Bootable VROC RAID 10, VMD domains, and PCIe lanes

[BigJohnny]

I was going to ask how you could physically get two Hyper M.2 Cards onto the boards PCIe slots with the Graphics Card. Then I saw this was posted back in 2017 back when the Graphics Cards were smaller.

My ROG Rampage VI Extreme Encore motherboard with the ASUS 2080 Ti graphics card can't handle the physical configuration for 2 Hyper M.2 Cards.
Best for the Hyper Card in the 1st PCIe slot (1) for the X16 x8 lanes and the graphics card in the 2nd PCIe slot (2).
The graphics card won't fit on the 3rd bottom PCIe Slot (3).

You can't put the graphics card on top 1st Slot (1) with a Hyper M.2 Card under it in the 2nd PCIe Slot (2) position because it covers the intake fans for the graphics card.

Anyone know how to set up a Hardware base VROC Key module boot-able RAID10 on CPU with the Hyper M.2 Card and x4 7600p series SSDs?
Yeah, I figure probably not. I've been asking ASUS Support to give me that information for a couple weeks now.

Feel free to help out and post those steps if you know them, and if you do, please include the driver & application file steps.

The ASUS RAID Guide has some steps, but without those for the HD key BIOS setup or the driver & application files.

Appears to be no consensus yet for exactly which of those Key files (RSTe or VROC) to use for the HD Key.

Only known working key is VROCISSDMOD which you dont need for raid0 but do for everything else. This is confirmed with the original RVIE only though, I dont imagine they changed that. The change up in PCIE slots is what kept me from upgrading. Ill stick with my two AIC 900P drives in the other two slots that are not available on Omega or Encore as Im using the 2 X16 for GPUs.

As for the question of why put to X16 AIC drive cards in some people need fast file transfer in and right back out. Put 4 together and you get better than 10GB/s

If you go back towards the beginning there is a step by step of what drivers to use in what order and where to get them on winraid. Takes two drivers during the install at the F6 prompt.

[Int8bldr]

Only known working key is VROCISSDMOD which you dont need for raid0 but do for everything else. This is confirmed with the original RVIE only though, I dont imagine they changed that. The change up in PCIE slots is what kept me from upgrading. Ill stick with my two AIC 900P drives in the other two slots that are not available on Omega or Encore as Im using the 2 X16 for GPUs.

As for the question of why put to X16 AIC drive cards in some people need fast file transfer in and right back out. Put 4 together and you get better than 10GB/s

If you go back towards the beginning there is a step by step of what drivers to use in what order and where to get them on winraid. Takes two drivers during the install at the F6 prompt.

YES VROCISSDMOD is the only key that works AND it ONLY works with high end intel SSDs like Optane 90x series.

a key can be bought for $20 here: https://www.evga.com/products/produc...W002-00-000066

lots of other sites charge crazy prices and evga is the cheapest I know of currently.

Might as well buy the key to allow you to configure multiple RAIDs in various modes: RAID 0 for fast access and super high IOPS and RAID 5 or 1 for redundant storage. $20 is peanuts given how much a system like this cost in total.

I have found that VROC scales very well with the CPU. I.e. 18 cores and good OC improves the disk access/IO scores (Crystalmark etc).

If you are concerned about space limitations on the Intel octane m.2 drives, get the U.2 model and use u.2 cables to M.2 converters problem solved...

Also based on 2 years of VROC experience, I can say that VROC is rock solid - it just works - period. (downside is it only works with intel high end drives on a X299 and requires the VROCISSDMOD key to use RAID other than RAID0).

[GrievousAngel]

I NEED HELP!

SPENDING $$$ still no RAID!

New system: Trying boot RAID 0 from ASUS X299 Deluxe Ed 30 w/ VROC #951605 INTEL RAID CHIP + 64GB Memory (4 x 16GB DDR4 3200) + I9-10900X CPU + ASUS HYPERX 16 GEN 4 (PCIEX16_2 SLOT) w/ 4x EVO Plus 250GB M.2.

I also have EVO in M.2_1, M.2_3, MP500 in M.2_2. SATA2G DVD Drive, SATA3G Toshiba X300 4TB, SATA4G Firecuda 1TB, SATA5G Firecuda 1TB. GIGABYTE GTX-1070 PLCIX16_1 Slot.

What am I missing? ASUS X299 has latest Bios 0603. I can't get pass Bios Set-up as NO RAID setup is present after choosing RAID on CPU! OS is WIN 10 PRO from USB stick fresh install.

I hate to keep spending money! I noticed the Highpoint Bootable M.2 card but it's another $500!!!

The slight performance increase is not worth the money spent or will be spent! I need some detailed advice on what I am doing wrong.

Sincere thanks,

Billy

[Int8bldr]

I NEED HELP!

SPENDING $$$ still no RAID!

New system: Trying boot RAID 0 from ASUS X299 Deluxe Ed 30 w/ VROC #951605 INTEL RAID CHIP + 64GB Memory (4 x 16GB DDR4 3200) + I9-10900X CPU + ASUS HYPERX 16 GEN 4 (PCIEX16_2 SLOT) w/ 4x EVO Plus 250GB M.2.

I also have EVO in M.2_1, M.2_3, MP500 in M.2_2. SATA2G DVD Drive, SATA3G Toshiba X300 4TB, SATA4G Firecuda 1TB, SATA5G Firecuda 1TB. GIGABYTE GTX-1070 PLCIX16_1 Slot.

What am I missing? ASUS X299 has latest Bios 0603. I can't get pass Bios Set-up as NO RAID setup is present after choosing RAID on CPU! OS is WIN 10 PRO from USB stick fresh install.

