New ASRock Z68 Extreme 3 Gen installation - Which of these should be updated?

[LECBOATER]

SaphireX, Just a quick note to let you know that I've downloaded the zip files from your post in this forum. The links in the email notification I got don't work. I don't know why. I'll install these separately, later on, and then reboot before installing the next, etc.

Thank you very much for providing these links! It's the kind of 'complete' help I love to recieve, since it eliminates much confusion. I'll reply again after I've done what I can do.

Sorry, but I should have asked this question in my previous post. Since these are zipped files and need to be extracted prior to use, where am I supposed to extract them to? And, will all the zip files be extracted the same way, or should any of them be extracted into existing specific folders? Thought I'd ask now before messing things up.

[parsec]

You can extract them anywhere you like, it does not matter. Whatever folder the zip files are in, when unzipped a new folder will be created that contains the contents of the zip file. Open that folder, and look for a file whose Type is Application, since there may be more than one file in the folder.

When you run the installation programs, I suggest that you right click on the file, and choose "Run as administrator"

[LECBOATER]

You can extract them anywhere you like, it does not matter. Whatever folder the zip files are in, when unzipped a new folder will be created that contains the contents of the zip file. Open that folder, and look for a file whose Type is Application, since there may be more than one file in the folder.

When you run the installation programs, I suggest that you right click on the file, and choose "Run as administrator"

I was able to install 3 of the 4 downloads you suggested. The one that failed to install was the "Rapid Storage update". I attached a picture of the error message I received. It is a typically vague, non-useful, worthless, Microsoft waste of time Error message! So, I don't know what to do.



My apologies for the large size of the attached image. This forum doesn't allow me to attach an image from my local HDD as a "link" (which other forums allow users to do), and I haven't taken the time to upload it to some 3rd party website. Frustrating.

Anyway, I made more progess in getting things up-to-date. My major disappoint is that ASRock has not provided a newer BIOS than the one shipped with the MB. Consequently, I cannot configure my G.Skill RAM properly, since the current BIOS won't allow configuration options for it. Experts on the G.Skill's forum keep telling me to update the BIOS settings for my MB, so that the RAM can be configured properly, but ASRock has failed to provide an updated BIOS!

Thanks again, parsec, for your guidance!

Sincerely,
Larry

[JPP]

First, I think the reason why the Rapid Storage install fails is because you configured your SATA as IDE instead of AHCI.

Second, there actually is an updated BIOS. Latest release is 2.20.

http://www.asrock.com/mb/download.as...e3 Gen3&o=BIOS

But if I recall correctly, even with your current BIOS version you should be able to just select your RAM's XMP profile in BIOS setup.

[SaphireX]

JPP has given you good advice...most likely the Intel RST failed to install because the drive was set up in the UEFI/BIOS as IDE as opposed to AHCI...Before you take the plunge and update your BIOS you should first see if you can configure your memory in the UEFI/BIOS by selecting XMP and choosing the Profile that your RAM is rated for -- save and exit and boot into windows. If you have no problems running your rig's memory using the XMP profile then you can tackle the BIOS update as well as perhaps taking advantage of the AHCI features of your hard drive down the road...Did Tradesman at the GSKill forum advise to update the BIOS?
Keep us posted and take it one step at a time amigo!

[LECBOATER]

I'm getting contradictory, misleading info.

First, I think the reason why the Rapid Storage install fails is because you configured your SATA as IDE instead of AHCI.

Second, there actually is an updated BIOS. Latest release is 2.20.

http://www.asrock.com/mb/download.as...e3 Gen3&o=BIOS

But if I recall correctly, even with your current BIOS version you should be able to just select your RAM's XMP profile in BIOS setup.

I appreciate your reply to my situation.

In response to what you said, here's why my HDD is configured as IDE instead of AHCI. There were preceding conversations to this one, but this one was the final one that I followed as the best setup for my HDD, since I do not have an SSD drive, nor plan to install one in the immediate future. I took him at his word. Maybe he didn't know better? I'm sure I didn't, since I'm relying on EXPERT help on this forum. ASRock offers no support of their own, for users!!!!!!!

