Too many conflicting posts in this forum!

[idata]

I've read a whole bunch of posts about IDE, AHCI, Toolbox and trim. What a mess. I can't find head from tail.So many contradictory posts. Are some people giving opinions based on posts they've read.. which might be false to being with!?

Is their some official support forum from Intel where Intel support employees can give authoratative answers or because this is a community forum anything goes? I really don't want to bother with I-am-Not-sure answers. I need definite yes or no.

I would like to see an official FAQ from intel answering the common questions. Such as.. does Trim work on IDE port or not (regardles if I should be using AHCI)

I have seen two visible camps around this question.

[idata]

Your P45 is list as "Intel® 4 Series Chipset" it saves someone from having to list all of them.

I'm not saying anything that page just says "Intel® Rapid Storage Technology 9.6 supports TRIM in AHCI mode and in RAID mode for drives that are not part of a RAID volume." so its up to you should you use it or not.

[idata]

When Windows 7 first came out the only driver that automatically passed the TRIM command was the default MS ACHI driver. Subsequently Intel released the RST 9.6 driver that could automatically pass the TRIM command. Intel recommends using the RST 9.6 driver as it optimises performance and endurance. http://download.intel.com/support/ssdc/hpssd/sb/newusersguide.pdf http://download.intel.com/support/ssdc/hpssd/sb/newusersguide.pdf

When RST 9.6 came out there was a mistake in the documentation. If you have an Intel SSD that is a non-member of a raid array it will allow TRIM. If it is a member of the raid array it will not enable TRIM.

If you have the option always use AHCI in preference to IDE. On the second post in this thread Intel explain why it is better to use AHCI.

/thread/10495?tstart=0 http://communities.intel.com/thread/10495?tstart=0

There is loads of official help here:

http://www.intel.com/p/en_US/support/highlights/ssdc/x25m-80gb http://www.intel.com/p/en_US/support/highlights/ssdc/x25m-80gb

[idata]

All right I installed the RST drivers, so far I don't see any difference. My AS SSD benchmark actually went down a few points.

Are you guys using the RST?

And what about the Toolbox? The one PDF you sent the link for says if you are using Windows 7 you don't need the Toolbox. I have also seen a lot people say you shouldn't run the Optimizer or System Configuration Tuner.

When I do run the System Configuration Tuner it says to turn on DIPM, what does that do?

Will

[idata]

If you are running Window 7 with either the default MS AHCI driver or the RST driver 9.6 you do not need the toolbox trim feature as it will be trimming automatically.

There is nothing stopping you running a manual trim from the toolbox but you don't need to. There are however other tools in the toolbox that make it worth installing.

Run the System Configuration Tuner and it will automatically set the right system settings for you as defined by Intel. The toolbox also has other useful tools like SMART info and diagnostic tools.

EDIT: DIPM = Device-Initiated Link Power Management. The System Config Tuner will take any action that may be required when you run it.

[idata]

I guess some questions are more and so what or it works so why ask or it just seem more important then it really is and really is not that important at all...

All right I installed the RST drivers, so far I don't see any difference. My AS SSD benchmark actually went down a few points.

Are you guys using the RST?

Maybe you had a good run when you did it last or maybe its the driver but really it works. I use RST 9.6.4.1002 the new 10. driver may be out soon and listed on Intel site.

And what about the Toolbox? The one PDF you sent the link for says if you are using Windows 7 you don't need the Toolbox. I have also seen a lot people say you shouldn't run the Optimizer or System Configuration Tuner.

What about toolbox well here is another PDF saying "There is no known risk of harm to the SSD due to continuous repeated use of the tool.".

http://download.intel.com/support/ssdc/hpssd/sb/intel_ssd_optimizer_white_paper_rev_2.pdf http://download.intel.com/support/ssdc/hpssd/sb/intel_ssd_optimizer_white_paper_rev_2.pdf