For SSD 520 and DX79TO, Should I use RAID or AHCI?

[idata]

I am very excited to get my new computer.

I bought:

Intel Core i7-2600 Sandy Bridge 3.4GHz (3.8GHz Turbo Boost) LGA 1155 95W Quad-Core Desktop Processor Intel HD Graphics 2000 BX80623I72600

Intel 520 Series Cherryville SSDSC2CW120A3K5 2.5" 120GB SATA III MLC Internal Solid State Drive (SSD)Intel BOXDX79TO LGA 2011 Intel X79 SATA 6Gb/s USB 3.0 ATX Intel MotherboardMicrosoft Windows 7 Home PremiumCORSAIR Vengeance 16GB (4 x 4GB) 240-Pin DDR3 SDRAM DDR3 1600 (PC3 12800) Desktop Memory Model CMZ16GX3M4A1600C9B

I am going to use graphicard (GeForce GT 430), Power Supply Unit (Corsair 750 Watts), HDD, and CD-ROM Drive from my old computer.

Since I cannot afford to buy 1TB of SSD, just like most of people, I am going to use my old HDD and SSD together.

Obviously, I will install my OS and other frequently used programs on SSD and store musics, movies, and pictures on the HDD.

I have no intention of migrating my files so I will be formatting the HDD and delete everything on there.

I did some research and I found out that before you install your new Windows 7 on SSD, you have to select either RAID or AHCI.

Questoin is, for my settings, which one should I use?

I watched several you tube video but I really didn't understand. I seems like AHCI was invented by intel and it automatically transfers data back and forth???

I'm kinda lost here so can someone explain what is better for me? Also, what is BIOS ? and should I disable or enable superfetch thing?

[DShar11]

Put the bios in ACHI mode. After you install OS install the Intel Toolbox. This will take care of your ssd for you,

[idata]

Thank you very much for your support.

Will you give me little bit more explanation to this?

Like why AHCI over RAID and why is it that I have to do it after I install my OS.

THANK YOU.

[idata]

Your board's SATA mode should be set by default to AHCI in it's UEFI/BIOS, but it's worth checking before you install Windows. Don't forget you can start your PC and go into the UEFI/BIOS without having Windows or other OS installed on the PC, it simply won't be able to do anything beyond running the UEFI, which is Ok, it hurts nothing.

Intel uses one driver for AHCI and RAID, their IRST driver. The only difference is RAID allows you to create arrays of disks. One is not superior to the other when using a single drive (not in an array.)

Intel actually recommends using RAID mode even if you don't intend to immediately create RAID arrays, or ever, but only because it's a little tricky to change from AHCI to RAID mode. IMO, it's not difficult to change from AHCI to RAID mode, but it requires a Registry edit.

If you know you won't be using RAID, Windows 7 has it's own AHCI driver, msahci, which will load by default when you install an OS with the SATA mode set to AHCI. Once you're done installing Windows, you can load the IRST driver, which performs better.

If you want to use RAID for your OS drive (or have RAID disks later), you must be in RAID mode before the OS installation, and must load the IRST driver during the installation when the Load Driver option is offered. You can load IRST during the installation when just in AHCI mode, but it's not required as I mentioned above.

I think you're confused about changing modes after you install the OS, or what do you mean by that question?

[idata]

Thanks for your answer.

My 2nd question (about downloading IRST) is if I need to download IRST when installing Windows 7 on a brand new SSD.

Also,I really don't know what exactly RAID mode is...

All I will do with my PC is just some gaming and web browsing.

I don't know if using SSD and HDD together is called RAID.

Can you explain what RAID mode would be?

Also, if I use AHCI mode, will TRIM work by it self with Windows 7 and the firmware ?

Thanks