ROG RAMPAGE VI EXTREME ENCORE MoBo - HELP Rebuild SSDs & Hyper card and Windows 11 Pro

[Jahmen]

I'll admit that I have gotten in a bit over my head with it all. So, to start with here is my Hardware list.

My 2024 CORSAIR Tower ROG PC Rebuild Hardware

• CORSAIR Graphite Series 780T Full-Tower Case
• ASUS ROG Rampage VI Extreme Encore x266 LGA 2066 Motherboard [MoBo]
• The Intel i9-10920x CPU       
• The DEEPCOOL Castle CPU Cooler 
• The CORSAIR 128 GB RAM Memory 
• The ASUS GeForce RTX 2080 Graphic Card 
• ASUS hyper x16 M.2 GEN4 Card
•  FURY x4 Four M.2 ME 2TB SSDs for ASUS hyper x16 M.2 Gen4 card
•  FURY x2 Two M.2 ME 4TB SSDs
  What I was stuck on is not understanding how the BIOS & Firmware updates work. Are they each consecutive build additions to the last version update? So, we need to do each to the next update sequentially? Or if each of the BIOS version updates contain everything all the previous updates had in them making them cumulative. Yes, they are cumulative.
  Because if each BIOS update R6EE file version contains everything those before it had in them, then I assume I can skip some of those BIOS Updates not having any ME Firmware updates. Meaning I can jump over to the BIOS versions that had ME Firmware Updates that came out with them or after and then just install it with that latest firmware update. YES, you can do it that way.
  I'll left off here about the BIOS setting for the hyper card and SSD's and the Windows 11 Pro Install to see if anyone replies.                                       
  Above is the ROG Rampage VI Extreme Encore BIOS Updates and ME Firmware List I made after downloading them all.                                Eleven (11) BIOS and Five (5) Firmware Updates.  I have each on an 8GB USB flash drive waiting to install.
  The Next thing was where to put the ASUS hyper GEN4 Card & Graphics card. While I found it recommended to install the hyper card into the PCIE x16_1 slot (Top) and the GeForece RTX video card into the PCIE_2, reversing that would work better because having the video card in the bottom position interferes with the BIOS buttons access somewhat.
  
  The above Asus Manual picture was modified by me in order for me to sort the information out in a way that I could follow and understand. I relabeled some of the PCIe & M.2 slots.
  I was going to install the ASUS hyper x16 M.2 GEN5 Card, but getting the 6-pin power cable for it became too difficult and so I settled for the GEN4 Card.     
  MY HARDWARE CONFIGURATIONS:  
  
  NOTE: The PCIe x16_3 slot is an 8-pin slot sharing the M.2_1 (PCH) slot.
  The reason the PCIe x16_1 slot is suggested to use for the ASUS hyper GEN4 Card is because the CPU lanes can be bifurcated x4 x4 x4 x4 from the x16 Lanes in the BIOS. So, x4 lane for each of the M.2 2TB SSDs I have on the hyper GEN4 Card.
  Because the PCIe x16_2 slot in the BIOS was an x8 x4 x4 for the x16 lanes, I assume this was the reason why we put the hyper GEN4 Card into the top PCIe x16_1 slot.
  No matter though because I can leave it that way if I can't find a better way in the BIOS to reverse them without any downside.
  While I do have the VROC Module for doing a Hardware RAID I didn't want to spend any more money to get the required Intel 670p 2 TB Solid State Drive - M.2 2280 Internal - PCI Express NVMe required to use the VROC Intel platform for the RAID.
  I learned you also have to reinstall the specific ME Firmware to update each of the Intel M.2 SSDs. If anyone asks here, I can post the Intel and ASUS detailed manual instruction for doing a Hardware RAID. It took me about 5 months badgering both ASUS & Intel Support to get the Firmware drivers and software.  Because the Intel Only 670 SSDs for a VROC RAID was limited to 2TB SSD's I didn't consider the VROC Raid worth the hassle, time and money to do. Therefore, I opted for doing the software RAID0 in the BIOS with the RAID RST Setting. I think that's what I you need to select for doing it.
  I do hope my sharing what I am learning and doing will be helpful to others.
  
