Using UEFI+GPT for data + Storage Spaces/SWRAID? May answer boot/resume problems

[computermensch]

A design problem with the mobo firmware versus - in this case tampering with software storage?

I sure hope my hardcore boot/sleep problems are over now - there is an error in the mobo firmware if it tries to reading the GUID of basic partitions on storage spaces or any other software based storage? In any case it seems the mobo firmware is not behaving right for software based storage.

Actually the firmware is not supposed to do that. Only the Windows boot manager. GIGABYTE is not supposed to try and read the self-contained GPT disks - thus that responsibility goes with the Windows Boot Manager. This is EFI - not BIOS. Thus a design flaw on the mobo firmware if the mobo is trying to inspect the GPT partition based on Windows software storage (could have been Linux too) confusing the compositional design and responsibilities in EFI. Or am I wrong here?

Anyway, thanks for reading and some of you confirming youe have HDD's that work.

I also considered lack of testing HDD's on Gigabytes part very unlikely.
This will make me try out the RAID1+0 setup instead.

Please note that the problem seem to be the firmware trying to inspect (?) GPT partitions - that's wrong (?) - i.e. on software storage (requires the OS or implementing that stuff into the mobo firmware) ... i.e. trying to inspect thus blocking firmware on GPT partitions across software RAIDS in Linux, storage spaces in Windows etc.

So it seems to be a problem with lack of implementation of GPT when the underlying storage is Storage Spaces (but remember UEFI are normally for Windows clients - and state-of-the-art GPT with Storage Spaces are very likely to be used now). So needs to be fixed now - or made public that UEFI active with GPT on Storage Spaces will make the Gigabye firmware block on boot/resume from sleep.


The test fixing my problems with boot/resume:

I have completed more of the test now with decoupling the HDD's from the GA-X99-UD4. Worked instantly.

The disks does not have an operating system on them but are GPT partitions. Are yours GPT partitions on every disk?

The GUID for the partitions are basic disk (GPT) according to EFI spec, however the underlying storage is Windows Storage Spaces (the new windows storage concept also coming from the server side). GPT disk are self contained - however it's not the Windows Boot Manager. It's more likely the firmware in the board does not know how to inspect a GPT partition across 4 disks - thus the software in the mobo is blocking. I.e. boot and resume.

Again UEFI is for PC - i.e. except for Linux that would normally mean Windows. Dynamic disks with MBR partitions in Windows are getting phased out - and replaced by Storage Spaces and GPT. However, this firmware does not know how to properly start a GPT partition implying Storage Spaces with data.

I will set the disk up as RAID1+0 instead. But I think the answer is still lack of support in the GA-X99-UDx's for GPT partitions in Windows.

[computermensch]

Hm ... seems is just about the mobo firmware does not support the storage system for dynamic disk with GPT partitions (basic disk GUID) in Windows client. So the firmware should stay away from basic disks (GPT) if it does not know how to inspect them - and leave it to the Windows Boot Manager alone. Hopefully Gigabytes does the fix either way - implement or remove the GPT inspections if they can not discover the underlaying storage system in Windows.

Quote: http://www.pctechguide.com/motherboards/efi-extensible-firmware-interface-explained
"Since EFI is able to manage its own storage space – normally envisioned as a partition on a hard disk – hardware manufacturers will be able to add many more diagnostic and control options, and include support for different kinds of computer systems and configurations, without being constrained by the cost of expensive onboard flash memory."

[computermensch]

Anyway can confirm the boot problems now seem to be gone after leaving storage spaces behind with GPT. Resume works as expected with the video coming on now.

There was a slight problem with the machine going to sleep manually - however waking up when using the sleep timer. Had to do one more setting in the BIOS. But works now ...

...

[stetch]

I have the same problem everyone else is describing, but I am not using raid, and I am using win7-64 bit too.

I have 1 SSD main boot drive, a 1 tb and two 2tb mechanical drives.  (no raid happening there.)  I have the same symptoms, system won't resume, if I get video mouse and keyboard don't work properly.  Often it hangs when I go into the bios.

I have a new GA-X99-UD5 WIFI.   In the windows event log I get C-Link service errors, "An error occurred with HDD Node Index was out of range. Must be non-negative and less than the size of the collection.
Parameter name: index"    All of which point to a similar HDD issue.