520 SDD incompatible with LSI2308 on SuperMicro X9DA7, W2012

[idata]

I've been banging my head against a wall trying to get an Intel 520 240GB ssd to work with the LSI2308 SAS controller built in to the SuperMicro X9DA7. I am running Windows Server 2012. The adapter sees the SSD, but I can't format it - disk manager just hangs.

I have also tried a 120GB 520 - it quick formats after an unusually long time. However, if I try to run the SSD toolbox diagnostic scan it throws a read error almost instantly. The 240 also throws a read error in the toolbox.

I can take these drives and attach them to the SATA controller that hangs off the C602 chipset and they format just fine and pass the full diagnostics, so it comes down to incompatibility with the SAS controller. Any ideas on how to address this? SM's support is mute.

As to troubleshooting: the X9DA7 came with LSI 2308 P13 firmware installed. I have upgraded to P14 firmware and tried the controller with both the IR (raid) and IT (HBA) versions. I've used both the out of box drivers and versions 2.00.57, 2.00.58, and 2.00.60 of the LSI drivers. Same result.

[idata]

If you search on the SuperMicro part number, you'll find that it is an Intel 520 SSD, but sold as a SuperMicro model. Is this just the OEM version of the 520, or something unique to SuperMicro? I wonder if the SSDSC2BW120A3FE model has different firmware?

[idata]

Try disabling TRIM.

How to Disable TRIM Command:

In the Elevated command Prompt windows, type the following:

fsutil behavior set disabledeletenotify 1

How do I know if TRIM is working in Windows 7?

In the Elevated command Prompt windows, type the following:

fsutil behavior query disabledeletenotify

Results explained below:

DisableDeleteNotify = 1 (Windows TRIM commands are disabled)

DisableDeleteNotify = 0 (Windows TRIM commands are enabled)

[idata]

So, after a month of swapping emails with long delays between replies, SM has replicated an Intel 520 Series SSD having read errors in SSD toolbox when it is connected to the X9DA7's onboard LSI2308 controller.

They have been able to format and copy files, so their answer is: The Intel SSD Toolbox is incompatible with Windows 2012.

[JFedc]

I have toolbox 3.1.2 running with Windows Server 2012 with Intel Series 520 240GB drives on a Gigabyte GA-Z77X-UP4TH. It works fine.

I also have toolbox 3.1.2 running on Windows 7 Pro with Intel Series 520 240GB drives on a SuperMicro X9DA7 connected to both the C602 and the LSI2308. Driver updates alone will help with Series 520 240GB drives connected to the C602, but not the LSI2308. The only way I got Series 520 240GB drives on a SuperMicro X9DA7 connected to the LSI2308 to work was to do all of the following:

1/ Update Drivers as you did

2/ Change LSI firmware to IT mode as you tried, and

3/ Update the SuperMicro system BIO to AMI BIOS X9DA73.226, this updates the Intel SCU to v 3.5.x

With these changes toolbox will work with all Series 520 240GB drives on either controller on a SuperMicro X9DA7, however, there is still an issue:

The Series 520 drive does not contain a capacitor backup like the series 320 or 710. Per Intel SCU documentation, when using Intel SCU versions prior to v3.6 this type of SSD can "go to sleep" at inopportune times causing data loss. Intel released v 3.6.x of the SCU in November, 2012 to fix this problem. Unfortunately, SuperMicro, as of May, 2013, has yet to release an update to the system BIOS for the X9DA7 with SCU v 3.6. After 9 months of struggling with this issue on an X9DA7, I have concluded that this motherboard is junk and SuperMicro support lacking.