Official GIGABYTE Forum
Questions about GIGABYTE products => Motherboards with Intel processors => Topic started by: Carvetii on August 30, 2011, 02:50:39 am
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Hi,
I was wondering if anyone has downloaded and run Marvell's 91xx_1.2.01006WHQL (11/08/11) drivers?
thanks,
http://www.station-drivers.com/page/marvell.htm
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No, I have not tried these, but was also looking for them.
I really wonder why it is so hard to find genuine Marvell 91xx AHCI/RAID Controller Drivers.
Why does Marvell not simply distributes these files on their website just like any other modern company? ???
You will have to get access to their extranet, which is almost impossible.
Even if you get access I heard it will not be easy to get any information.
I'm not sure if I dare to try the one's from the link you gave us.
I assume you have the same problem. :P
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I have never heard of anyone being burned with station driver downloads.......Have used them myself countless times with no problems.................if anyone out there has contrary information......we would love to here
Aussie Allan
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Well Aussie Allan, it's just that I don't want to destroy the data on my RAID-1 array if you don't mind! ;)
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Likewise I have never heard anything bad about downloads from Station Drivers.
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If you both say this it's probably safe to try I guess.
As soon as I have tested it I will post it.
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I really wonder why it is so hard to find genuine Marvell 91xx AHCI/RAID Controller Drivers.
Why does Marvell not simply distributes these files on their website just like any other modern company? ???
Could that be because each motherboard manufacturer tweaks the drivers to fit their needs ?
Eye don't know.
Strange in that it seems to be a universal driver for the whole 91xx series.....yet there are no drivers on their site.
Also strange, Marvell's main site makes no mention of the chip on my board, the 9172.
BTW, there is much debate on the net, if indeed the Marvell SATA ports (and chip) make use of the TRIM function, when using SSD's on their SATA port(s).
Some say "yes, it seems so", while others point out that "why wouldn't Marvell announce that they do support it ??" (Marvell won't say - or respond to user's support questions about it).
If they did support it, it would be a feather in their cap.....and the fact that they don't announce it, leads many to believe TRIM is not supported.
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Well Aussie Allan, it's just that I don't want to destroy the data on my RAID-1 array if you don't mind! ;)
I don't mind in the slightest.......but , If you ask peoples advice or opinions......expect an honest answer 8)
Here's a little trick I use occasionally when testing suspect kit or software..... Do a quick Clone of your C: drive.....
Disconnect all drives and storage except the clone.......config to boot off the clone and boot...........
Now you have an exact copy running that you can test with..........if every-things dandy..........Well ......you can finish the story.
Aussie Allan
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Tried the driver several days ago. I'm using single drive via Marvell Express card. Onboard chip is
disabled. Find I get better results from plug & play driver than Marvell. The Driver gave better
smaller file results but no good for my setup.
Regards tinker.
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I am a newbie to all this and I would like to know what is a Marvell Express card ? I tried to Google (Marvell Express card) and I'm still confused about how this applies to Ahci/Raid applications.
http://www.google.com/search?q=marvell+express+card&ie=utf-8&oe=utf-8&aq=t&rls=org.mozilla:en-US:official&client=firefox-a
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Aussie Allan is more of an expert on this than I am but.. I used Manhatten PCI Express card for SATA 3.
The Marvell chip on my MOBO is useless. There are various boards available but you need 2 chip board
for best results on raid. Single Marvell chip gives poor results & doesn't appear to be any alternative
on market apart from expensive server cards. No win situation until better add on card comes on market.
You could research Rocket Raid 640 but slow boot up time.
Regards tinker.
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That is correct and I think Tinker has covered it all fine.
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I am a newbie to all this and I would like to know what is a Marvell Express card ? I tried to Google (Marvell Express card) and I'm still confused about how this applies to Ahci/Raid applications.
http://www.google.com/search?q=marvell+express+card&ie=utf-8&oe=utf-8&aq=t&rls=org.mozilla:en-US:official&client=firefox-a
Welcome Carvetii
In laymen term/description..........Express card is short for PCI-E Controller card!........it allows Sata2 or Sata3 to be utilized over one of the PCI-E slots the card is placed in.......bypassing the onboard Sata 2 or 3 ports.............it can be single ported....dual....quad.....all the way up to 32 supported ports via SAS type boxes and splitters..........they can be ported for internal use, external, Raid and non raid.........as they carry there own controller/s they are classified as hardware raid (Generally Better performance)........they can have onboard memory but these really start impacting cost...........they go from 12 to 15 Dollars (worthless)........up to 4 figure prices.....This description is not meant to be absolute in accuracy, just a layman's description for the uninitiated.......... ...Hope this helps
Aussie Allan
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Good general description Allan as you say without going into fine detail which can make it all the more complicated especially for people not already conversant with the specs and making everything harder to follow.
