@Safado2,
On ASUS PRIME Z390M+ motherboard there are 2 native M.2 Socket 3 with M Key:
M.2_1 does support PCIE x4 mode only for type 2242/2260/2280 storage devices.
M.2_2 does support both SATA and PCIE x4 mode for type 2242/2260/2280/22110 storage devices.
There is no concept of Riser card on this Mini ATX format motherboard.

@100PIER

The issue you mentioned with RST 17.9 happened with a driver only install or with the full package install?

Starting with RST 17.9, drivers call the following functions:
- ExGetFirmwareEnvironmentVariable
- ExSetFirmwareEnvironmentVariable

Basically the driver can read and configure UEFI/BIOS settings.

@daniel_k
The issue with RST 17.9 happened with driver only as well with the full package. I have tested and be disapointed with both.
So, to come back to a very clean situation I have had to full erase the system SSD and then do a fresh W10 (2004 version) install and done performance tests with the proposed native drivers.
Then I replaced them with my favorites NVMe drivers (Intel SSD, Samsung SSD, etc). They are more performant than natives drivers.

@daniel_k, @Fernando
The issue with RST 17.9 happened with driver only as well with the full package. I have tested and be disapointed with both.
So, to come back to a very clean situation I have had to full erase the system SSD and then do a fresh W10 (2004 version) install and done performance tests with the proposed native drivers.
Then I replaced them with my favorites NVMe drivers (Intel SSD, Samsung SSD, etc). They are more performant than natives drivers.
Currently my favorite NVMe drivers are for Intel v6.3.0.1022 and for Samsung v3.3.0.2003:
For Z390 machines:


For X99 Sabertooth:

Ok, so I have the Sabertooth X99 - what is the best option/files for non-RAID?

(Also, do we have a section on the Intel Mgmnt Engine? I see 2 versions on Station-Drivers (LP/SH) and don't know the diff)

Thanks!

@DeathStalker,
On ASUS Sabertooth X99 I currently do use:
MEI firmware:


MEI driver:


DriverControllerInfo Tool:
not optimal:
optimal:

@DeathStalker,
@Fernando
I do update my last post because after in depth investigation with Miscrosoft Technical Support level 2 we have detected that Intel NVMe driver from v3.x up to the last v6.3.0.1022 are not working properly when shutdown PC (BSOD analysis tool does detect IARNVME driver is the root cause of the crashs under W10 v2004 (but not under W10 above versions)).
With Intel NVMe driver v6.3.0.1022 the performances are quite good, but there is a shutdown/restart severe issue when running the last W10 version.
So, i do recommend to use MS native NVMe driver (v10.0.19041.1) under W10 v2004 version until Intel and MS does fix these incompatibility issue.

Hi to all, got a few BSOD with 17.9.2.1013, and never happened before (Z390 motherboard/Windows v.1809)
Something like iastorAC.sys driver not less or equal (not totally sure but might have occured when restarting OS)
Back to 17.9.1.1009 for me...

Just AHCI driver, using Samsung nvme Controller for nvme.