So pretty much, as of right now, only intel m.2 ssd’s can be used to make a bootable raid 0 array? So I either need to sell my 960 pro’s and buy intel ssd’s, or just hope that intel pulls their head from their bum and allows other m.2’s to become bootable?

gobstoppable
So pretty much, as of right now, only intel m.2 ssd’s can be used to make a bootable raid 0 array? So I either need to sell my 960 pro’s and buy intel ssd’s, or just hope that intel pulls their head from their bum and allows other m.2’s to become bootable?

bcavnaugh
now some of you know Why I got Intel SSD M.2 Drives.

 
Dark VROC Header not included.  RAID0 only (maybe; bootable only with Intel).
RAID booting too complicated. Keep simple.
RAID0 (not redundant) boot/install =2+ failure points to lose OS.
Backups better than RAID1+(redundant) for PC/workstation.
Samsung 960 Pro sufficient for boot/application launch.
For large data sets and project files, PCIe M.2 RAID carrier board like HighPoint SSD7101A (up to 13000MB/sec).
www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16816115217 (drives extra)
Asus has bootable carrier board for Apex.
 
 

bcavnaugh

geninfo

gobstoppable
 2x 960 pro's in raid 0 using the x299 dark board

VROC.  Page 22.

Glad you broke the news, now some of you know Why I got Intel SSD M.2 Drives.
Intel SSD Drive M.2 or Intel Optane SSD 900P (280GB, 2.5in w/ U.2-M.2) + Intel Optane Memory Module 32 GB PCIe M.2
Is the way to go, and No I do not work for Intel. Nor have I ever used their SSD Drives outside of Enterprise Drives for Servers.
 
24. VROC Header
VROC stands for Virtual RAID On CPU. The VROC header works in conjunction with PCIe SSDs.
The header is used to provide an Intel® hardware key that will unlock advanced RAID functions, such as RAID5.
SATA RAID does not require a VROC key.
At the time of print, VROC will work with many SSDs, but is only bootable with Intel ® SSDs.
VROC is only compatible with Core™ X-series Skylake-X CPUs.
 
But in general I think it is a waste to run a Raid Configuration on this type of Motherboard as it will not give higher Benchmark Scores.
Windows 10 is simple now to reinstall after hardware failure.
gobstoppable still waiting for you to post the Model Number of your g.skill Memory on your other Thread x299 dark not recognizing all 4 dimm slots
And do not Trust what cpuz is telling you, they have not updated to support the X299 Dark Motherboard.
I will work with Aida64 to add the X299 Dark Motherboard to their Database as soon as I get a working Motherboard.

 
Ill skip a raid set up then, not interested in switching to optane drives. Main reason i went with the m.2's is for the minimalism factor. No mounted drives, no sata or power cables, make for a much cleaner look.
 
The g.skill kit im using is gskill f4-3200c14q-32gtzr, im trying what the other guy suggested now. I loaded the xmp profile last night, and it changed the timing and voltage. Voltage is currently set to 1.35v, running at 1.365v

F4-3200C14Q-32GTZR is not yet on the Approved Memory List. https://www.gskill.com/en/product/f4-3200c14q-32gtzr
Shows for the Z270 FTW K(132-KS-E277) MB but shows for most all other X299 Motherboards.
F4-3200C16Q-32GTZR &  F4-3733C17Q-32GTZR is on the list but also hard to find.
On List but very hard to find
F4-3200C14Q-64GVK
F4-3200C14Q2-64GTZ
F4-3466C16Q-64GTZSW
Not even sure why this on the List F4-3600C17Q2-128GTZR (8 Sticks) and not F4-3600C17Q2-64GTZR or F4-3600C17Q-64GTZR is not.
Have you checked to see if you have any Bent CPU Socket Pins?
 
From https://www.gskill.com/en/product/f4-3200c14q-32gtzr
SPD Speed 2133MHz
SPD Voltage 1.20v
Tested Latency 14-14-14-34
Tested Voltage 1.35v

gobstoppable

bcavnaugh

gobstoppable
somewhere i read that i could run 2x 960 pro's in raid 0 using the x299 dark board, am i mistaken? the only options i see in the bios are for sata raid array's 

Have you reviewed the Manuel?
 Support Manual for EVGA X299 Dark (151-SX-E299)
Start on Page 6 Then 61 their are like 20+ Pages alone on this Subject in the Manuel.

 
my 960 pro's are m.2 nvme drives. page 6 refers to sata raid 0,1,5,10, and it also talks about m.2 expansion slots, but nothing about raid support on m.2 drives. the section about raid is mostly a explanation of different arrays how they work, and setting up sata raid arrays. i read the book it before posting this question, and once again after you posted that. i dont see a section talking about raid arrays on m.2 drives. there is a section talking about making m.2 drives bootable, which it describes going to the bios menu- advanced- onboard device configuration - m.2 socket3 "enabled". but there is no m.2 socket3 on my onboard device configuration menu, and even then, its talking about making the m.2 drives bootable, not making a raid array. 

I tried to raid my 2x 960 Pro's for a hour but it only saw 1 of them when I enabled the raid settings in the bios. It doesn't seem to support m2 raid arrays at all. I only way it see both of them id to disable raid. I had to install my operating system on 1 960 512Gb pro thus leaving my other 960 Pro sitting doing nothing. I completely agree with you that it doesn't support m2 Raid. A $500+ motherboard that doesn't support this at all. I had a MSI Pro Carbon motherboard that supported M2 raid right after it was released.

badboy64
 
I tried to raid my 2x 960 Pro's for a hour but it only saw 1 of them when I enabled the raid settings in the bios.