This is a quote from "SwordOfWar", a member on ASRocks's forum on a topic I started pertaining to configuring my HDD drive.
Topic #6

SwordOfWar
Junior Member

Join Date: Jun 2012 Location: USA Posts: 5

Re: Z68 Extreme3 Gen3 UEFI Setup questions about "Storage Configuration", SATA/IDE/AHCI, etc.

I don't think you will see any performance difference using a mechanical/magnetic drive. The benefits of AHCI are mostly geared toward SSDs (Solid State Drives).

I would say the only real benefit to using AHCI with standard drives is for the hot-plug ability (plug/unplug hard drives and using them without needing to restart the computer).

From what I've read you won't notice any speed difference between either mode on a mechanical drive, like the one you have. You need a solid state drive to see a performance increase using AHCI, I would say.

AHCI is newer technology, so IDE mode is probably more stable if you don't need the features AHCI provides. If you ever plan on upgrading your OS drive to an SSD, and plan on cloning the drive to your new drive with clone/backup software instead of doing a fresh install, then it might make the process smoother if you already have AHCI enabled in Windows.

However, I highly recommend doing a fresh Windows install if you ever upgraded your OS drive to an SSD.

============================================
If I do not have, nor plan to buy a SSD drive, then should I (somehow) try to reconfigure my HDD settings to recognize it as AHCI, instead of its current IDE setup? Or, does it actually matter for what I'm trying to download/install? Is that particular download/install (Rapid Storage Update) ESSENTIAL to my system's performance/behavior???

Obviously, just as you would, I want my system to perform at its optimal capacity. That's all I'm trying to achieve... with your guidance and patience!

NOTE: THIS REPLY DOES NOT INCLUDE COMMENTS ABOUT UPDATING MY BIOS. THOSE MAY COME LATER.
YOU FOLKS ARE WORKING HARD TO ANSWER MY QUESTIONS, AND I REALLY APPRECIATE IT! WITH YOUR HELP, I'M GETTING SO CLOSE TO RESOLVING ALL THESE ISSUES. I JUST NEED A LITTLE BIT MORE CLARIFICATION ON SOME COMMENTS AND SUGGESTIONS YOU'VE MADE.

[parsec]

I couldn't let this one go unanswered:

"I don't think you will see any performance difference using a mechanical/magnetic drive. The benefits of AHCI are mostly geared toward SSDs (Solid State Drives)."

False, wrong, and 180 degrees in the wrong direction.

AHCI, or really one of it's features, called Native Command Queuing (NCQ) was specifically designed to improve the performance of standard magnetic hard disk drives. Intel and Seagate collaborated on NCQ and published the first white paper on it in 2003. A bit before SSDs existed, don't you think?

While it has taken a while to adopt in the PC industry, AHCI (designed and owned by Intel, who licenses it for free) is actually the default SATA operating mode setting in the BIOS of mother boards for about two years, and available for at least five years. Your boards default setting is AHCI, which was changed.

Windows Vista and 7 include an AHCI driver that will load automatically if the SATA mode is set to AHCI when Windows is loaded! If you change the setting in your BIOS to AHCI now, your PC will BSOD (crash, and need a restart.) So don't change to AHCI now! That can be fixed, but more later.

Intel Rapid Storage Technology, or IRST, is their combination AHCI and RAID driver. It does not work in IDE mode. That's why the installation failed. ASRock intended the board to be used in AHCI mode, so supplies the IRST driver. It's simply for performance, not basic functioning.

Not using AHCI does not at all affect the behavior of your PC, it is not essential. The main thing it does is increase the speed and response time of your HDD. Not that it would be night and day, it helps more in the professional usage environment. Using IDE instead of AHCI is a minor issue in your case, which can be fixed easily once you feel comfortable with your PC.

Basically what NCQ does is send multiple I/O requests/commands to a storage drive in a group, in one request from the OS rather than multiple separate requests. A HDD then can sort them into a optimal order, to reduce the time needed to perform them. It can also do more work without waiting for the OS to give it a request one at a time. Pretty simple and obvious, right? SSDs also use NCQ to perform I/O requests in parallel, at the same time.

It's ironic that not long ago, I argued with a guy in another forum who said he did not believe AHCI/NCQ were needed for SSDs, since it was designed for HDDs. He was half right. That other guy you listened to, not at all right.

