Win7 + 160GB SSD - Chipset drivers needed?

[idata]

Hello,

I am planning to upgrade to the Intel G2 160GB SSD drive (boot drive) and want to know if the Intel chipset drivers are still needed after the OS install?

Here's what I am planning to do - please let me know if any changes are recommended (I've worked extensively with regular desktop OS installation, RAID configuration etc, but this is the first time I'm working with SSDs (and the size limitation on these) - hence the request for a review/suggestions

1. Connect SSD to SATA port, set to AHCI mode (disconnect all other drives except DVD drive)

2. Update firmware if needed

3. Install Win 7 64 bit Ult OS (no need to select any special drivers during installation)

4. Install Intel Chipset drivers <-- I assume this is still needed

5. Install SSD toolbox

6. Install GPU drivers

7. Disable windows disk defragmenter service

8. Install all necessary applications

9. Connect 2nd SATA hard drive (non-SSD)

10. Move "My documents" over to the 2nd drive connected in step 9 above) to conserve SSD space - or should I install the applications (step 😎 after this 'move'?

Does this look ok? Open to any suggestions

Thanks!

[DZand]

@ jj14x:

1. There is no need to install the Intel Chipset "drivers" (they do not contain any real driver, but just text files), because Windows 7 will automaticly detect all Intel system management devices.

2. You should connect the Intel SSD with the first Intel SATA port of your mainboard (Port 1). Otherwise it is possible, that the Firmware installer will not detect it.

3. Before you are going to flash the SSD Firmware, you should set the Intel SATA Controllers to "IDE Mode" within the BIOS. This is the safest possible method for the flashing procedure.

Regards

Fernando

[idata]

Hello Fernando,

Thank you for the suggestions (especially # 2 & # 3 - I didn't know about these). I was reading some other posts on this forum where they were stating that one should install IMSM because the Intel drivers don't support TRIM. That's when I started wondering if the chipset drivers are also needed with IMSM - or is there another way to install the Microsoft Drivers (ad not the Intel drivers)?

Regarding # 2, in my current setup, IMSM shows a port 0 as well (in addition to ports 1,2,3,4) - I assume you meant port 0 in that case - is that right?

Oh - and one more question - some users have reported that they had to align their SSD partition - I read instructions about how to do this on OCZ's support forum, but not sure if that is needed on Intel's SSDs with Windows 7 - any thoughts? Is that even needed?

Thanks!

- Joseph

[DZand]

Hello Joseph,

here are my answers:

1. Intel's chipset "drivers" (= INF Update Utility) and Intel's AHCI/RAID drivers are something totally different. When you install Win7 after having set the Intel SATA Controllers to "AHCI Mode", you will get the Intel chipset devices working and the Microsoft AHCI driver (name: MSAHCI.SYS) automaticly installed.

Advantage: automatic Trim support

Disadvantage: Less performance and possible system hangs.

My recommendation: Take the new Intel AHCI driver v9.5.0.1037, which belongs to the Intel(R) Rapid Storage Technology (Link: http://www.station-drivers.com/page/intel%20raid.htm http://www.station-drivers.com/page/intel%20raid.htm ), the successor of the Intel(R) Matrix Storage Manager and is optimized for Win7 and SSD's. You can easily clean your SSD by using the Optimizer of Intel's SSD Toolbox.

2. If your mainboard has a SATA port 0, you should connect the SSD to this one.

3. It is not needed to align a brandnew unused SSD.

Regards

Fernando

[idata]

Thank you Fernando

I will try it out and update the results here!