Same size?  PE6 empty?  Did you see one drive twice as big? :)
 
Using chipset RAID I once saw one drive reported, but big as two (2x Samsung 850 Pro, Intel chipset RAID not VROC, different mobo).

badboy64

geninfo

badboy64
 
I tried to raid my 2x 960 Pro's for a hour but it only saw 1 of them when I enabled the raid settings in the bios.

Same size?  PE6 empty?  Did you see one drive twice as big? :)
 
Using chipset RAID I once saw one drive reported, but big as two (2x Samsung 850 Pro, Intel chipset RAID not VROC, different mobo).

Yes I did see that also.

BTW, were you trying VROC RAID or regular PCH RAID?

Don't Blame a $500 Motherboard, Blame Intel.

Now In Stock!
(This memory is on the CPU/Memory List for the X299 Dark)
 $913^.99
G.SKILL Ripjaws V Series 64GB (4 x 16GB) 288-Pin DDR4 SDRAM DDR4 3200 (PC4 25600) Desktop Memory Model F4-3200C14Q-64GVK 

bcavnaugh

geninfo

bcavnaugh
 
You forgot about this Intel Optane Memory Module 32 GB PCIe M.2 in the mix of things.

Feels like pointless cache taking M.2 slot faster M.2 SSD could use.  Complicates data pathway.  Like to keep it simple -  non-RAID M.2 boot SSD direct to CPU.

I do not plan on Caching an M.2 Device with Intel Optane Memory.
This is New This Year so you cannot learn anything by keeping it simple all the time.
Intel® Optane™ Memory Installation and User Guide (PDF)  (A Must Read)
You may want to review Post #114

I reviewed.
 
Optane: 1200MB/s sequential read + another drive + 50 page manual + lanes through PCH
Samsung 960 Pro: 3500 MB/s sequential read + plug in + direct lanes to CPU
 
Optane only if using slow SATA drive, even then not worth complexity or loss of M.2 port IMO.

geninfo

bcavnaugh

geninfo

bcavnaugh
 
You forgot about this Intel Optane Memory Module 32 GB PCIe M.2 in the mix of things.

Feels like pointless cache taking M.2 slot faster M.2 SSD could use.  Complicates data pathway.  Like to keep it simple -  non-RAID M.2 boot SSD direct to CPU.

I do not plan on Caching an M.2 Device with Intel Optane Memory.
This is New This Year so you cannot learn anything by keeping it simple all the time.
Intel® Optane™ Memory Installation and User Guide (PDF)  (A Must Read)
You may want to review Post #114

I reviewed.
 
Optane: 1200MB/s sequential read + another drive + 50 page manual + lanes through PCH
Samsung 960 Pro: 3500 MB/s sequential read + plug in + direct lanes to CPU
 
Optane only if using slow SATA drive, even then not worth complexity or loss of M.2 port IMO.

Maybe True Maybe Not True but take out the M.2 Hard Drive Device Here.
As I said I am not using it on a M.2 Device but a Standard Intel Chipset SATA Port on and Standard SATA SSD Drive and that Drive is the Samsung 850 EVO 1TB 2.5-Inch SATA III Internal SSD (MZ-75E1T0B/AM) 

bcavnaugh

badboy64

bcavnaugh
Don't Blame a $500 Motherboard, Blame Intel.

MSI Pro Carbon supported M2 raid it after they released their x299 motherboard. Sadly I don 't have it anymore. So it is up to the motherboard make to add support to it.

Was that with or without a Hardware Key from Intel?

I was under the impression that the VROC key was not actually available at this time, is it?
 
Edited for clarification - thanks geninfo

vinhus
Do you guys know when Dark will be back in stock ?
 

Have to wait for the EVGA crew to be back from the holidays before we get an answer

bcavnaugh

badboy64

bcavnaugh
Don't Blame a $500 Motherboard, Blame Intel.

MSI Pro Carbon supported M2 raid it after they released their x299 motherboard. Sadly I don 't have it anymore. So it is up to the motherboard make to add support to it.

Was that with or without a Hardware Key from Intel?

I didn't need a key at all because it was just regular raid and I just installed Raid driver and installed the operating system. I had 2x960 Pro 512gb  that I used without a hitch. Why would you need a key for just regular M2 raid anyways? If I tried use raid in the bios on the Dark motherboard it would only see 1 of my 960Gb pro's and when I installed with raid it didn't see the other Samsung 960Gb Pro at all.

badboy64
 
I didn't need a key at all because it was just regular raid and I just installed Raid driver and installed the operating system. I had 2x960 Pro 512gb  that I used without a hitch. Why would you need a key for just regular M2 raid anyways? If I tried use raid in the bios on the Dark motherboard it would only see 1 of my 960Gb pro's and when I installed with raid it didn't see the other Samsung 960Gb Pro at all.

 
"Regular Raid" = chipset manages RAID only of drives connected to PCH.  Performance limited by DMI connection between PCH and CPU (compares to ~4 PCIe lanes).
 
VROC = CPU manages RAID only of drives connected to CPU by direct PCIe lanes (not through PCH).  Performance maximum at sum of PCIe lanes for all drives connected directly to CPU in RAID.
 
2x Samsung 960 Pro in "regular" RAID0 nonsensical because DMI connection bottlenecks performance!
 
See https://forums.evga.com/FindPost/2745465 why neither bootable PCH RAID nor VROC makes sense with Dark.