Z77 Pro3 RAID UEFI setup in BIOS

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Any idea when/if this is going to be implemented? the Pro4 has had it for over 5 weeks now but so far nothing for the Pro3. :(

Thanks.

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Only someone from ASR could answer that question. I've had it since the last UEFI update of the Z77 EX 4 board, which includes an Intel RAID Option ROM update for UEFI booting, and it does work fine.

But, it only appears as an option in the UEFI if you are UEFI booting Windows 8 in Ultra Fast boot mode. It looks like your board supports the Ultra Fast boot option, since ASR includes the Restart to UEFI utility on your board's download page. Restart to UEFI must be used to get into the UEFI when booting in Ultra Fast mode.

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Only someone from ASR could answer that question.

Hi Parsec, thanks for the reply. Yes and AFAIK Emily provides technical support for AsRock so hopefully Emily will have some input. Since the Pro4 has had it for some time now I would have expected the Pro3 to follow within 1 or 2 weeks, but so far.... :( It's not super critical but would be nice to have. Also I'm a little surprised that there seems little support in the BIOS for Hii add ons. Just me I guess though lol.

But, it only appears as an option in the UEFI if you are UEFI booting Windows 8 in Ultra Fast boot mode.

That's strange, should appear as an option anytime your using the UEFI RAID driver, for instance by disabling CSM with ultra fast boot disabled. BTW W7 boots okay for me with ultra fast boot set, not sure why only W8 is implied although you obviously do not get W8 fast start (not the same as fast start in the BIOS) which uses hyberfil.sys to create a semi-hybernation start up after shutdown. Also with W7 you do not get the native display resolution on loading in this case. The ASR app to boot to UEFI can be used in W7 while W8 has it's own restart to UEFI built into the OS although takes a few selections to get to in it's native state so the ASR app would be easy to use in that case.

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I have hibernation disabled on my W8 PC, and don't have a hibernate file allocated on the OS drive. At least it does not exist once the OS starts, if it does at all.

The point of the RAID option in the UEFI is when using Ultra Fast boot, it is impossible to get into the UEFI, so starting the RAID Option ROM is impossible.

You also can't use a video card with Ultra Fast boot in W8, since it must have a GOP compatible BIOS, and few if any actually do.

Interesting that all that works in W7.

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You also can't use a video card with Ultra Fast boot in W8, since it must have a GOP compatible BIOS, and few if any actually do.

There are quite a few manufacturers offering VBIOS updates, mostly for latest cards, on request or downloadable updates. Powercolor are selling some UEFI graphics cards off the shelf. Apparently there may be compatibility issues though with using the new hybrid VBIOS on some legacy boards so manufacturers are understandably a bit concerned with this.

If you are not using hibernate and hence no W8 fast start, what are your post times like with BIOS fast boot and CSM disabled compared to ultrafast start?

[ASRock TSD - Emily]

Dear all,

The latest lab BIOS of Z77 Pro3 has supported "Intel UEFI RAID configuration in BIOS setup".
Because our QT team is doing fully test with this BIOS, we didn't upload it to our website.
After they finish the test, we will upload it to our website.

According to your request, I provide the latest BIOS L1.91 for you to try first.
Please kindly download the latest BIOS L1.91 from below link to try.
Link: http://download.asrock.com/z77pro3(1.91)ROM.zip

Thanks for your support!

Have a nice day
ASRock TSD
Emily

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Hi Emily,
thank you for the update. I am happy enough knowing that it is in the works but thanks for going that extra bit and providing a preview. Much appreciated. :)

Regards...

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There are quite a few manufacturers offering VBIOS updates, mostly for latest cards, on request or downloadable updates. Powercolor are selling some UEFI graphics cards off the shelf. Apparently there may be compatibility issues though with using the new hybrid VBIOS on some legacy boards so manufacturers are understandably a bit concerned with this.

If you are not using hibernate and hence no W8 fast start, what are your post times like with BIOS fast boot and CSM disabled compared to ultrafast start?

Well, I don't necessarily agree that I don't have W8 fast start, or at least not as you described it. Then again, I'm not 100% certain that when I use Ultra Fast boot, that I'm not really using W8 fast start as you described it. I sure don't have a hibernate file, unless it is automatically created when I shutdown, and deleted when I boot.

With Ultra Fast boot enabled (UEFI booting), from a cold start, I'm on the desktop in ~10 seconds or less, with a SSD as the OS drive. I'm impressed, that is in RAID mode too, but the OS is not a RAID volume.

I've never tried Fast boot mode lately, good question, I'll let you know.

EDIT: Ok, just tried Fast boot mode. It's a bit slower, I see the RAID OROM screen displayed, and one POST display screen, but that adds ~5 seconds, so not bad.

Do you know why the Intel integrated graphics works with Ultra Fast boot, but not video cards unless they have GOP support? Does the IGP support GOP? I can't find any info about that. I just read that Nvidia has released a VBIOS update for their 680 card to support GOP, but it seems once you change to the VBIOS, you can't BIOS boot anymore, or it can't be used on non-UEFI boards.

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Well, I don't necessarily agree that I don't have W8 fast start, or at least not as you described it. Then again, I'm not 100% certain that when I use Ultra Fast boot, that I'm not really using W8 fast start as you described it. I sure don't have a hibernate file, unless it is automatically created when I shutdown, and deleted when I boot.

