I sure can wait an hour, even more than that! It is your free time you are giving to us!! 
And its already there! 
I see, 12.8 beta just a little bit better in write and a bit worse in read but similar. Then I would personally prefer 12.8 for the write, as my SF Vertex MI 120 in RAID 0 have good read but always lack in write performance as all SF drives…
Ah that is probably the old ISDI2.dll file incompatibility problem… 
Intel has just published brandnew Intel RST(e) drivers v12.8.0.1016 WHQL. They are dated 08/02/2013.
For details you may look >here<.
>Here< is the link to the Release Notes.
According to the Release Notes some important issues have been solved by this official RST(e) driver version.
The suitable Intel RAID ROM and SataDriver module version is still v12.7.0.1936.
You will find direct download links within the start post of this thread.
Have fun!
Fernando
Meanwhile I have installed these brandnew Intel RST(e) drivers v12.8.0.1016 WHQL onto the 2x256 GB Samsung 840 PRO RAID0 array of my Z77 system (OS: Win8.1 x64 Enterprise Preview installed in clean UEFI mode, SataDriver: v12.7.0.1936).
Here are the benchmark results with the following Intel RST(e) drivers (from the left to the right)
1. v12.7.0.1036 - 2. v12.7.1.1000 WHQL - 3. v12.8.0.1008 Beta - v12.8.0.1016 WHQL:
[[File:ASSD-Z77+Samsung-840-EFI-RAID0-64K-Stripe+Win8.1x64-LW_C+12.7.0.1036+EFI_12.7.0.1936_15…07.13.png|none|auto]][[File:ASSD-Z77+Samsung-840-EFI-RAID0-64K-Stripe+Win8.1x64-LW_C+12.7.1.1000+EFI_12.7.0.1936_31.07.13.png|none|auto]][[File:ASSD-Z77+Samsung-840-EFI-RAID0-64K-Stripe+Win8.1x64-LW_C+12.8.0.1008+EFI_12.7.0.1936_25.07.13.png|none|auto]][[File:ASSD-Z77+Samsung-840-EFI-RAID0-64K-Stripe+Win8.1x64-LW_C+12.8.0.1016+EFI_12.7.0.1936_09.08.13.png|none|auto]]
As you can see, my RAID0 has a much better performance with these new official drivers v12.8.0.1016 WHQL than with the RST(e) drivers v12.8.0.1008 Beta and the Intel RST(e) drivers v12.7.1036 WHQL, whereas the performance differences between the latest RST(e) drivers of the v12.7 and v12.8 Series are minimal.
Please keep in mind, that I have done these tests with the Preview version of Win8.1. I expect far better results with the final version of the OS.
EDIT:
TRIM in RAID0 is active with these drivers, but the TRIM activity is very low with my system. The TRIM Check Tool offered only negative results ("TRIM appears to be NOT working."), only the manual hex editor test verified, that TRIM is working within the RAID0.
Is module SATA DRIVER V12.8.0.1016 also available or can we stay with V12.7.0.1936 ?
Do you know if SATA DRIVER module in BIOS participate to the performance when Windows is running , or is it only the Windows V12.8.0.1016 WHQL driver which participate to the performance ?
I would say it’s not out yet or Fern would have the OROM posted also. As for performance, I believe that the ROM’s do make a difference, if we look at benches we see them vary when the best driver is paired to OROM’s, if they were all the same, there would be no difference.
Thanks Fern for the driver.
As Intel has stated within their Release Notes, the suitable OROM for the RST(e) drivers is v12.7.0.1936 (look >here<), and this statement will be valid for the SataDriver module as well.
The performance of the SATA drives is mainly affected by the SATA driver, but the driver is only able to induce its best results, if the SATA Controller is managed by the best suitable "Firmware" (= OROM/SataDriver). So the RAID OROM/SataDriver has an influence on the performance as well.
Running win 8.1, I had the MS, then used the 12.7 driver on the 12.7.0.1936 OROM, after manually running WEI, the RAID was show as SSD but for some reason the SSD would not optimize.
Now after installing this newest driver, she TRIM’s. Also I have noticed she TRIM’s fast, most of the driver ROM combo’s caused the optimize to hang, sitting at 30percent, 70, as an example.
Thanks again Fern, sure hope Station get the server back up soon.
Today (08/27/2013) Pacman has published at Station-Drivers new Intel RST(e) drivers from the v12.7 Series (look >here<).
They have the version 12.7.2.1000, are dated 07/15/2013 and got the WHQL stamp at 07/18/2013.
You can find download links to these new Intel RST(e) drivers and the related Drivers & Software Set within the start page of this thread.
Update of the start post
Changelog:
- new: 32/64bit Intel RST(e) drivers v12.7.2.1000 WHQL dated 07/15/2013
- new: Intel RST(e) Drivers & Software Set v12.7.2.1000 WHQL dated 07/21/2013
Enjoy the new AHCI/RAID drivers!
