Asking for a raise makes it all about you. If you can make it all about THEM, and what THEY get from your continuing to work there, it's amazing how many "rules" can be made to disappear.
I had quarterly reviews, and each of them has been glowing and pushing me into more responsibility. The timing is off for my year end because my old manager is now a consultant and my new manager has only been here for a month, although I am pretty sure he would die if I weren't here. The quarterly review system was a product of my old manager, so I think those are over with now.
My company is small (<50) and I have not seen any formal raise system like most big box companies, where if you get the highest rating you might get a %20 raise and on down.
I am at a loss for when I should expect my year end if at all, because everyone else I know outside the company has already had theirs over the past month.