Okay, I'll post the following information which you probably know already but may help others reading the thread.

Here is a good article on Windows 8 fast start. Note option #3 that if hybernation is disabled (powercfg -h off) then W8 fast start is disabled too. W8 fast start works when powering up from a W8 shutdown but not when selecting restart.

EDIT: Ok, just tried Fast boot mode. It's a bit slower, I see the RAID OROM screen displayed, and one POST display screen, but that adds ~5 seconds, so not bad.

If I understand you correctly you are seeing the legacy OROM (that ctrl-i), if CSM is disabled you should not see that.

Disable Fast boot in the BIOS setup and disable CSM. Sorry about the image, I'm only allowed one per post lol.




This should get you booting UEFI without ultra fast and the only time you should see the RAID OROM config is in the BIOS which you should now be able to directly access before post. It is this configuration and time I was expecting you to compare to ultra fast.

Do you know why the Intel integrated graphics works with Ultra Fast boot, but not video cards unless they have GOP support? Does the IGP support GOP?

On an Intel board providing you have a latest BIOS update, GOP drivers are embedded in the BIOS itself for IGD, typically both SandyBridge and IvyBridge drivers.

I just read that Nvidia has released a VBIOS update for their 680 card to support GOP, but it seems once you change to the VBIOS, you can't BIOS boot anymore, or it can't be used on non-UEFI boards.

I've read there may be some problems with some legacy mainboards but haven't looked into it much so can not give you a clear answer. Your own mainboard with UEFI 2.3.1 should be fine with the hybrid VBIOS and should be able to choose legacy or UEFI for your graphics card when updated. Accessing BIOS should not be a problem for your Z77 unless possibly using an old BIOS version without proper support.

It's interesting that the ASUS 680 update says no rollback, not sure if they mean they will not be providing a means to rollback instead. I just updated an ASUS GT640 for UEFI hybrid through some tool out there on the web (that probably shouldn't be there) and it seems to be working okay so far.

Since your graphics card is currently legacy only (I thought you were using hybrid, whoops), are you disabling it and just using the IGD for your ultra fast booting?

[parsec]

Okay, I'll post the following information which you probably know already but may help others reading the thread.

Here is a good article on Windows 8 fast start. Note option #3 that if hybernation is disabled (powercfg -h off) then W8 fast start is disabled too. W8 fast start works when powering up from a W8 shutdown but not when selecting restart.

I used their tutorials to get up to speed on UEFI booting, they are great. I must go back to that fast start article before I will comment further on this point. The boot time I mentioned is from a cold start, I have two PCs UEFI booting with W8 in Ultra Fast boot mode, and it's the fastest start up I've ever seen.

If I understand you correctly you are seeing the legacy OROM (that ctrl-i), if CSM is disabled you should not see that.

Part of the UEFI update you want for your board, that adds the RAID configuration as a UEFI option (which my ASR board has in UEFI 2.80), also adds a different RAID OROM. That OROM is the UEFI boot OROM. In my boards UEFI with this feature, the UEFI booting Intel OROM version is 11.6.0.1702. That is what is displayed during Fast boot. The OROM used in BIOS booting is a different version, 11.2. The use of different OROMs is one of the advantages of UEFI booting, and the POST procedures used in UEFI booting are optimized for the advantages UEFI booting provides. That is one reason why UEFI booting is faster.

Disable Fast boot in the BIOS setup and disable CSM. Sorry about the image, I'm only allowed one per post lol.




This should get you booting UEFI without ultra fast and the only time you should see the RAID OROM config is in the BIOS which you should now be able to directly access before post. It is this configuration and time I was expecting you to compare to ultra fast.

So you wanted no fast booting options, while UEFI booting, I see now. I'll get back to you about that. My comment above on the UEFI OROM is the same. In my board's UEFI, I also have Secure Boot enabled, which I believe is necessary for UEFI booting. Once that is enabled and after a restart, the CSM option is removed. I can assure you that I am UEFI booting.

On an Intel board providing you have a latest BIOS update, GOP drivers are embedded in the BIOS itself for IGD, typically both SandyBridge and IvyBridge drivers.

Do you mean an Intel manufactured board, or just an Intel chipset board? I had to use the integrated graphics in order to UEFI boot, as my video card's BIOS does not support GOP. Ultra Fast boot works with both an i7-2600K and an i5-3570K, with Intel graphics drivers, of course.

I've read there may be some problems with some legacy mainboards but haven't looked into it much so can not give you a clear answer. Your own mainboard with UEFI 2.3.1 should be fine with the hybrid VBIOS and should be able to choose legacy or UEFI for your graphics card when updated. Accessing BIOS should not be a problem for your Z77 unless possibly using an old BIOS version without proper support.

It's interesting that the ASUS 680 update says no rollback, not sure if they mean they will not be providing a means to rollback instead. I just updated an ASUS GT640 for UEFI hybrid through some tool out there on the web (that probably shouldn't be there) and it seems to be working okay so far.

Since your graphics card is currently legacy only (I thought you were using hybrid, whoops), are you disabling it and just using the IGD for your ultra fast booting?

Yes, explained above. You lost me on the "Your own mainboard with UEFI 2.3.1 should be fine with the hybrid VBIOS..."