I have studied this topic up, down, and sideways. I use SSDs and HDDs, although the former now outnumber the latter.

Next, I'm surprised you even need to configure your memory manually at all. Memory now contains built in data for its settings, called profiles, such as XMP profiles as SaphireX mentioned. You don't need to set any memory settings at all for the PC to operate, they are automatically read and set by the BIOS.

You can set them yourself if you want to, and frankly I doubt that your BIOS does not allow you to set the memory settings. My boards BIOS has so many memory settings, I don't know what 3/4 of them are, there are dozens and dozens. I choose XMP in the BIOS, see if the numbers match after that, done, memory is just a memory.

Where are you looking for the memory settings? They will be in the "OC Tweaker" menu option, under DRAM timings. You don't need a new BIOS, the settings are there now.

[SaphireX]

Parsec has given you excellent advice and the many reasons why? you should seriously consider changing the mode of your drive from IDE to AHCI

This link explains pretty simply how you can do this without re-installing windows

How to enable AHCI in Windows 7 RC after installation

But before you do this lets get your memory to run using it's XMP profile. Enter your UEFI/BIOS on boot look for the OC TWEAKER SCREEN then near the bottom is a folder named DRAM CONFIGURATION click on that will bring up the DRAM TIMING CONTROL screen near the top of that screen you should see that it's selected already as AUTO click on that and you should have a drop down menu and select XMP then below that another menu should pop up asking you to pick an XMP profile. usually Profile #1 is the one you want since ASRock UEFI's are friendly with GSKill memory XMP settings. After you've made your choices then save and exit and boot into windows.

D/L CPU-Z the 64-bit version which is free and choose the standalone non-install type that you simply unzipper and in the memory tab the DRAM Frequency that it displays multiplied by 2 is your memories max frequency using the XMP profile

CPUID - System & hardware benchmark, monitoring, reporting

Also on the CPU Tab that will tell you more about your CPU whether it's Sandy Bridge or Ivy Bridge. If you do have the Sandy Bridge listed under Codename you should forget about updating the BIOS to the new one as toooo many folks that run Sandy Bridge CPU's that have upgraded to the "alleged" Sandy Bridge/Ivy Bridge CPU BIOS/UEFI have 'borked' their systems and they cannot flash back to an earlier BIOS and are left with the only option of replacing their BIOS chip pre-flashed to the earlier BIOS when their system worked.

Like I said 1 step at a time and you are getting excellent advice hear from the "guys" - Get your memory to run using the XMP Profile in the UEFI/BIOS First! Then as long as your system is running good and stable then tackle changing it from IDE mode to AHCI mode as described in the above link. Once you are in AHCI mode and all is well then try re-installing the Intel RST package again.

Keep us in the loop

[parsec]

Thanks SaphireX, you also have provided great (correct) advice about changing to AHCI mode, and describing how to set up memory. I was reluctant to throw more fixes at LECBOATER, since he seems to be a bit overwhelmed, and did not want to distract him from his main issues.

Configuring memory was much more of a necessity in the "old days", before JEDEC defined the SPD data for RAM memory. We take it for granted now, but there was a time when it did not exist. I imagine he was looking for a "Memory" option in the main list of BIOS options, and did not expect it to be in the Overclocking section, a reasonable conclusion.

I was unaware of the UEFI/BIOS issue when using SB CPUs on this board. I use an IB CPU, so no problems for me. The problem must be related to the Z77 chipset, really made for IB CPUs, and using SB CPUs is in a sense a backwards compatibility step, rather than the UEFI change to allow IB CPUs to work with SB CPU 6-series chipsets, a forward step, IMO.

Don't give up LECBOATER, this is really not that bad at all.

[JPP]

Maybe a small derail, but I suppose it's really a minority of users that have had trouble with the 2.X BIOS updates for the Extreme 3 Gen 3.

For me personally, using the E3G3 with an SB 2500K (just like LECBOATER), I have had no issues at all updating to either 2.10 or 2.20. My system runs just as flawless now as it ever did.

Apologies for this small "injection", back to getting LECBOATER's memory XMP profile set in BIOS! (divide and conquer: take one step at a time and you will eventually be victorious!) ;)