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Thanks DM.....Noticed your Macro quality has gone through the roof......you're getting use to handling barreling in images as well ....good for you!
Aussie Allan
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Thanks Allan. I wish I had more time to read up on it and do more learning all the best ways etc but I am just too busy at the moment. I just try to improve on my photos as I go and hopefully learn the right ways.
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"In play we learn the best"
Aussie Allan
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Thanks Allan for basic understanding of the terminology used on the forum. I will give up on the idea of connecting my 2 WD 500GB Sata 3 HDD's in Raid 0 with any Marvell Sata3 controller.
But, do you have any idea how Marvell has conned every single MB manufacturer in the world ( including Intel) to use their faulty Sata3 91xx control chip?
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it wasn't a case of "conning" them all it was simply that the speed of pushing the products out of the door before the other company means that insufficient testing is done and this is the type of problem that follows. All companies were trying to do the same and beat everyone else to market.
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Yes, but one of Gigabyte's biggest selling features on their MB' is Sata3. Maybe " conning" isn't a PC description of a very successful sales presentation of a faulty product. But, it's been exactly 2 years since Marvell sold this faulty chip to the MB manufacturers. And, from my past experience of working in QC I know it would have taken any competent QC engineer less than a day to figure out this chip doesn't function as per the vendors description.
December 2009 Marvell SATA-6G SSD Performance vs Intel ICH10
http://benchmarkreviews.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=413&Itemid=38
Better Compatibility For Optical Drives Connected to the Marvell SATA III Ports
"9128 SATA III Controller that the rest of the rampage III series MB's use is destined to go down in history as a bad joke! "
http://www.asusrog.com/forums/showthread.php?3622-Better-Compatibility-For-Optical-Drives-Connected-to-the-Marvell-SATA-III-Ports
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I know and I was one of the lucky ones who jumped in and bought one of those lovely Marvell chips on an otherwise perfect motherboard. (GA-X58A-UD7) and just to add insult to injury I also bought a couple of SATA3 WD Blacks to go with it as I was going to RAID them on the Marvell ports for superspeed!
The thing is there were millions of us I guess across the whole industry and as far as I know nobody has been recompensed for the fault, con, whatever you like to call it.
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Thanks Allan for basic understanding of the terminology used on the forum. I will give up on the idea of connecting my 2 WD 500GB Sata 3 HDD's in Raid 0 with any Marvell Sata3 controller.
But, do you have any idea how Marvell has conned every single MB manufacturer in the world ( including Intel) to use their faulty Sata3 91xx control chip?
Tee Hee Hee! :D Do I detect a wee hint of sarcasm here........If I had that answer your question I'd be a very wealth man..........
As DM stated..........Of all multi-Billion dollar industry's.......... where product generations are counted in months...........Speed of product implementation is paramount .... you also have to remember Marvell's tentacles reach in to just about every facet of IT based Manufacture.......
Military and defense, Aerospace, high volume storage solutions, mobile and wireless, networking, consumer green products......... the list goes on and on..........a billion chips a year is only a small part of there global reach. Yes the 88SE9128 controller chip was a DOOOOOZZIE!.........but in reality, considering the generation life of a given platform (mother-board) and combined global concerns.........a very small percentage of Marvell's overall revenue liability ... Just an oppinion... ;)
Aussie Allan
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Yes, your all probably correct on why nothing has been done. But, hypothetically speaking I think if one single litigator had come across this problem Marvel and Gigabyte would having been looking at a class action lawsuits...At least in the USA.
Ironically my Visiontek Killer HD5770 also uses a Marvell controller. So, it looks like Marvell can make somethings that work.
"Supporting the Killer E2100 NPU (on the reverse side of the card) is the Marvell Alaska 88E1118R 10/100/1000BASE-T PHY with RGMII which is a Ethernet Physical transceiver (Ethernet PHYceiver) Its purpose is physical, analogue signal access to the link which in this case is the E2100 NPU thus completing the NIC (Network Integrated Controller) portion of the card.
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Marvell do make some very good things as well. I must admit that I was surprised that a "Class action suit" wasn't brought by someone, I suspect that they were paid off each time that someone tried.