cannot start xpress recovery2

[ricobelo]

hi ,

I am running Xpress Recovery2 for the first time, so I boot on the gibabyte CD then press on key to start xpressrecovery2, then the screen becomes black and remain black. I tried several times.
I have downloaded the latest version of xpress recovery2 (1.01.100901) and burn a CD. The result is the same. The screens remains black.
my motherboard is GA-X58A-UD7(rev. 2.0) with firmware FB

thanks for your help

VGA : MSI   N460GTX
CPU : I7-950      Speed :
Operation System : Win 7 64-bit   
Memory Brand : g-SKILL  DDR3 - 3X4GB
Power Supply : 1000 W

[Dark Mantis]

Hi and welcome to the Gigabyte Forum.

You have neglected to say what hard drives you are using and how they are set up. This is essential information.

[ricobelo]

Hi,

I am using a Crucial SSD 128G on the GSATA_6 port. I have tested with the controller mode on IDE and AHCI, same result
I have created a 10 G partition at the end of the disk.

hope you can help me.

Thanks

[Dark Mantis]

I think that is your problem.
 
Is this the only disk you are using?

Why have you installed it on the slowest ports on your computer?

It won't work in AHCI mode anyway.

[ricobelo]

Hello,

I use the port GSATA3_6 which is connected to the marvell controller for a SATA3 connection.
So this is not the lowest port and AHCI works fine.
using SATA2_0 to 5 will not allow me to have a SATA3 connection.
Currently this is the only disk I have.

Once my setup finished I planned to add on WD velociraptor on the GSATA_7 (SATA 3 compatile HDD) and one seagoate 2 T on the SATA2_0.
Any these disk should not affect xpress recovery, isn't it?

Thanks

[Dark Mantis]

I use the port GSATA3_6 which is connected to the marvell controller for a SATA3 connection.
So this is not the lowest port and AHCI works fine.
using SATA2_0 to 5 will not allow me to have a SATA3 connection.
Currently this is the only disk I have.

Once my setup finished I planned to add on WD velociraptor on the GSATA_7 (SATA 3 compatile HDD) and one seagoate 2 T on the SATA2_0.
Any these disk should not affect xpress recovery, isn't it?

Firstly the Intel ICH10R southbridge ports are actually faster than the Marvell 9128 ports. The Marvel chip didn't match expectations and even though it is supposed to be SATA3 6GBs it is far from that. This is a problem that all manufacturers using this chip have. In our tests we found the INtel ports even though SATA2 were really faster  and they pass on the TRIM comands unlike the Marvell chip. As I'm sure you know you need TRIM enabled for the continued health of your SSD.

Secondly Xpress Recovery 2  wont work on any disk in AHCI mode. It will only support the first disk in the chain so again you would be better off putting it on the Intel port.

Simples!

[ricobelo]

Hi,

thanks for the information.
I read a very good review on the C300 on http://www.xtremesystems.org/forums/showthread.php?p=4615659
looks like only Intel or MSAHCI drivers passed TRIM.
So definitely the SATA3 ports have no usage in my configuration.
Therefore I move my SSD on port SATA2_0. I configured it in IDE, but Xpress recovery still does not work.
Finally I configured it on RAID since I planned to add more on the other ports with a RAID config.

So there is still no explanation why I got a blank screen when I boot on my Xpress recovery2 CD. That's weird.
I did not find any similar case on any forum.Looks like I am the only one with that pb.

cheers

[ricobelo]

do you think Marvell and gigabyte will be able in the near futur to provide drivers which will allow to use the SSD on the SATA 6G ports ?
Hope I did not invest in the UD7 motherboard fot nothing

[Dark Mantis]

I have the same motherboard and also bought a couple of Western Digital Black SATA3 hard drives with the intention of running them in a RAID0 array on the Marvell posts...WRONG! So I know just how you feel. I have moved my 256GB Corsair Performance SSD to the Intel port 0 now too.

Marvell have just recently updated their firmware for the chip and Gigabyte has incorporated that into the new BIOS F8C. I haven't personally flashed it yet so I can't comment on whether it has made any real improvememnts.

[ricobelo]

HI,

In addition to the SSD, I have one velociraptor SATA3 600 G and one Seagate SATA3 2T.
For the moment I put them all on the ICH10 controller.
In this case also you confirm that the ICH10 will be more performant than the Marvell 9128?

cheers

[Dark Mantis]

Yes at the moment the fastest ports on your board are the Intel ICH10R southbridge ones. If the new Marvell firmware has made any changes to the speed capabilities then maybe that will change but I haven't heard about anything along those lines yet.

[Lsdmeasap]

I have the same motherboard and also bought a couple of Western Digital Black SATA3 hard drives with the intention of running them in a RAID0 array on the Marvell posts...WRONG! So I know just how you feel. I have moved my 256GB Corsair Performance SSD to the Intel port 0 now too.

Marvell have just recently updated their firmware for the chip and Gigabyte has incorporated that into the new BIOS F8C. I haven't personally flashed it yet so I can't comment on whether it has made any real improvememnts.

No speed or stability improvements with that firmware, at all! 

It does now allow you to set "Bypass Firmware" though   

[Dark Mantis]

OK Lsdmeasap thanks for the info on the firmware. Do you know what it has changed?