GA-X58A-UD3R : Marvell SATA3 ports NOT working well !?

[nicolaerugina]

GA-X58A-UDR3  (with Bios rev. "F5" -  latest)
OS: Windows 7 Professional (64 bit)

 I have (2) Caviar Black (1TB) SATA3 drives.

At first I connected both in a Raid 0 configurations using the Intel Sata 2 ports:
 I raided(striped) them using  2 of the Intel SATA2 ports, and created a "RAID 0")
 Write -> 200 MB/s
 Read -> 200 MB/s

I thought ok, thats is good.
-------------------------------

 BUT, since they are SATA3 drives I decided to connect them to the 2 "Marvell 9128" GSATA/6/7 "SATA3"  ports
 ( I selected AHCI mode and then created a "RAID 0" again).
 Instead of getting "better" results it spewed out a paltry:
 Write -> 200 MB/s
 Read ->100 MB/s   !!!!!!!!!!

---------------------------------------------
 I used the exact same tests,... for both the above.
anyway, apparently when using Marvel GSATA Raid configurator in bios its has only 2 options, "AHCI" or "IDE".
 Should I have used "IDE" ?
 Or is this the same "Marvell"  compnay that makes those gawd-awful NIC stuff ?

 Anyone else had any issues with these so-called SATA 3  ports??
 

Hi,

I am new here, but I have a question? From were you got the Caviar Black (1TB) SATA3??? You should look close to the specification of your HDD!!! It is SATA II 3Gb transfer!!!! There is not yet on the marker a SATA III HDD or SDD!!!!!

Enjoy

[scjet]

GA-X58A-UDR3  (with Bios rev. "F5" -  latest)
OS: Windows 7 Professional (64 bit)

 I have (2) Caviar Black (1TB) SATA3 drives.

At first I connected both in a Raid 0 configurations using the Intel Sata 2 ports:
 I raided(striped) them using  2 of the Intel SATA2 ports, and created a "RAID 0")
 Write -> 200 MB/s
 Read -> 200 MB/s

I thought ok, thats is good.
-------------------------------

 BUT, since they are SATA3 drives I decided to connect them to the 2 "Marvell 9128" GSATA/6/7 "SATA3"  ports
 ( I selected AHCI mode and then created a "RAID 0" again).
 Instead of getting "better" results it spewed out a paltry:
 Write -> 200 MB/s
 Read ->100 MB/s   !!!!!!!!!!

---------------------------------------------
 I used the exact same tests,... for both the above.
anyway, apparently when using Marvel GSATA Raid configurator in bios its has only 2 options, "AHCI" or "IDE".
 Should I have used "IDE" ?
 Or is this the same "Marvell"  compnay that makes those gawd-awful NIC stuff ?

 Anyone else had any issues with these so-called SATA 3  ports??
 

Hi,

I am new here, but I have a question? From were you got the Caviar Black (1TB) SATA3??? You should look close to the specification of your HDD!!! It is SATA II 3Gb transfer!!!! There is not yet on the marker a SATA III HDD or SDD!!!!!

Enjoy

------------------------------------

 Please don't confuse the issue here.
and yes, my Caviar's are Sata3 specs, as far as specs go,  but do the PC-hardware makers on our planet lie like marketing pirates !!!??? - ANSWER: -> of course they do.
 However, here, and if you also follow this thread
http://forum.giga-byte.co.uk/index.php/topic,1617.0.html
 you'll know that I easily beat the ich10r (sata2) ports when compared alongside the Marvell sata3 ports by a little bit,, as long as I used a software stripe, in AHCI-mode, - on the Marvell sata3 ports, i was ok.  ?
The bottleneck, as others like 'skiigor' have pointed out, really is the 'mechanical' HARDDRIVES somewhat as well.

 However, I only have (2) sata3 caviars, if I had the finest sata3 SSD's(ie. Corsair's) sure the performance would be better.
 The point is, Marvell, has some driver issues within bios for raiding, and Gigabyte knows it, and they're working on it.  And now we know it.

 In summary, its not just the sata3 drives in regards to this MB, or for that fact, any other MB manufacturer who is touting SATA3 controllers on thier MB such as ASUS, whooopee!,  It is OBVIOUSLY the Marvell9128 'copy' of Intel's ich10r controller, because that is all Marvell has really done here, - reverse-engineer Intel's ich10r and added some cheap cacheing tricks, and then, called it a SATA3 controller !!!???
 Do I wish Intel launched its SATA3 controller chipsets for this MB ? - uhhh YES !, as long as it doesn't force me to buy only Intel SSD's.

 ... In the meantime, lets hope Gigabyte will force Marvell to resolve their issue for us.

Rick.

[alan969]

I can't offer a solution but only supply another story to confirm that there is an issue here.
I have a Sata3 Crucial C300 SSD with a GA-X58A-UD3R running Windows 7 64 bit with all the latest drivers.
When connected to the Sata3 header I get a Windows Experience Index of 6.8 for the primary SSD drive.
Moving it to the Sata2 header results in a score of 7.7

[twitch]

Hello

Have a read Here

 

[alan969]

Thanks twitch.

Interesting reading. No TRIM support either from Marvell. I guess I'll be using the Sata2 header for the foreseeable future.
Gigabyte would have been aware of this limitation.
That'll influence my future buying decisions.

[twitch]

Thanks twitch.

Interesting reading. No TRIM support either from Marvell. I guess I'll be using the Sata2 header for the foreseeable future.
Gigabyte would have been aware of this limitation.
That'll influence my future buying decisions.

Well you can still use the marvell ports just don't load the marvell driver software, or if you have remove it.
Just use the standard ms driver.

Thats what I am doing, and seems fine..

It's not just gigabyte, Asus have the same problem though theirs is worse as most use the 9123.

