This bug prevents the system from booting so it never gets as far as starting an operating system. The device works *perfectly* if hot-plugged [1] after booting.

For the following test results see the files on my web-site [0] which demonstrate the results of tests I've performed.

* SUMMARY

The Core Store Plus works *perfectly* if it is hot-plugged [1] after power-on via the ExpressCard interface; the controller is correctly identified [2].
I've done SMART tests [3] and other tests including partitioning and installing a boot-loader to the device - but currently cannot test it for booting due to this system-hang bug.

The problem is when the Core Store Plus is attached at boot-time.

* THE BUG

Specifically, the Asmedia SATA controller Option ROM on the Core Store Plus (which is there to make it possible for the system BIOS to boot from the device) hangs the PC after doing its initialisation and status report.

* TESTS

There are two systems affected by the issue I've identified:

1. Gigabyte GA-870A-UD3 ATX motherboard with F5 BIOS

   a. Core Store plus mounted in mini-PCIe to PCIe x1 adapter in any PCIe slot

     i. Insert whilst PC powered off = ATX power supply *will not* power on at all - suggests hardware power-good issue

    ii. Insert immediately after power on
      1. BIOS begins POST [4]
      2. Asmedia Option ROM initialises and reports status [5]
      3. Screen clears
      4. Blinking cursor top-left [6] and no further response from the PC
     
2. Dell XPS M1530 with A12 BIOS

   a. Core Store plus mounted in any of the 3 mini PCIe slots

     i. Insert whilst PC powered off
       1. BIOS begins POST (displaying a Dell splash screen only)
       2. BIOS does RAM memory count (progress shown by progress bar only)
       3. Screen clears
       4. Blinking cursor top-left [6] and no further response from the PC

    ii. Insert immediately after power on
      1. BIOS begins POST
      2. BIOS does RAM memory count
      3. BIOS loads boot-loader/manager (GNU GRUB v2)
      4. Open GRUB command-line console, use "lspci"
      5. Asmedia SATA controller is *not* present

   b. Core Store plus mounted in mini-PCIe to PCIe x1 adapter in an external ViDock enclosure with ExpressCard interface

     i. Insert ExpressCard whilst PC powered off
       1. BIOS begins POST (displaying a Dell splash screen only)
       2. BIOS does RAM memory count (progress shown by progress bar only)
       3. Screen clears
       4. Blinking cursor top-left [6] and no further response from the PC

    ii. Hot-plug ExpressCard after BIOS POST is completed and the boot-loader/manager and/or OS has started
      1. Boot-manger/Operating system sees the device hot-plugged [1]
      2. OS correctly configures the SATA controller and Core Store Plus [2]
      3. SMART tools report information from Core Store Plus [3]
      4. Core Store Plus can be used normally

A 3rd system, Sony Vaio VGN-FE41Z laptop, is not affected. I've tested it with the Core Store Plus connected using the ExpressCard method *and* inserting it in the single mini-PCIe slot (which usually contains the WiFi device).
This is because the SONY BIOS is so locked down that it ignores the Asmedia Option ROM. BIOS setup/boot menu does not show the Core Store Plus as available to boot from and the OS "lspci" [7] reports  "Expansion ROM ... [disabled]".


* RESOURCES

[0] https://iam.tj/projects/misc/supertalent/
[1] https://iam.tj/projects/misc/supertalent/XPS-M1530_hotplug-kern.log
[2] https://iam.tj/projects/misc/supertalent/XPS-M1530_lspci-nnvvv-hotplug.log
[3] https://iam.tj/projects/misc/supertalent/XPS-M1530_smart.log
[4] https://iam.tj/projects/misc/supertalent/GA870A-UD3_F5_BIOS_boot.jpg
[5] https://iam.tj/projects/misc/supertalent/GA870A-UD3_asmedia-controller-bios.jpg
[6] https://iam.tj/projects/misc/supertalent/GA870A-UD3_asmedia-controller-bios-after-clear-screen.jpg
[7] https://iam.tj/projects/misc/supertalent/VGN-FE41Z_lspci-nnvvv_boot.log