I hate to keep spending money! I noticed the Highpoint Bootable M.2 card but it's another $500!!!

The slight performance increase is not worth the money spent or will be spent! I need some detailed advice on what I am doing wrong.

Sincere thanks,

Billy

What Intel m.2 drives do you use? I only can see Samsung and Corsair M.2 drives in your description.
Intel VROC on the X299 chip set works ONLY with high end Intel drives such as Optane 905p or 900p drives in M.2 or U.2 format or drives from their Data Center enterprise line. See here: https://www.intel.com/content/dam/su...onfigs_6-3.pdf

[GrievousAngel]

What Intel m.2 drives do you use? I only can see Samsung and Corsair M.2 drives in your description.
Intel VROC on the X299 chip set works ONLY with high end Intel drives such as Optane 905p or 900p drives in M.2 or U.2 format or drives from their Data Center enterprise line. See here: https://www.intel.com/content/dam/su...onfigs_6-3.pdf

I thought I read someone state that he used Samsung EVO also. The VROC model I have states works with other manufacturer's M.2, however it hasn't yet. I purchased the 951605 VRoc.

Some please research the INTEL 951605 VROC chip. It claims other SSD manufacturers work also. Am I mistaken? I now own (6) EVO and (1) Force MP500 M.2 SSDs! 3 of the EVO are brand new, (2) EVO Plus 250GB + (1) EVO 1TB. The (1) EVO 250GB and the Corsair Force MP500 500GB are 2 years old.

OK. What model SSd M.2 should I purchase for bootable RAID 0 or 1/0?

I t may less costly to use the High Point SSD7103 Bootable 4X M.2 NVMe RAID Controller. Who agrees or has had success with the 7103 in my platform and Samsung EVO Plus 250GB?

I use this computer for Autocad and digital media creation, ie., music and video (some commercial use). ProTools 12.2020, UA Thunderbolt X8P nad AVID Dock + (2) S1 control surfaces. FX are mostly UA with DSP. Once my M.2 RAID 0 is happy, then I'll open thread about media creation.

It appears my main choice currently is buy 4 other SSD's or buy the Highpoint 7103 or similar? What other BOOTABLE 7103 M.2 controllers are out there that work?

Cheers

[GrievousAngel]

After my experience it may be just an exercise in saying I did it!

Is the performance increase remarkable?

[GrievousAngel]

With the ASUS X299 Deluxe Ed 30 + I9-10900X CPU: What is the better pathway to RAID 0?

I've invested in INTEL VROC Standard MM951605 chip, ASUS HYPERX16 Gen 4, (4) Samsung EVO Plus 250GB M.2 so far. NO RAID YET. Wrong M.2 modules I've learned.

Suggestions please? Looking at the Highpoint Bootable 7103 m.2 PCIEX16 card now.

This the my second similar post.

[Int8bldr]

With the ASUS X299 Deluxe Ed 30 + I9-10900X CPU: What is the better pathway to RAID 0?

I've invested in INTEL VROC Standard MM951605 chip, ASUS HYPERX16 Gen 4, (4) Samsung EVO Plus 250GB M.2 so far. NO RAID YET. Wrong M.2 modules I've learned.

Suggestions please? Looking at the Highpoint Bootable 7103 m.2 PCIEX16 card now.

This the my second similar post.

ok. there are a few threads on this topic on this forum so I'll try to summarize exactly what works:

mother boards based on the X299 chip set, like Rampage Extreme or ASUS X299 Deluxe etc:
1. Intel VROC on the X299 chip set works ONLY with high end Intel drives such as Optane 905p or 900p drives in M.2 or U.2 format or drives from their Data Center enterprise line. See here: https://www.intel.com/content/dam/su...onfigs_6-3.pdf.
2. ONLY the "Intel only SSD" key called: VROCISSDMOD (MM#956822) works on motherboards with the X299 chipset the two other type of keys do NOT work on X299 boards! - the VROCISSDMOD key can be bought for $20 here: https://www.evga.com/products/produc...W002-00-000066
3. With this key installed, you can create RAID arrays of level 0,1,10 or 5 (setting it up in BIOS - bootable OR in windows using eRST - non bootable)
4. if you plan to ONLY use RAID 0, like putting two 905p is raid 0, you DO NOT need a any key at all. for all other raid levels you need the (MM#956822), per #3.

For mother boards with the enterprise chips sets like C422 or C621 with a Xeon processor - like the ROG Dominus Extreme MB:
4. VROC works for the specific list of NVMe see here: https://www.intel.com/content/dam/su...onfigs_6-3.pdf - also for certain non-Intel drives BUT only the one on the list.
5. you can use the Premium (MM#951606) key to create a raid array level 0,1,10 or 5 of these drives
6. with the MM#951605 you can only create a raid 0, 1 or 10.

That is the net of it all.

I have this VROCISSDMOD installed in a Rampage VI Extreme and a Rampage VI Extreme Encore and it works well:
- VROC RAID scales very well with #of cores (I have a 10980XE) and CPU Speed so if you OC you'll get even better IOPS and throughput performance in addition to the CPU speed.
In my experience: once you put high performance compatible Intel drives (like 905p) in VROC you get close to theoretical max throughputs and close to theoretical 100% linear scaling. One thing though: windows 10 can only do 1Million IOPS (I think that's the cap) so if you raid 4 905p-s in raid 0 you start feeling windows limitations so the IOPS don't scale 100% at the top end.

The storage speeds are so fast that the bottle neck moves to other parts of the system - (I think Windows 10 is not designed to take 100% advantage of all this bandwidth and throughput).

Nice problem to have