AHCI or IDE mode

[idata]

Whenever i choose AHCI mode in bios, sometimes there is a long delay (1 minute) at boot time. Workaround is to choose IDE instead, eventhough i experience better performance using AHCI. Is this a compatibility issue with my motherboard (rampage 2 extreme x58) or with some drives in general? I do in fact have an optical drive on a pata controller (jmicron jb363) which if not mistaken can lead to problems using AHCI, so i guess i should either not use it or replace it with a sata version.

Any suggestions?

[DZand]

marty787 schrieb:

I just installed an Intel X25-M G2 and am getting boot times equivalent to what I got on my former 7200rpm boot drive ~24s. The SSD should be faster no?

The hangup is the 7200rpm drive which is now my secondary drive (Vista loves to access it during load even though I'm booting from the SSD); if I disable it in device manager, my boot time drops by 10s.

I'm running the latest Intel ICH10R SATA AHCI Controller 8.9.0.1023 from Matrix Storage Manager, BIOS is set to AHCI.

Any clous on how to optimize this? I've played with IDE and reverting to Microsoft AHCI driver with similar results, although I get a few random fast boots I can't explain even when the 7200rpm drive is not disabled.

1. Enter the BIOS and check the HARD DISK BOOT PRIORITY settings. The Intel SSD has to be in the first position.

2. If you have the Intel Matrix Storage Manager software installed, uninstall it. The MSM Console is nearly useless for AHCI systems, but induces a much longer boot time.

2. Try the Intel AHCI driver v9.5.0.1037, which belongs to the new Intel(R) Rapid Storage Technology (RST). You can get it here: http://www.station-drivers.com/page/intel%20raid.htm http://www.station-drivers.com/page/intel%20raid.htm. The new RST drivers are optimized for being used with Intel SSD's.

[idata]

I see there is a newer RST version 9.5.4.1001 (with driver file dates of November 2009). Any reason not to use this more recent version? For either version, would you install the whole RST package? Or just the F6 driver?

[DZand]

Einride schrieb:

I see there is a newer RST version 9.5.4.1001 (with driver file dates of November 2009). Any reason not to use this more recent version? For either version, would you install the whole RST package? Or just the F6 driver?

1. The newest RST driver v9.5.4.1001 do not support any Intel ICH Southbridge SATA AHCI Controller. Only Intel RAID users and users with the newest Intel 5-series chipset can use it.

2. The Intel MSM and RST application is mainly designed for users with an Intel RAID system. AHCI users may, but don't need to install any Intel MSM or RST package with the Console application. The informations they get are little, but the installation of the Console extends the boot time.

[idata]

Intel states on their website no special driver is required for ssd's. They recommend the Intel MSM driver. I am reluctant to use this 'beta' driver.

http://www.intel.com/support/ssdc/hpssd/sb/CS-029623.htm# 6 http://www.intel.com/support/ssdc/hpssd/sb/CS-029623.htm# 6

[DZand]

doakh schrieb:

Intel states on their website no special driver is required for ssd's. They recommend the Intel MSM driver.

That is no surprise, because Intel has not yet officially released any RST driver.

If you compare the MSM with the RST driver, you will realize, that the RST driver will boost the performance of an Intel Postville SSD.