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 thats not what I wanted.

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 problem..

 

[Janus67]

I have a MIVE and had no issues using RAID on the Marvell ports for my drives to install Windows 7. Intel is the better RAID card though, so you are better off using that. I don't have 'ez backup' or anything setup in my BIOS. I have the SATA settings set to AHCI and just the Marvell controller set to 'RAID'. I did the ctrl+m and created the Raid (0, in my case) volume, installed the OS from the DVD (while installing the raid controller drivers from the driver cd that came with the mobo) and called it a day.

If the Vraptors were created on an intel raid they need to be re-created on the marvell raid, I'm almost positive.

 

[RGone]

You are correct in saying that there are raid issues with the Marvell 88SE9128 controller. So much so that some last year just flatly suggested that raid not be done on that controller. No that was not the motherboard company but certainly users faced with issues.

I started googling for issues similar to yours and actually did not see any hits for your issues until I put Quick remove Raid cradles into google as part of the search criteria. Then I saw this same post almost verbatim in at least 3 other major type forums. Makes me wonder if part of the problem may be with those cradles. Have you tried raid 1 without the use of cradles on the Marvell controller? Might be worth a try.

If I were you I would be making contact with Asus motherboard support and getting them into the deal. I am guessing from all the problems with Marvell 88SE9128 chipset adapter going all the way back to at least the fall of last year for all mobo makers, it is the mobo companies that may/will be able to sort your issue.

By the way I would expect that just posting in the Asus support forum is not the same as getting a support ticket from Asus support if you have not done so yet.

Sadly, I expected to find something like an 'answer' when g00gling now for about 5 hours, but such was not the case at all. All I can say is try the deal without raid cradles especially on the Marvell controller. Beyond that I certainly saw no real concrete fixes for the many Marvell issues dating back to last year on X58 chipsets. Best of some good luck to you soon man.

PS: thanks "Janus67", I saw your post after I clicked on submit. I just hated to see no replies at all so I posted what I had found over the last few hours.

 

[SmallGovBigPeop]

Thanks RGone for your interest. I did try SSD's without the cradles (I could not possibly write everything I have tried). We should all get together and sue Marvell. And ASUS while we are at it. Can you imagine the thousands of man hours spent by hundreds of people who don't really have this time to spare sorting out issues created by people who dont GAS.
I have posted ASUS. Western Digital and Marvel (sent a mail). Iv'e got a sneaky feeling that its WD. The reason is not only is there a related problem cropping up on WD's support - see - http://wdc.custhelp.com/app/answers...sion/L3RpbWUvMTMxMTUwMjQ5Ny9zaWQvRU1vQU5Nems=
but I have installed two Seagate Barracuda's 500Gb to the Marvell ports (Raid1) and it's no problem. It's doing what it says on the tin.
I will put my money (which actually I did £350 worth) on the WD Raptors.

Still maybe somone out there may know a fix.

Thanks again

 

[SmallGovBigPeop]

I have a MIVE and had no issues using RAID on the Marvell ports for my drives to install Windows 7. Intel is the better RAID card though, so you are better off using that. I don't have 'ez backup' or anything setup in my BIOS. I have the SATA settings set to AHCI and just the Marvell controller set to 'RAID'. I did the ctrl+m and created the Raid (0, in my case) volume, installed the OS from the DVD (while installing the raid controller drivers from the driver cd that came with the mobo) and called it a day.

If the Vraptors were created on an intel raid they need to be re-created on the marvell raid, I'm almost positive.

Thanks for your input Janus67
I'm impressed and please with your OS install. That proves I'm wrong about the Marvel ports. Now I am even more baffled. Maybe if Intel or ASUS bother to reply to my support query I may get an answer. But I won't hold my breath.
On the P8P67 the BIOS is automaticaly changed when you set up a raid array (tried it done it) you cannot force it to do otherwise.
I cleared the drives using DISKPART Clean All.

Again Thanks