle's comments about the ghost arrays are interesting, and possibly indicate a basic bug in the AMD NVMe RAIDXpert2 software in the UEFI and Windows.

One thing I noticed in your screen shot is your Array 6 seems to be the only real RAID 0 array that exists. Array 1 is shown both as 1.0TB and 748.5GB, in the drop down list and the View Associated Physical Disk screen, respectively. Since you only have three, 250GB 960 EVOs, the majority of the drop down list entries seem to be anomalous, ghost entries. Also, how are there four 250GB drives in the drop down list? Software bug or multiple metadata partitions on one of the SSDs?

But we have also seen single, non-RAID drives classified as RAID arrays in RAIDXpert2. When I say we, I mean my own SATA SSDs are listed that way.

The ghost entries make me think the three drives have RAID metadata partitions (data describing the RAID array) from previous array creation attempts. As if it was not removed when (if) you deleted the RAID array using RAIDXpert2. That could be a bug in RAIDXpert2. Your theory about a successful first attempt at array creation working, but any initial failure causing continued failures, even after following the correct procedure of array deletion and (re) creation, would seem to fit my scenario about remnant RAID metadata.

I just recalled from my experience with Intel IRST RAID 0 arrays, that using the Diskpart clean command did not remove the Intel RAID metadata from drives that were part of a RAID 0 array. I would run clean on a drive from a RAID array, but afterwards Disk Management would not let me partition and format it. I had to connect all the drives used in the RAID 0 array, run the Intel IRST utility, and delete the RAID 0 array before the drives were back to normal. Only then could I use the drives in Windows.

I would not trust Diskpart's clean command to provide a drive free of the RAID metadata. I would expect an SSD Secure Erase operation to completely clean the RAID metadata from the SSDs. I think you would need to create a DOS bootable USB drive in the Samsung Magician software to secure erase your 960 EVOs.

free-eagle's comments seem to contradict my ideas, if the ghost arrays continue to appear. But he did seem to also say clearing everything (at one time?) caused his eventual success. Unless he did something else he did not mention. I am uncertain if he still gets the ghost arrays in the UEFI with his successful Windows 10 installation.

I'm curious what the Windows 10 installation program sees as a drive when you attempted an install. Do you only get a ~750GB drive as a choice, before or after installing the F6 drivers? Do any ghost drives appear along with the "correct" drive?

Thanks, parsec, all help is appreciated.  You never know when the key will be triggered.  As I said I am beginning to consider a broken board.  I will see where my ASRock ticket goes.  I don't see where you are seeing "Array 6 is shown both as 1.0TB and 748.5GB".  The 748.5 GB is my three 250 GB RAID0. The 1.0 TB is my WD Black, normal SATA drive not RAID in any way and never was.  I do believe diskpart/clean will clean up a disk IF the RAID array is broken first.  I have done this many times and the drive is usable in W10.  Here is the Disk Management image of one I have not run diskpart/clean on:

I agree that the "Ghost disks" are a bug, but probably a manifestation of the RAID hidden storage in BIOS that I cannot clear.  Doing a Delete Array on each array/disk does get rid of all the Ghosts.  Thanks and enjoy, John.