Setting up NVMe RAID on Asus Crosshair Hero VII with Ryzen 2700X

Table of Contents

1. Introduction

• Overview of the ROG Crosshair 7 Hero

2. Features of the ROG Crosshair 7 Hero

• Unique Feature: Two Full PCI Express 3.0 x4 M.2 Slots
• Bandwidth and Speed

3. Background on Zen Plus and the Ryzen 2000 Series CPUs

• Zen Plus Architecture
• Ryzen 2000 Series CPUs
• Incremental Improvement Over Previous Chipset

4. The X470 Chipset and StoreMI Technology

• Introduction to the X470 Chipset
• StoreMI Technology and Benefits

5. Setting Up a Bootable RAID 0 with the ROG Crosshair 7 Hero

• Preparing the System for RAID Setup
• Accessing the UEFI and RAID Expert 2 Utility
• Initializing and Clearing the Drives
• Creating a RAID Array

6. Choosing RAID 0 or RAID 1

• Understanding RAID 0
• Understanding RAID 1

7. Preparing the Windows Installation USB Stick

• Downloading the Media Creation Tool
• Creating a Bootable Windows USB Stick
• Downloading the NVMe RAID Drivers from AMD

8. Installing Windows and Loading RAID Drivers

• Installing Windows and Specifying RAID Drivers
• Loading the AMD RaidXpert 2 Drivers
• Installing the Configuration Driver
• Selecting the RAID 0 Volume for Installation

9. Completing the Setup and Performance Testing

• Installing Platform Drivers and Updates
• testing the Performance of the RAID 0 Setup
• Comparing Latency and I/O Bandwidth

10. Conclusion

• Review of the ROG Crosshair 7 Hero and RAID 0 Setup
• Pros and Cons of the Setup

🖥️ ROG Crosshair 7 Hero: Setting up RAID 0 with Two M.2 Drives

The ROG Crosshair 7 Hero from Asus offers a unique feature that sets it apart from other motherboards - the provision of two M.2 slots with full PCI Express 3.0 x4 bandwidth all the way to the CPU. This means that, in theory, the motherboard can handle up to 8 gigabytes per Second in a RAID 0 configuration using two high-speed NVMe M.2 drives. To put this claim to the test, we will be using two Samsung 960 Pro drives and guide you through the process in case you are interested in setting up a similar configuration.

1. Introduction

The ROG Crosshair 7 Hero is a high-end motherboard designed for the AMD AM4 platform. It takes advantage of the Zen Plus architecture and is compatible with the Ryzen 2000 series CPUs. While the X470 chipset is an incremental improvement over the previous X370 chipset, the ROG Crosshair 7 Hero stands out with its ability to run two M.2 drives in PCI Express 3.0 x4 configuration, thanks to the technology from AMD called StoreMI.

2. Features of the ROG Crosshair 7 Hero

The standout feature of the ROG Crosshair 7 Hero is its provision of two M.2 slots with full PCI Express 3.0 x4 bandwidth. This means that both M.2 drives can together achieve a maximum speed of 8 gigabytes per second in a RAID 0 configuration. The motherboard also offers other standard features expected from a high-end board, such as support for high-speed RAM and advanced overclocking options.

3. Background on Zen Plus and the Ryzen 2000 Series CPUs

Zen Plus is the next iteration of AMD's Zen architecture, which provides improvements in terms of clock speed, precision boost, and IPC (Instructions Per Clock). The Ryzen 2000 series CPUs, built on the Zen Plus architecture, deliver increased performance and reduced latency compared to their predecessors. While the improvements may be minor, they narrow the gap with competing Intel CPUs.

4. The X470 Chipset and StoreMI Technology

The X470 chipset, utilized by the ROG Crosshair 7 Hero, is the latest chipset for the AMD AM4 platform. While it offers incremental improvements over the previous X370 chipset, the real Game-changer is the introduction of StoreMI technology. StoreMI allows users to combine multiple storage drives, including NVMe drives and mechanical hard drives, into a single virtual drive, providing improved storage performance and capacity.

5. Setting Up a Bootable RAID 0 with the ROG Crosshair 7 Hero

To set up a bootable RAID 0 with the ROG Crosshair 7 Hero, the first step is to install the M.2 drives and remove all other drives from the system. This ensures that no accidental data loss occurs. Next, access the UEFI settings and navigate to the RAID Expert 2 utility. From there, initialize and clear the drives, and then create the RAID 0 array.

6. Choosing RAID 0 or RAID 1

When setting up a RAID configuration, users have the option to choose between RAID 0 and RAID 1. RAID 0 provides increased speed and performance as the data is split across both drives, utilizing their combined capacity. However, there is no redundancy, meaning data loss can occur if one drive fails. RAID 1, on the other HAND, mirrors the data across both drives, providing redundancy but with reduced overall capacity.

7. Preparing the Windows Installation USB Stick

Before installing Windows, it is necessary to prepare a bootable USB stick with the Windows installation files. This can be done by downloading the Media Creation Tool from Microsoft and following the provided instructions. Additionally, the NVMe RAID drivers from AMD need to be downloaded and extracted to a folder on the USB stick for installation during the Windows setup process.

8. Installing Windows and Loading RAID Drivers

During the Windows installation process, it is important to load the RAID drivers to ensure the proper recognition of the RAID volume. The AMD RaidXpert 2 drivers need to be manually specified when prompted. Once the drivers are installed, the unformatted RAID 0 volume should appear as an installation location, allowing for the installation to proceed.

9. Completing the Setup and Performance Testing

After installing Windows, it is recommended to install the necessary platform drivers and updates to ensure optimal performance. Performance testing can then be conducted to evaluate the RAID 0 setup. The ROG Crosshair 7 Hero, combined with the RAID 0 configuration using two Samsung 960 Pro drives, showcases impressive read and write speeds, highlighting the benefits of the setup.

10. Conclusion

The ROG Crosshair 7 Hero, with its unique feature of two full PCI Express 3.0 x4 M.2 slots, provides an excellent platform for setting up a high-speed RAID 0 configuration using NVMe drives. While RAID 0 offers increased speed and performance, it is important to consider the lack of redundancy and the potential for data loss. However, for those seeking ultimate performance, the ROG Crosshair 7 Hero is a top choice.

Highlights:

• The ROG Crosshair 7 Hero offers two M.2 slots with full PCI Express 3.0 x4 bandwidth, allowing for a RAID 0 configuration with high-speed NVMe drives.
• The X470 chipset, used by the ROG Crosshair 7 Hero, provides incremental improvements over its predecessor, but the standout feature is the inclusion of StoreMI technology.
• StoreMI technology combines multiple storage drives into a single virtual drive, providing improved performance and capacity.
• Setting up a bootable RAID 0 with the ROG Crosshair 7 Hero involves initializing and clearing the drives, and creating the RAID array using the RAID Expert 2 utility.
• Users have the choice between RAID 0, which offers increased speed but no redundancy, and RAID 1, which provides redundancy but reduced overall capacity.
• Preparing a Windows installation USB stick involves downloading the Media Creation Tool and the necessary RAID drivers from AMD.
• During the Windows installation process, the RAID drivers need to be loaded to ensure proper recognition of the RAID volume.
• Completing the setup involves installing platform drivers and updates, and conducting performance testing to evaluate the RAID 0 configuration.
• The ROG Crosshair 7 Hero, in combination with a RAID 0 configuration using Samsung 960 Pro drives, showcases impressive read and write speeds.
• Ultimately, the ROG Crosshair 7 Hero is an excellent choice for those seeking a high-performance motherboard with the capability for a RAID 0 setup.