Corsair Link 2.2.0 SierraService Cripples Intel Sata III Speed

Issue: It seems others are already aware that Sierra2Service (SierraService.exe) runs in the background after installing Corsair Link 2.2.0 and causes incessant hard drive activity checking the drive temp every 100 milliseconds (As measured in HDTune Pro).

Seriously? - Every 100ms?! My drive loves that.:nutkick:

This is more problematic than just irritating HDD activity / sound - It slows your data transfer speeds considerably because it constantly interrupts the controller. Everything I could find with Google pointed to Intel Rapid Storage Technology drivers as the problem, which they were not. Maybe I can save someone else the headache down the road.

Background: I have an Asus P8Z77-V Deluxe that comes with two SATA III controllers - One is Intel and the other is Marvel. I also have two HGST 4TB Deskstar hard drives and a Samsung 840 Pro SSD. I attached the SSD & 1st HDD to the Intel ports and the 2nd HDD to the Marvel port. I wanted my mechanical drives on separate controllers for video encoding. Encoding is faster using one drive as the source and the other as the destination. Separate controllers makes certain each drive has plenty of bandwidth.

After a fresh install everything seemed to work great - Until I checked the drive speeds with HDTune Pro, Crystal Disk Mark and SSD Magician. All three reported that the HDD on the Marvel controller was at 150 - 168 MB/s, and the HDD on the Intel controller at only 88 - 98 Mb/s! No way that's right - an add-on 3rd party controller faster than the native Intel controller?!? My SSD took a performance hit as well, though not as notably.

I spent two freaking days thinking that Intel Rapid Storage Technology drivers were to blame because the problem only effected the Intel SATA ports. If I hadn't checked my drive speeds, I may never have noticed this problem. Many users would probably just think they have one slow HDD (or SSD) and start the RMA, only to be stuck with the same problem.

I re-installed everything and narrowed the culprit down to Corsair Link. Everything worked great with both controllers reporting 150 - 168 Mb/s...right up until the moment the Corsair software is installed. The moment SierraService begins running the Intel SATA speeds drop by half but the Marvel port is unaffected! Once the service is disabled, SATA speeds are right back up where they belong.

"Solution": Until Corsair figures out how to address this issue in their software, I'd recommend this:

1. Install Corsair Link. Set up your options for fans, lights etc..

Don't select the option to start the software with windows.

Save your profile and exit.

Don't worry, your settings for the pump & fans will be retained without the software (or it's service) running.

(Thank goodness they got that part right!)

2. Disable Sierra2Service from loading at start-up.

Go to - Control Panel > System and Security > Administrative Tools > Services.

Scroll down to Sierra2Service, right click and select Properties.

Change Startup type from automatic to manual.

*Alternatively, you can change it to "disabled", but then windows will re-configure it back to automatic the next time you use the Corsair Link program.

Manual ensures that it will only start when you open the services application and enable it.

SIDE NOTE: This doesn't stop the other annoying Corsair Link temp monitoring process, Sierra2.gpu, from loading every time you start your computer.

No clue as to why, but that process can't be stopped from loading using the services manager (or the startup manager either for some reason).

If you want to stop that one as well, open C:\Program Files (x86)\Corsair\CorsairLink 2 and rename Sierra2.gpu to something like Sierra2_I_RENAMED_THIS.gpu.

That will stop it from loading and you'll be able to find it later to change it back, when and if you want to use Corsair Link again to change your settings.

3. Locate and use alternative software to monitor your temps & speeds until Corsair fixes this.

Personally, I'll be using my motherboards fan headers and Fan Xpert 2 to control the fan speeds and check the pump RPM.

The only downside is that I'll still have to use Corsair Link to adjust my lights or see the coolant temp - Which means undoing steps 1 & 2 every freaking time I need to change something.

If anyone else is having problems with slow SATA transfer rates, I hope this helps.

Everything about this build has been a breeze - except the Corsair Link software.

Thanks for the 2 days of pure aggravation Corsair.:beatchair

On the bright side, the cooler itself seems to work pretty well, can't complain about the hardware side of things at all.

Thanks for posting this.

Seriously. Thanks.

I am having trouble also but with my H80i and the link 2 software,I can't safely eject a portable harddrive while the link 2 software is running.

Anyway I notice you mention that once you set your settings within the link 2 software after that you don't need the program running for the cooler to work the way you set it up.

That's not the case with my H80i setup,I setup the link 2 software to the way I wanted,with the fans running at 1500rpm at 60 degrees and 2000rpm and 65 degress etc,theled light to turn red when the cpu gets to 60 degrees etc.

But the trouble is these settings only work when the link 2 software is running,if I disable the link 2 software and shutdown the Sierra2Service then non of my setting work any longer it goes back to a stock cooler.

I would of thought once you set your personal settings in the link 2 software then it would send those settings to the actual H80i unit itself,but it doesn't do it in my case,how did you manage to make this possible.

Thank you ZenLife for posting this. I've had this problem as well (which I also traced to the misbehaving SierraService.exe), after updating the Link software to version 2. It is really a serious problem. This definitely should not be happening with software/gear designed for high end PCs.

I am wondering if a Corsair rep could chime in and let us know if a fix is in the works for this? I am willing to beta test if it would help.

Thank you ZenLife for posting this. I've had this problem as well (which I also traced to the misbehaving SierraService.exe), after updating the Link software to version 2. It is really a serious problem. This definitely should not be happening with software/gear designed for high end PCs.

 

I am wondering if a Corsair rep could chime in and let us know if a fix is in the works for this? I am willing to beta test if it would help.

there is a new software that will soon be released to address several issues that has happened to users

as far as beta testing,theres always a risk factor and liability concerns so im sure beta testers will be very selective.