ASRock Z170 Extreme4 + 3* M.2 PCIE SSD

Can I create a Raid 5 array of M.2 PCIE SSD on asrock z170 Extreme4?

asrick wrote: asrick wrote: Can I create a Raid 5 array of M.2 PCIE SSD on asrock z170 Extreme4? 2 of 3 M.2 PCIE SSD by onboard M.2 Slot, other M.2 PCIE SSD by M.2-to-PCIE converter on PCIE slot. Thanks. 1 of 3 M.2 PCIE SSD by onboard M.2 Slot, other two M.2 PCIE SSDs by M.2-to-PCIE converter on PCIE slot.

That is the correct and only type of configuration of M.2 PCIe SSDs that is possible on the Z170 Extreme4 board.

You'll also need the appropriate IRST RAID driver, that will recognize PCIe SSDs. That would be IRST version 14.5 or 14.6.

Beyond that, I can't tell you if it will work. I don't have the hardware to provide first hand experience.

The detection of the three PCIe SSDs by the IRST Windows program, or the IRST Option ROM utility available during POST, of the IRST utility available in the UEFI when Windows is installed in a UEFI booting configuration, is critical.

A RAID 0 array of M.2 SSDs was demonstrated by ASRock on the Z170 Extreme7+ board. That board has three Ultra M.2 slots, so is not the same as your configuration would be, using the adapter cards for two of the PCIe M.2 drives.

One important thing to understand is, Intel has only been able to have TRIM support working on RAID 0 arrays of SSDs. That does work, as I've tested it. But, RAID 0 is the only RAID type that supports TRIM. When will Intel have TRIM support for other RAID types, if ever? That information is not available at this time.

I have used RAID 0 arrays of SSDs before TRIM support in RAID 0 existed. The RAID 0 volume I used as an OS drive worked fine, but over time showed reduced performance in benchmarks. I kept over 50% free space on the volume at all times, to help with the lack of TRIM. The RAID volume continued to work fine as an OS drive, and never seemed slower in actual use, but I used it for only about 15 months.