Port 0 / Sata III Speeds Dropping To Sata II Speeds

[Mr. Fox]

Well, if you don't take any action on getting the motherboard replaced, I guess you'll never know. Replacing drives is not working out for you and there are very few M18x owners having this problem. It's unlikely all the drives you have purchased are defective, so I think you're running out of options other than the motherboard. Honestly, I would be surprised to find a compatibility issue with any HDD or SSD on the M18x... it just doesn't seem feasible that compatibility would come into play with an Intel(R) ICH8M-E/ICH9M-E/5 Series/6 Series SATA RAID Controller or the Intel® HM67 Express Chipset.

Have you already installed the latest Intel Rapid Store Technology (10.8.0.1003) package? If not, that would be a quick and easy thing to try.

If you are attempting to run a RAID1 setup (rather than RAID0) have you tested this in RAID0 also to see if the same problem is present? I don't know of anyone specifically that is attempting to use a RAID1 setup on the M18x.

[johnksss]

i already had this system replaced under the 21 day return policy for this issue. so i personally do not believe it to be a motherboard defect or warranty related.

No, it's definitely your board. That's a fact. The problem....Getting one not affected by this port 0 bug.

[PaoloC]

Yes my Port 0 bugged, i have change my SSD OCZ Vertex 3 from 0 to 1 and now work right.

[Mr. Fox]

PaoloC - should call Alienware about having that fixed. Both ports need to work properly. You cannot build a RAID0 SATA-III installation later on if you leave it messed up like that.

[johnksss]

This is true.

Ran these test on a fresh install.

[Mr. Fox]

This is a question Dell-Bill_B or DELLChrisM may want to run by Dell/Alienware Engineering...

I am wondering if the "staggered spinup" setting being enabled in the BIOS is causing the dropping on Port0 issue. On Port0 staggered spin-up is enabled and on Port1 the setting is disabled in the M18x BIOS. From what little I understand about the subject, staggered spin-up applies only to a mechanical HDD and it might not play nice with SSD in RAID0. It would have been interesting to see if changing this to disabled on Port0 might have fixed the problem on John's previous system or on Dan's system.

Serial ATA Staggered Spin-Up - Staggered spin-up

I am making an uneducated logical assumption here, but if powerup with an SSD on Port0 is delayed and the SSD on Port1 is not, in a RAID0 configuration this might cause problems.

With SSD, there is possibly no need or reason for this feature. With a mechanical HDD, it would make sense, considering the high power demands of the M18x with dual-GPU. With mechanical HDD, the power surge at POST is probably high if booting with discrete graphics. With an SSD, the power demands are low and there is no such think as "spin up" with flash drives. Possibly a situation where SSD1 is ready to roll before SSD0 is getting power during POST??

Edit: if this turns out to be a valid reason, it should be easy to fix with an updated BIOS. There could be a separate "special" BIOS revision for SSD RAID0 configurations.

[DELLChrisM]

Please send me your service tag numbers via private message.

[steviejones133]

This is true.

Ran these test on a fresh install.

John, have you ran sequential benches - back to back? - I'm sure you dont need me to say that back to back benches on a ssd will produce lower and lower performance each time....I gave mine a good "rest" at login screen (for GC) in between running benches and noticed that the figures do pick up again.

Just a thought.

SIDE NOTE FOR CHRIS: my replacement equipped with x2 PM830's hasnt dropped to sata II once .....yet......

[johnksss]

Mine had more to do with what was installed when the os was fresh and no drivers installed. It seem to run better...but as I did updates and drivers it slowed down even more.

[steviejones133]

Mine had more to do with what was installed when the os was fresh and no drivers installed. It seem to run better...but as I did updates and drivers it slowed down even more.

Gotcha. A squeaky clean install without drivers performed faster, right?

I'm thinking of a clean install shortly. I am wondering as my system shipped with raid setup, will I have to do a F6 install and set up a new raid array again or will it just be a case of slap in the OS disc and good to go?

Bit of a grey question but as I havent set up an array before, I thought it might be worth asking before hand so I am prepped with the F6 drivers and ready to roll. I've read the 1st post on "how to" - but wondered wether the F6 step would be applicable to me.

Any advice from anyone greatfully received.