Using Marvell 6Gb SATA port for Win7 OS in a Raid1 array on P8P67 Deluxe

[SmallGovBigPeop]

I want to make it clear, first of all, with a single Intel SSD plugged into the Marvell 88SE9128 (Navy Blue) 6GB's SATA ports I CAN load Windows7 Ultimate, No problem. But that's not what I want.

Every day for the past two weeks I have been trying to install Windows 7 Ultimate on two Intel X25-M 80GB 2.5-inch SATA II Internal MLC SSD's set too Raid1 plugged into the afore mentioned Marvell SATA ports. I set the BIOS correctly “Tool/Asus Drive Expert is set to EZ Backup (Raid1)” and in Advanced\SATA is set to RAID. Then during boot I pressed Ctrl/M and set up Raid1. I tried installing the OS from the CD then from a Flash USB. I tried aligning the SSD's (Win7 is supposed to do this automatically) using DISKPART after doing a “Clean All”. I've loaded all the drivers during install for the Marvell, then tried the Intel and JMicron controllers as well, SSD's, motherboard chipsets and Video. I've even updated the Bios and nothing improves. I spent hours on the WEB seeing if others had this problem (and they did). No matter what I did Windows install would always stop after the first reboot just as it was updating the registry. It says the install files are corrupt or the boot manager cannot be found. I even installed Win7 on a single SSD and ghosted the image, then after resetting up the Raid1 array and setting up the “Sytem Reserved” in DISKPART I ghosted the image back on too the SSD's with limited success because after Windows loaded and I had installed the MB drivers from the MB CD it failed to reboot (corrupted system files).

I know I do not know everything about everything, but surely MS or ASUS should have sorted this issue with SSD's out.

I finally gave up and plugged the SSD's into the two Intel P67 SATA 6Mb ports (Grey). The Install was obviously a complete success but why don't ASUS and Marvell say that the Marvell ports do not support OS in Raid mode. I now believe that the reason they don't work for OS is that they are not bootable ports. Tell me if I am wrong?

I anybody has succeeded in installing Win7 in Raid mode using the two Marvell ports please tell me how you did this!

However I now have another problem. The two 600 WD VelociRaptor's that were going to be in the (Grey) Intel P67 6Gb ports (also set to Raid1) I now have had to plug into the (Navy Blue) Marvel ports (Raid1). This should not be a problem as I am not booting from them. BUT IT IS. For some stupid reason after I have set the BIOS for them (as previously described) Windows will not find them… sometimes. All the drives in BIOS are set to HOT PLUG and are placed in Quick remove Raid cradles. I open Windows then open the Computer Management/Disk Management and as I plug in the Raptors nothing happens then I unplug them then replug the Raptors and bingo they appears, then I get a orange light on the Raid cradle and they disappears again. Sometimes they show, sometimes they don't. Also when both Raptors are set up as Raid1 and I restart Windows, at the beginning of the boot sequence it stays for a long time while the Marvel 88SE9128 Adaptor initializes. Then windows hovers for a very long time at the pretty lights bit.

You may think OK it's a bad connection BUT if I use Seagate Barracuda drives plugged in to the Marvell ports with the same Raid setup… no problem I can plug in, plug out, plug in no problem Disk Manager always finds them. Rebooting is also very quick.

So what is going on? Do the Marvell ports hate Raptor drives (Raptor drives do have a Marvell chip).

Can anybody help? Please do not tell me NOT to use the Marvel ports! What are they there for? I bought the P8P67 Deluxe because the Marvel 9128 ports support Raid. And I require the four (Blue) Intel 3Gb ports for my Seagate drives Raid5.
I am really stuck in a hole and if you know of somebody who may be able to help I would be very grateful.

COMPUTER SPEC
600 W Enermax EPG600AWT PRO 87+, 80 PLUS Gold Power Supply
ASUS P8P67 Deluxe MB, BIOS v1850
Marvell SATA 6GB's ports with Marvell 88SE9128 chipset adapter - BIOS v 1.0.0.1029
Two Intel P67 SATA 6 and four 3Gb's ports with Rapid Storage Tec – Option ROM – 10.5.0.1034
Plextor ODD – BDDVDR PX-B320SA on JMicron Tec Corp PCIe-to-SATAII/IDE Raid controller BIOS v1.07.00
Intel-Core i7-2600 3,
16GB Skill RAM 1600,
ASUS ATI Radeon 6950 2GB PCI Graphics card, Driver v8.850.0.0
ASUS Xonar D2X PCI-E Soundcard, Driver v7.12.8.1794
Noctua-Dual Radiator and Fan CPU Cooler

DRIVES
2 = Intel X25-M 80GB 2.5-inch SATA II Internal MLC Solid State Drive – OS – Intel P67 SATA 6Gb ports (Grey) – Raid1
2 = Western Digital VelociRaptor 600GB 3.5 SATA – Marvell SATA 6Gb ports E1/E2 (Navy Blue) – Raid1
4 = Seagate Barracuda 500GB 3.5 SATA – INTEL P67 SATA 3Gb ports (Blue) – Raid 5
All drives are in Quick remove Raid cradles.

All this is bundled in a large tower I had lying around.

PS Only the two SSD's and the two WD VelociRaptors are connected, the other drives are not until I sort out this issue.

 

[Indigo]

Hate to break it to you, but the answer is staring you in the face. This was a major issue when the 6Gb ports were first released on some boards, Marvell was the big problem behind it until the later revision chipsets from Intel and AMD put more ports on the system, and I've had this problem first hand as well in a near identical situation.

Don't use the Marvell ports.

Sorry dude.

 

[SmallGovBigPeop]

Thanks for your input OG,
I'm beginning to suspect your correct.

Firstly I am now a world expert at setting up Raid on the Marvelous Marvells, the setup is exactly what it says on the tin!
But now even the Seagate Barracudas I previously said were working on the Marvell ports OK in Raid1 keep screwing up. As long as there are NO folders or files placed on the drive I can go to the Windows Marvell Tray and all is perfect. I can reboot do a Ctrl/M and look at the setup and then look at the BIOS (EZ Backup) and all is hunky dory. I can do that as long as I want... BUT
AS SOON as I place files or Folders on the Raid drive it all falls apart. The Windows Marvell Tray shows that a drive as dropped out, the files/folders I put on the disk disappear, when I reboot the PC wants to do a CHKDSK. ALL GOOD FUN.

I know it's not me, I'm not that stupid, I've been around since DOS ruled. These bast**** should be sued for there lies and indifference. I have had absolutely NO response from Marvell (and I goggled the directors mail), from ASUS or from WD.

The P8P67 Deluxe does not do what it says on the tin... period.

Now I am looking for a good unbreakable PCI/e Raid Card.