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Maximus VIII (Formula or Extreme) - Possible Raid Configurations

Lucho_Rozas
Level 7
Hi to everyone!, first of all, sorry about my grammar, I'm not proficient writing in English.

I have a question about Raid configurations in both, Maximus VIII Formula and Extreme.

Can I configure two (02) different arrays in the Intel connectors and connect an ATAPI device? Something like this:

  • SATAG6_1: SSD 240GB, 1st member of 1st array (RAID 1)
  • SATAG6_2: SSD 240GB, 2nd member of 1st array (RAID 1)
  • SATAG6_3: HDD 2TB, 1st member of 2nd array (RAID 5)
  • SATAG6_4: HDD 2TB, 2nd member of 2nd array (RAID 5)
  • SATAG6_5: HDD 2TB, 3rd member of 2nd array (RAID 5)
  • SATAG6_6: Atapi device (Blu-Ray RW)


If this it's not possible, someone Can tell me other options? Can I configure a RAID 1 in ASMedia connectors?, Can I boot from them? Even if not RAID is configured?

Thanks in advance! 🙂
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3 REPLIES 3

Lucho_Rozas
Level 7
...mmmm... Anyone? an advice or something?

Black_Phoenix
Level 8
2 different arrays you can, but you need to see what limitations your chipset may have:

Removed from the manual of Maximus VIII Extreme:

Intel® Z170 Express Chipset
- 2 x SATA Express ports [gray] (compatible with 4 x SATA 6.0 Gb/s
ports)
- 6 x SATA 6Gb/s ports [gray] (4 ports from 2 x SATA Express ports)
- 1 x M.2 Socket 3 with M Key, type 2242/2260/2280/22110 storage
devices support (PCIe 3.0 x4 and SATA modes)**
- Intel
®
Rapid Storage Technology 14 supports RAID 0, 1, 5 and 10*
- Intel
®
Smart Response Technology*
- 1 x U.2 port, supports PCIe 3.0 x4 NVM Express storage**
ASMedia
®
SATA 6Gb/s controller
- 2 x SATA 6Gb/s ports (black)***

* The supported functions depend on the CPU installed.

**The M.2 slot shares bandwidth with U.2 slot and SATA Express 1 slot.
Please refer to user manual for detailed information.

***These SATA ports are for data hard drivers only. ATAPI devices are not
supported.


The ASMedia only supports HDD/SSD and no RAID capabilities.

So Yes, if installed in the Intel ones, it's able to. But I would do the Array of SSD and RAID0 instead of a RAID1. Speed mainly, since installation of Windows is something easy to do if you make an image from the PC after everything is updated.

I would also ditch the Blu-Ray internal drive for an External USB Blu Ray Reader / Writer and add a forth 2TB HDD to the RAID 5 Array or add a 2TB HDD and change it to RAID10 if it was me.

Lucho_Rozas
Level 7
Thank You! I will follow your recommendation! 🙂