Fernando
Thanks Fern.
Fern: On station you said they come from another development branch, I not understand. They look like they add the same registry strings, but can’t see bug fixes because no notes.
This was my answer to tistou77’s question, if the v12.7.2.1000 drivers are better than the v12.8.0.1016.
Nobody can answer the question, which Intel RST/RST(e) driver version is "the best" for everyone. By the way: What does he mean with "better" (performance, stability)? And for whome (AHCI/RAID, Win7/Win8/Win8.1, 4-/5-/6-/7-/8-Series chipset users)?
What I tried to say is, that the Intel RST(e) v12.7.2.1000 is the successor of the v12.7.1.1000, whereas the Intel RST(e) v12.8.0.1016 is the successor of v12.8.0.1008. They belong to different development branches and Intel obviously currently works on both at the same time.
Nevertheless here are some benchmarks, done with my ASUS Z77-V and 2x256 GB Samsung 840 PRO as RAID0 running Windows 8.1 x64 Build 9471:
[[File:CDM-Z77+Samsung-840-EFI-RAID0-64K-Stripe+Win8.1x64-LW-C+12.7.2.1000+12.7.0.1936_27.08.13.png|none|fullsize]] [[File:CDM-Z77+Samsung-840-EFI-RAID0-64K-Stripe+Win8.1x64-LW-C+12.8.0.1016+12.7.0.1936_27.08.13.png|none|fullsize]]
Thanks Fern, I get it. Surprised the 12.8 still seam better.
P.S. HAHA I though you like AS-SSD.
Yes, the v12.8 branch seems to be optimized for the upcoming Windows "Blue".
EDIT:
You are right - AS-SSD is better for a benchmark comparison of SSD systems. In this case I have chosen to use the CrystalDiskMark tool, because Pacman previously had published CDM results of his Z87 system (for a better comparison).
Here is a X79, using the Sata driver ( UEFI BOOT) with 12.7.0.1936 OROM on two old Vertex 3 used for testing in RAID 0 with a 128k stripe.
First pic is the MS driver, second is the 12.7.2.1000 driver and third is the 12.8.0.1016 driver.
Works like a charm on the ICH7M of my EEE PC 901! It seems to be faster too then the former single RST driver; especially concerning the write-access time, 4K write and 4K-64Thrd scores. I installed a modded bios (thanks to Yukata, Japan) to recognise the SATA-I capabilities of the 945GSE chipset. I used a SOL 108-1 Flashcon to mSata adapter (also Japanese) to use a Crucial M4 128 GB mSata SSD.
Thanks Fernando!
EDIT by Fernando: Title customized
@ Cletje:
Welcome at Win-RAID Forum and thanks for your contribution!
Addtional questions:
1. Which Intel RST(e) driver version works like a charm with your ICH7R system?
2. Has the Intel SATA Controller been set to AHCI or RAID mode?
3. Did you install the original or the modded driver?
Regards
Fernando
Thank you for your warm welcome!
And here are the answers, sorry, I had to be more specific:
1. It’s the last version: 32bit Intel RST(e) AHCI/RAID Drivers v12.8.0.1016 WHQL
2. The controller is set to ACHI mode (made possible through a modded bios; RAID is not available in the hardware of my Eee PC 901)
3. I installed your modded driver. The original one probably wouldn’t install, I didn’t try that though
Best wishes from Holland,
Clemens.
EDIT by Fernando: Title customized
New Intel RSTe Drivers: 3.7.1.1020 / 3.7.3.1002
http://www.station-drivers.com/index.php…-3-7-3-1002#623
EDIT by Fernando: Title customized
@ Pacman:
Thanks for the link to the new RSTe drivers.
I have added them into the start post of this thread.
At Station-Drivers I just found brandnew Intel RST(e) drivers dated 08/30/2013 and the related complete RST(e) package v12.8.0.1000 WHQL dated 09/08/2013.
You can find them within the start post of this thread.
Update of the start post
Changelog:
- new: 32/64bit Intel RST(e) drivers v12.8.2.1000 WHQL dated 08/30/2013
- new: Intel RST(e) Drivers & Software Set v12.8.2.1000 WHQL dated 09/06/2013
Enjoy the new Intel AHCI and RAID drivers!
Fernando
I wish to report a change, however insignificant it may seem.
After updating v12.8.0.1016 to v12.8.2.1000 x64 on Win7, in the registry path: HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Enum\SCSI[my drives][some hex numbers], the value Capabilities was changed from 224 (decimal) to 96 (decimal).
***EDIT: From >here<, it seems it’s CM_DEVCAP_SURPRISEREMOVALOK
Trim still apears to be working (checked with trimcheck-0.5.exe).
So there. Maybe not important at all.