Intel SSD 530 not seen on OS install screen - ASRock C2750D4L

[JLind13]

I have spent the whole day struggling with my new NAS build before I found this thread.

The SSD shows up as it should when I cold boot the server, trying to install OS from a UEFI USB key and poff, the drive is gone. I don't know how it would behave with a OS installed as it's impossible for me to install Windows Server 2012 R2 on it.

Cold Boot:

In the Boot Menu I choose to boot from "UEFI: My USB key" where the Win Server 2012 R2 install is located. At this point the SSD is listed as "P0: INTEL SSDSC2BW180A4". It doesn't show up twice as a UEFI drive. (Don't know if it should.)

Installation starts but when I get to the point where I should choose where to install WS, I get the message that no drives where found.

If I then exit the installer (server will reboot), the SSD is gone from the Boot Menu and the Bios can't find it either.

If I however boot into the UEFI Console or to the empty SSD, I can Ctrl+Alt+Del the machine and the SSD will still be there in the Boot Menu and in the Bios.

I have tried everything I can think of!

• Load drivers in Windows Server installer
• Disable Fast Boot
• Disable Hot Plug
• Tried another SATA port.
• Set SATA speed to Gen 2 (force sata 2 on the sata 3 port)
• Disable SATA Aggressive Link Power Mgmt
• Tried all different combinations of Legacy / UEFI CSM settings I can think of.

From the original Bios settings, this is what I changed only for my liking:

• Enabled Hard Disk S.M.A.R.T
• Set Bootable Marvell 9230 SATAIII mode to None

Here's my hardware spec:

ASRock C2750D4I motherboard (BIOS/UEFI v1.80, BMC v0.14.0)

Intel 530 180GB SSD v.DC32, plugged in to first sata 3 port on intel controller (tried the second port as well with same problems)

2 x 2GB PC10600 DDR3 ECC

The SSD had DC12 firmware when I got it, but the first thing I did after I found this thread was to update it to DC32 but that didn't solve my problems.

I have reported this to ASRock as well with a link to this post and I would be more than happy to help ASRock and Intel to sort this out.

[JLind13]

Hi Ken,

I put the drive in another machine and did the SSD Toolbox Full Diagnostics and it Passed.

But I couldn't do a Secure Erase because I'm on Win 8. I tried to boot Linux from a USB-drive but neither the mouse nor keyboard was working, so I couldn't do a Secure Erase.

I will try again in some different way...

While I was investigating the machine I tried to boot it with just the motherboard plugged in, but it failed. When I pressed the power button on the case, the fans spun up for a second then it turned off again. I suspect some sort of No Load Protection on the PSU being cause. So I plugged in 4 WD Red drives to the backplane of the case to give it some load, but it still wouldn't start.

The PSU, a Silverstone SFX ST45SF-G 450W is completely modular and specified to be able to run with 0 amps load. It have 2 x 6-pin connectors for SATA and Molex cables. The Molex one is connected to the backplane, feeding power to the storage drives, the SATA one is connected to the Intel SSD. It was impossible to get the system to power up without anything plugged in to the SATA power cable, wich doesn't make the PSU very modular! I have emailed Silverstone to ask them if this is expected behavior or if I should RMA the PSU.

Will keep you updated.

EDIT: Just got words back from Silverstone Support. They think I got a faulty PSU and they want me to RMA it. Will get back when I get the new PSU.

[KenF_Intel]

Hi Radu668,

The problem with the drive not being seen with a restart is solved with the FW update from December. You can download that from here:

https://downloadcenter.intel.com/SearchResult.aspx?lang=eng&ProductFamily=Solid-State+Drives+and+Cac... Download Center

Let me know if that does not resolve your problem.

[JLind13]

Hi ken-Intel,

So I got a new PSU today. First I tested to start the server without any drives, just to make sure this PSU was working as expected, and it did. No Minimum Load Protection going in and overall voltage output from the PSU is just a notch higher than the faulty one.

So I proceeded by plugging in the 530 SSD and tried to install WS 2012 again, but I had no luck with it. Exactly the same behavior as before. The SSD isn't showing up in the WS installer and after exiting the installer the drive is gone from the system and Bios can't see it anymore.

Have you got your hands on a C2750D4I yet?

Help me Intel, you're my only hope!

[JMyer6]

I have the other problem - restarts are OK, but original startup has to cycle one or two times (with Windows Blue screen) before it boots and works fine there after.

I have firmware version D12 on a RAID 1 for the System Volume from the OEM builder; I can not find how to update the firmware using the Intel SSD Tool Box.

Do you have the secret?

John Myers

[KenF_Intel]

Hi JensL,

As you can see, I've branched this off to a new discussion.

Do me a favor and try a secure erase using Linux if you can. You will need to download a bootable Linux image and then follow the instructions here:

http://www.thomas-krenn.com/en/wiki/SSD_Secure_Erase SSD Secure Erase - Thomas Krenn Wiki

Let me know if you can't do this and I'll try something else.