[jojodancer]

 ok, sry, I stand corrected,  according to the manual (page 108) it basically says "...you are NOT required to load the sata/ahci driver first, when installing Vista/Win7 onto the "Raided" drives that you attached to your Marvell9128 controller....."

This is not sure. I have two VelociRaptor 600GB 6Gb/s connected to this Marvell stupid thing and set to RAID 0 and still have no luck to install Win 7 Ultimate 64bit! Without preloading the Marvell ahci driver as the manual says, win7 would not read the RAID 0 drives!

After preloaded the Marvell ahci driver, still have problem when the Win 7 installation reaches "updating" stage. I have tried few times and made few adjustments (time/date in bios, formatted the VelociRaptor as prime drives, etc) but still got this stupid error code "0x80FE0000".

I am planning to switch the whole thing to Intel SATA2 in RAID 0! After reading the posts, sounds like Intel SATA2 performs better than Marvell SATA3 in RAID 0 for 6gb/s drives!

Also, I would not trust my OS controlled by this Marvell chip for long term. Not many info that I could find in Marvell website and they don't update their drivers and very bad in support. Who knows if they are still in business in the next five years? Time will tell when Intel releases their SATA3 controller.

[Dave76]

Thanks for the link and info twitch, good to finally find something on the marvell driver issue.


@jojodancer,

Read the thread twitch linked, Here

From what I've read there, I wouldn't install with Marvell drivers.

As twitch said:

Well you can still use the marvell ports just don't load the marvell driver software, or if you have remove it.
Just use the standard ms driver.

Thats what I am doing, and seems fine..

It's not just gigabyte, Asus have the same problem though theirs is worse as most use the 9123.

Don't know what MOBO you have, but disable all power saving settings in BIOS, cool n'quiet, c-1 c-2 etc, etc, I have seen these not allow windows 7 to install.

Disconnect any HDD or SSD that is not required for the installation.

If that doesn't work, pull all but one RAM stick, this helps with win7 x64 sometimes.

Have you tried installing with the HDD(s) not formatted?

Hope this helps,

[jojodancer]

I have a p55a-ud6.

I have installed Win7 64 bit through Intel SATA2 without a single problem. Super smooth with one try  

So the verdict is that there is nothing wrong with the drives (2 x VelociRaptor SATA3 6GB/s in RAID 0) but the Marvell driver itself.

If you want to install OS through Marvell in RAID 0, forget it  

[Zarach]

jojodancer: I am having some crazy issues with my Marvell controller as well which are outlined here:

http://forum.giga-byte.co.uk/index.php/topic,1866.0.html

Tonight I installed Windows 7 with the 2 600GB WD Raptors on the Intel SATA2 port and have been solid ever since. I even clocked up my RAM per gskills recommendations to 2002mhz. The Windows Experience Rating when I was on the Marvell was 6.3 for the RAID0 and Windows would only boot cold as per my thread above. The RAID0 on SATA2 port comes up with a Windows Experience Rating of 6.2 and everything is 100% stable. Seems like Gigabyte/Marvell have a lot of work ahead of them to get this junk chipset working. I've seen nothing but complaints all over the place on this.

[jojodancer]

Zarach,

I am surprised that you could install Win7 64 through Marvell to the two VelociRaptors in RAID O.

So far my two VelociRaptor 600gb runs super smoothly in RAID O using Intel SATA2 I am thinking getting one more 600gb to expand my RAID 0 setup :p

Also, Window experience shows at 6.3. I have not switched to Marvell and why bother anyway?

If you look at the Marvell driver version at Gigabyte website, it is still dated 2009!!!! This company is so lame and I am sure Gigabyte will ditch them very soon.

By the way, I have tested the speed of my RAID 0 setup at Crystal Disk Mark and it shows:

Seq
Read 256.5 Mb/s
Write 256.8 MB/s

Pretty good huh?

[pdime]

I have an Intel SSD X25-M which is twice as fast on the Intel SATA2 ports as it is on the Marvell SATA3 ports, using Gigabyte's drivers. 

[jojodancer]

looks like Gigabyte finally get rid of Marvell:

http://www.gigabyte.com.tw/MicroSite/186/default.htm

[etwolf]

Well ah jojdancer,
                           That's an AMD board with an AMD chipset providing SATA3 functionality, it doesn't mean Gigabyte is ditching Marvell on the Intel platform.
It also doesn't help the multitudes of us who have already bought boards with the Marvell chipset on board and who aren't rich enough just to bin it and buy another. (I paid AU$439.00 for my GA-X58A_UD7 which is cheap here in Australia). I for one chose this board over a competitors board purely for the sata3 RAID functionality which is clearly and "BOLDLY" stated on the flamboyantly flashy packaging "SATA 3.0 4X SPEED VIA RAID 0". Did they not test this before going to market ? Perhaps if they had paid as much attention to testing as they did marketing and flashy packaging, we all would not be having these problems and Gigabyte would not have aquirred my hard earned cash under such false pretenses.
(aren't there serious legal ramifications for false advertising on this scale...lol  I'm only "HALF" joking)

.....anyways enough bitching........It is now late in June 2010, does anybody know if Gigabyte  are working on a Bios update to address this issue, if they even can or are even willing to address the problem.

[Dark Mantis]

Well I would have to agree in principal to all you have said     As you rightly say the AMD platform has it iall on chip whereas the Intel relies on a discrete chip(Marvell). Gigabyte is looking at a new BIOS update for the UD7 while we speak but whether it will be able to address this issue is unknown at present.
Of course the Law does cover this issue but to start up a Class Action takes time and resources. I 'm sure the company will address this issue as soon as it can but how that will leave us existing owners is another matter. We tend to get forgotten in the history of the board's progress.