VROC Bootable Raid with Intel 900p - when will this be supported in the BIOS?

[iamjanco]

Btw, this is the third response from Intel. No surprise here but for those really wondering what Intel's stance is on VROC and third party SSDs, this is the response you get when you ask the right question: Will third-party SSDs work on the x299 platform?

Note: The keys on the Xeon can be purchased. The key for the x299 platform there is NO mention of them being able to be purchased. See how sly they are? Intel answers ONLY the question you ask but not the logical follow up.

"Hello Brighttail,

In regards to your questions, we would to inform you that there is 2 versions of Intel® VROC

Intel® VROC on X299 systems

Intel® VROC on X299 platforms was designed to be used only with Intel SSD's and it requires the VROCISSDMOD Upgrade key.


Intel® VROC Xeon Intel® Xeon® E5/E7 SP Purley

This is an enterprise solution that requires Intel® Xeon® processors + a Intel® 620 series chipset in order to work properly. The enterprise solution does have multiple keys that you can purchase depending on the setup that you are planning to build and it does allow to use certain third party SSD's.

Every key has an specific purpose, for example for x299 systems the key that must be used is the VROCISSDMOD in order work properly.

At this time we do not support third party SSD's on the X299 platform

Best regards
Luis H"

Yup, you probably saw my reference on OCN to their latest response to you. For the benefit of the others here and FWIW, I located one "VROCISSDMOD" key on Mouser, which I ordered for roughly US $9.00, plus Priority Mail shipping. As I stated over on OCN, we shall see what this flavor of the "VROCISSDMOD" key amounts to. From what can be told be way of the skus listed in Intel's VROC FAQ, I'm expecting anything from a key that looks like all the others (and works like them as well), to a nine dollar note that says Intel drives have a "VROCISSDMOD" key built into them.

Though I do have two 900Ps, both 480s, there's nothing anywhere that says they're considered Intel" Professional" drives. Caveat Emptor may end up being the case.

[Brighttail]

Yup, you probably saw my reference on OCN to their latest response to you. For the benefit of the others here and FWIW, I located one "VROCISSDMOD" key on Mouser, which I ordered for roughly US $9.00, plus Priority Mail shipping. As I stated over on OCN, we shall see what this flavor of the "VROCISSDMOD" key amounts to. From what can be told be way of the skus listed in Intel's VROC FAQ, I'm expecting anything from a key that looks like all the others (and works like them as well), to a nine dollar note that says Intel drives have a "VROCISSDMOD" key built into them.

Though I do have two 900Ps, both 480s, there's nothing anywhere that says they're considered Intel" Professional" drives. Caveat Emptor may end up being the case.

We've seen that two 900Ps can run VROC and be bootable without the VROC key. Justin did that.

I'll be interested if you can get it to work with your key or if your key is useful. If so I may get the link of where you bought it.

Yeah I did see that after I had posted their response to me. Sorry for the dual post.

The whole point of this posted question I made to them was to prove to another person on the forum that he wasn't asking the proper questions. He was asking basic and non-specific questions and of course Intel answered what he asked, but it left him believing that his third party SSD would work in VROC on an x299 platform. I posted the questions I was going to ask, and I got the expected response. The fact that Intel isn't so forth coming, tells me they will be honest with the right question but have no problem 'misleading' you if it might help their sales.

I truly wonder how many people bought the x299 platform with I9s because they were under the impression that it would run VROC?

[iamjanco]

I truly wonder how many people bought the x299 platform with I9s because they were under the impression that it would run VROC?

I don't know whether it's so much a matter of that, or if the situation grew into more a matter of being one of questionable truth in advertising (at least as perceived). Not sure we'll ever know all the details.

My key should be here in the next few days and then it'll finally be time for me to start spewing out screen caps using my test bench. I'll keep you posted.

[Brighttail]

I don't know whether it's so much a matter of that, or if the situation grew into more a matter of being one of questionable truth in advertising (at least as perceived). Not sure we'll ever know all the details.

My key should be here in the next few days and then it'll finally be time for me to start spewing out screen caps using my test bench. I'll keep you posted.

I have one 900p and i'm very happy with it. I'm not sure i NEED another just to make a RAID 0 boot drive. I would love to have a RAID 10 boot drive, but RAID 0 seems...unnecessary.

[Brighttail]

Time to resurrect this thread as I just got my second Intel 900p. I plan to try and try a bootable RAID 0 Array. I have a question for those who have gotten this working. I know there was issues with BIOS 1102, have anyone tried it with BIOS version 1201 or 1301? I'd hate to have to keep all this on version 803 to work. Heh.

Second question is I have seen people who loaded windows on a 960pro, then used the IRST Enterprise version to create the Bootable array and I have seen people who were able to create the array in BIOS, then using the F6 drivers to get Windows to load on to it. Both have seemed to work and I was wondering if one was better than the other?

Finally the third question in two parts, has anyone tried to partition that RAID 0 drive into a C:/D: drives? I would assume when installing windows you can still do this. The reason I would consider this is for backing up purposes. Having just the OS on C: my backup just for the C: drive would be about 50GB. I can back up the D: drive separately. If I had an issue and needed to restore a backup it would be much easier and quicker to recreate the RAID 0 array with partitions and restore the C: drive, then when windows loads up just copy over the backup of the D: drive. Of course if this isn't feasible I can put everything on C: and have a 400+Gb drive I have to backup and restoration would take an h our instead of 6 minutes.

[birdman941]

The VROCISSDMOD keys are now $229 EACH, not 6-8 bucks.
Intel says it is not a mistake either.

[Brighttail]

Good thing I don't need one anymore.

[Abaidor]

Well I only bought it when it was cheap in case I need it in the future. It might be useless now but maybe after 5-6 years when this mobo will be old and some cheap fast Intel M2 drives are availbale...Maybe then, there might be some use for it or even sooner. Who knows.

[Brighttail]

Well I only bought it when it was cheap in case I need it in the future. It might be useless now but maybe after 5-6 years when this mobo will be old and some cheap fast Intel M2 drives are availbale...Maybe then, there might be some use for it or even sooner. Who knows.

I got one as well when they were $9.99. I haven't used it as I have two Intel 900p running RAID 0 as a bootable drive and can do so without the key. So a key that we are supposed to have isn't necessary and the drives that were originally slated to be allowed, aren't. I think in the end the key is really for the Xeon boards and not the x299.

[Abaidor]

I got one as well when they were $9.99. I haven't used it as I have two Intel 900p running RAID 0 as a bootable drive and can do so without the key. So a key that we are supposed to have isn't necessary and the drives that were originally slated to be allowed, aren't. I think in the end the key is really for the Xeon boards and not the x299.

Maybe it's useful if you need RAID 5 & 10? Why did they put a port for it on the motherboard and then mess up like this is beyond comprehension. They should really allow any NVME drive to work on any RAID configuration with the key installed.