Do Intel's new RST AHCI/RAID drivers support TRIM?

[DZand]

Win7 users with an Intel chipset mainboard and Intel X25-M 2G SSD's, who successfully have flashed the actually withdrawn Postville SSD Firmware, want to take advantage of the TRIM command support, but there still are some restrictions:

1. Intel's Matrix Storage Manager drivers (last official v8.9.0.1023) do not support the TRIM command. The only available SATA drivers, which do fully support the TRIM command, are the Win7 generic MS IDE/AHCI drivers.

2. SSD's running in "RAID Mode" neither do support the TRIM command nor can be "cleaned" by Intel's new SSD Toolbox.

So here is my question:

Do or will the upcoming Intel AHCI/RAID drivers of the Intel(R) Rapid Storage Technology (RST) support the TRIM command?

I ask this, because I am already running the brandnew and WHQL certified RST driver v9.5.0.1037 (available at Station-drivers since 13th October) with my 2x160 GB Intel Postville SSD RAID0 system and got a really amazing performance boost.

Thanks in advance!

Fernando

My system:

MB: Gigabyte GA-EP45-UD3R (P45 with Intel ICH10R Southbridge)

CPU: Intel Core2Duo E8400 (no OC)

HDD's: 2x160 GB Intel X25-M G2 as RAID0

RAM: 4x2 GB J.Skill PC2-8500

[VPent]

i upgraded from Intel that comes with W7 to 9.5.4.1001 a few days ago and so far so good.

In HD Tune the improvement was very good:

- before

- after

i'm running an ASUS R2E with ICH10R and still checking the driver, i believe it's possible a better performance.

[DZand]

acerzr2 schrieb:

Does this software even work with Win 7 64-bit? Does it come with a bootable CD? Is it easy enough for a newb to use? Any help would be appreciated again.

Your questions are rather off-topic.

Yes, you can run the Acronis Disk Director Suite under Win7 64bit. What you need is the bootable "Emergency CD" of it.You can create it after having installed the Acronis Disk Director Suite.

Alternatively you may try to get the bootable Emergency CD ISO file separately. Search for any "Ultimate Boot CD", which contains the last version of the Acronis Disk Director Suite 10.0.

[idata]

Hi,

I have a Dell (Dimension 9200/XPS 410) that uses an Intel board and Intel SATA Raid Controller. The only BIOS options for the controller are IDE or RAID with the RAID option handling both RAID and AHCI. I originally installed Win 7 x64 on the SSD with the controller in IDE mode. Device manager showed an IDE controller and the PCIIDE.sys driver. I researched that and everything I read said that driver did NOT support trim. So I switched the BIOS to RAID and reinstalled Win 7. The POST messages show the drive controlled by the RAID controller but in non-RAID mode which is what I expected/wanted. But Device Manager no longer has an IDE controller but rather just the INTEL ICH......./DO SATA RAID Controller and the driver is IaStorV.sys.

I'm reading in this thread that driver does NOT support TRIM. I would like to confirm that; can anyone point me to some documentation? I don't find anything with my internet searches.

I also see in this thread (for the first time) statements that the PCIIDE.sys driver DOES support trim contrary to all my prior search results.

Basically, I want to get trim working on my PC. If it's not working now and reinstalling a 3rd tim, going back to the PCIIDE driver will do it, that's what I'll do unless someone points out I will end up worse off (for other reasons than trim) by switching back from IaStorV.sys to PCIIDE.sys. And what I want to avoid is a 3rd install and finding out everything else I read was true and I still don't have trim even with PCIIDE.sys.

I would like to hear anyone's advice and also find documentation to confirm the trim status for the two drivers available to me or how to use some other driver. Lastly, there is so much interest and often conflicting advice on the internet, it would be extremly helpfull to everyone if there was a method to test if trim is being used because documentation on how something should be working is nice but an actual test eliminates the effect of any variable that might negate how things should work.

TIA

[DZand]

@ all:

Since 09.12.2009 there are new 32/64bit RST drivers available at Station-Drivers.

They are v9.5.4.1001, dated 20th November 2009 and WHQL certified.

Here you can download Intels newest AHCI and RAID drivers: http://www.station-drivers.com/forum/viewtopic.php?p=9314# 9314 http://www.station-drivers.com/forum/viewtopic.php?p=9314# 9314

Attention:

• These brandnew RST drivers seem to be optimized for RAID systems with an Intel Southbridge of ICH8R/ICH8M and up.
• They will not work with any ICH7-10 AHCI system, because the needed HardwareID's are missing.

First impression:

I have already installed them. They are running fine with my Intel ICH10R system and my 2x160 GB Intel Postville SSD's as RAID0. I will do some benchmark comparisons later.

What I still don't know is if these Intel RST drivers do pass the Trim command to the SSD's.

@ Intel Support or Driver Development employees:

Is nobody able or willing to answer this question, which is very important for all Intel Postville SSD owners?

Thanks in advance!

Regards

Fernando

[PPapp]

I wish Intel would provide us some information on their plans/status for TRIM support with SSDs in RAID (using their chipset). It's ridiculous how hands-off they are in regard to this issue. Intel should take a cue from OCZ who is hands-on with their customers.