  
  

[Jahmen]

I started this Rebuild Post Thread for my ROG Rampage VI Extreme Encore MoBo because there isn't much about this board posted. And because I thought it could be useful to others who might also need to Update their BIOS & ME Firmware. In addition to installing an ASUS hyper X16 M.2 Gen4 Card. Not to mention upgrading to Window 11 Pro, since Window 10 Pro won't be supported indefinitely.
I first wanted to have the hardware devices slot locations mapped out and all my devices in place before starting on the BIOS & Firmware Updates sequence.  Got all of the M.2 ME SSD's, ASUS hyper M.2 GEN4 Card & ASUS GEFORCE RTX Video Card all in place.
On to the BIOS & Firmware Updates: Snapshot of the BIOS Updates and what they do Information.

Once I have gotten all of the BIOS & Firmware update done, then I was going to install Windows 11 pro. The Windows pro versions offer more features that gives us more abilities for doing the installation. 
Also, I read that you should have your hard drives in the BIOS set up properly before installing Window 11 pro, otherwise you could have a boot problem.
The second item in the Build I hadn't mentioned was doing a Dual boot of Windows 10 Pro and Windows 11 Pro. I've found over the years that often some older software created for Window 10 and previous OS are best left to run in those OS environments.
At the end of all of these posted steps with some Q & A, I hope others will post some helpful tips and yet others may find their way here and get some answers. 

[dennys2009]

A new Bios 2001 has been released.

[jmotos]

Do you have a setup instructions for Dimm.2 riser?  I have 2 Samsung 980 nvme drives in the slots.  The bios does not recognize drives when trying to set up CPU raid in the Ez wizard.  Thanks.

[Antraxtacide]

You need to meet the hardware requirements firstly, and have PCIe lanes available to service the M.2 NVMe drives.  What ~Motherboard ~CPU and other hardware do you have installed in your System.  M.2 Drives will not be shown in PCH ACHI Stores, you will need to enable iRST Mode ..  It may also be the case that the Samsung 980s are not compatiable with your motherboard. Please check your motherboard Support back - and chck QVL Device List for NVMe SSD.   

Check your motherboard manual for NVMe VROC VMD Setup.

[Antraxtacide]

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@jmotos wrote:
I have 2 Samsung 980 nvme drives in the slots.  The bios does not recognize drives when trying to set up CPU raid in the Ez wizard.  Thanks.

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Sourced from Reddit... https://www.reddit.com/r/ASUS/comments/dhpzdu/rog_rampage_vi_extreme_omega_dimm2_m2_and_memory/

First, the solution: push the modules deeper into their respected slots!

Having just built my new PC, I started with going into BIOS and checking up on the hardware. I had two problems: my M.2 SSD connected through the DIMM.2 slot wasn't detected, and there was less memory detected than I installed. I searched everywhere, and it seems to be a common problem with this motherboard. But I couldn't find the solution anywhere. Of course, updating the BIOS was the first thing I tried. It didn't help. I moved the SSD from one side of DIMM.2 board to the other, and it worked. But there was still the memory issue. Then I noticed that out of 8 RGB LED memory sticks only 3 were glowing.

Now, the thing with this particular board is that it's insanely tight packed for it's class! So memory AND DIMM.2 slots only have a lock on one side. I carefully pushed the modules deeper - and they all got recognized. It wasn't easy to push them deeper - that's why I failed to install them properly on the first try.

[Antraxtacide]

If 8 NVMe SSD's arent enough. I've bought a PCIe x8 NVMe Card plus a cable that converts  M.2 connect to U.2 connect.  Will be expertimenting with U.2 drives when money permits.

[Antraxtacide]

ASROGUS    >HEDT RAMPAGE<   X299   ENCORE EX-DREAM

> Rescued ROG R6E Encore, Socket Damage.
> Salvaged i9-10920X from E-Waste Bin
> Refurbished 64GB DDR4 G.Skill 4x16GB 3200c14 B-DIE
> EK RE6E Encore CPU/VRM Monoblock, no original VRM HeatSink
 Needs to be installed and tested over the next few weeks.. will keep the X299 Board Posted.