X99S SLI PLUS & Intel 750 1.2TB - Installing Windows

[ALedb]

Hi all,

I'm hoping someone could shed some light on the processes required in terms of installing Windows onto the Intel 750 PCIe SSD. I've read numerous forums with everything coming back with different answers so I thought it'd be easier in me creating my own post asking the questions I need answers to, which I'm sure the people here will know!

I have the X99S SLI PLUS Motherboard and I want to purchase the Intel 750 1.2TB PICe SSD to use as my main drive, it'll having everything OS and games etc.

I have read I much change a few settings within the BIOS for it to recognise, something along the lines of EFI I think it mentions.

Quoting "You will need a proper UEFI version - You will need to install a driver and it is tied to the operating system you use. This SSD used the NVMe protocol and that requires a specific OS, everything from Windows 8.1 and upwards and Windows Server 2012 R2 actually has native support and you can boot into windows with it. NVMe driver are included into the latest batches of intel's chipset drivers. We recommend you to install the Intel NVMe driver for Windows 7, Windows 8, Windows Server 2008 R2 and Windows Server 2012. We noticed a performance boost significantly once we installed the standalone driver opposed to the native Microsoft driver. For Linux there is NVMe support from kernel 3.3. and higher."

And I should install a better NVMe driver once Windows has installed. I have Windows 8.1 which I will move up to Windows 10 once installed.

If anyone could light the path and tell me what needs to be, I'd be extremely grateful.

So in summary, if someone could help me with the settings and the required things I need to do to get the best performance would be great,

Thanks,

[jbenavides]

Hello TootY,

As you mentioned, the Intel® SSD 750 Series has specific requirements and a system with Intel® X99, or Intel® Z97 Chipset or newer is recommended. The drive requires a PCIe* 3.0 x4 connection.

Windows 8.1® has a built in driver that will help it recognize the drive during the installation process, however, the Intel® Solid-State Drive Data Center Family for NVMe Drivers are recommended for optimal performance and functionality. This driver can be installed after the OS setup process is complete. Software and drivers for the 750 can be obtained at the following location:

https://downloadcenter.intel.com/product/79678/Intel-SSD-750-Series Drivers & Software

Step by step instructions vary from system to system, and it is always advised to check with the Computer Manufacturer for details.

The best reference we can provide to you is the document: http://download.intel.com/support/ssdc/hpssd/sb/nvme_boot_guide_332098001us.pdf Booting from an NVMe* PCIe* Intel® SSD.

Here you will find examples for some X99 and Z97 systems from different vendors, please choose your closest match and follow the steps for installation.

[ALedb]

Thank you.

Lastly, if I'm running two GPU's in SLI (980TI's - SLI) will I get ant performance difference or drop?

Slot specifiations:

Slots

• 4 x PCIe 3.0 x16 slots, support up to 3-way mode

- 1-way mode: x16/ x0/ x0/ x0 - 2-way mode: x16/ x16/ x0/ x0*, 16/ x8/ x0/ x0** - 3-way mode: x16/ x16/ x0/ x8*, x8/ x8/ x8/ x0**

• 2 x PCIe 2.0 x1 slots

[jbenavides]

Hello TootY,

The maximum performance of the Intel® SSD 750 is achieved when the drive is using PCIe* 3.0 x4 interface. The performance will be reduced with a lower connection (ie: less lanes or PCIe* 2.0).

The capabilities of the PCIe slots vary from system to system, depending on the slot you use and the type of CPU installed in the system. We advise you to check with http://www.msi.com/about/contact-us MSI Global support to confirm which configuration will be optimal for the SSD to connect using PCIe* 3.0 x4, and at the same time getting the most out of your Video Cards.