Today I have done a clean install of the brandnew Windows 10 TP Build 9879 onto a separate partition of my 512 GB sized Samsung 840 SSD. My first impression about this new build is very good, especially regarding the performance. So I took the opportunity to do some new benchmark comparison tests in AHCI mode (all tests done at 11/13/2014).
Update of the Start Post
Changelog:
refreshed: benchmark results with my Z97 AHCI system running Windows 10 Build 9879 with the following AHCI drivers:
Win 10 TP Build 9879 in-box MS Standard AHCI driver named storahci.sys v6.4.9879.0 (dated 11/04/2014)
Yesterday I was happy about the stability and performance of the brandnew Windows 10 TP Build 9879 running in AHCI mode. That is why I have done today a clean install of Windows 10 TP Build 9879 onto my Z97 RAID0 system and then - after having done the needed optimization steps - executed some new benchmark comparison tests with it (all tests done at 11/14/2014).
Update of the Start Post
Changelog:
refreshed: benchmark results with my Z97 RAID0 system running Windows 10 Build 9879 with the following Intel RAID drivers:
Win 10 TP Build 9879 generic on-boad Intel RST(e) RAID driver v12.0.1.1019 dated 08/09/2013 in combination with Intel EFI SataDriver v13.0.0.2075 (a âdowngradeâ to any v12 module was impossible)
Intel RST(e) RAID driver v13.0.4.1000 WHQL (dated 05/06/2014) in combination with Intel EFI SataDriver v13.0.0.2075
Intel RST(e) RAID driver v13.1.0.1058 WHQL (dated 05/28/2014) in combination with Intel EFI SataDriver v13.1.0.2126
Intel RST(e) RAID driver v13.2.4.1000 WHQL (dated 08/04/2014) in combination with Intel EFI SataDriver v13.2.0.2134
Intel RST(e) RAID driver v13.5.0.1056 WHQL (dated 10/09/2014) in combination with Intel EFI SataDriver v13.5.0.2164
Good luck with the upcoming OS and the tested RAID drivers!
new: benchmark results with my Z77 chipset RAID0 system running Windows 7 with the following Intel RAID drivers:
Intel RST RAID driver v11.2.0.1006 (dated 05/30/2012, latest Intel RST driver) in combination with Intel RAID ROM v11.2.0.1527
Intel RST(e) RAID driver v11.7.4.1001 WHQL (dated 03/05/2013) in combination with Intel RAID ROM v11.6.0.1702
Intel RST(e) RAID driver v12.9.4.1000 WHQL (dated 04/07/2014) in combination with Intel RAID ROM v12.9.0.2006
Intel RST(e) RAID driver v13.1.0.1058 WHQL (dated 05/28/2014) in combination with Intel RAID ROM v13.1.0.2126
Intel RST(e) RAID driver v13.2.4.1000 WHQL (dated 08/04/2014) in combination with Intel RAID ROM v13.2.0.2134
Intel RST(e) RAID driver v13.5.0.1056 WHQL (dated 10/09/2014) in combination with Intel RAID ROM v13.5.0.2164
removed: old benchmark test results with my Z68 chipset RAID0 system
Note: I have done these tests with the OS Windows 7, because this way I was able to compare the old Intel RST/RST(e) drivers of the v11 series with the newer ones of the v12 and v13 series. Windows 8/8.1/10 doesnât allow to install any Intel RAID driver of the v11 series, because it automaticly takes the generic on-board Intel RST(e) RAID driver v12.0.1.1019 named iaStorAV.sys.
Thanks for publishing your X79 chipset RAID0 benchmark results using the Intel RST RAID drivers v13.5.0.1056 in combination with the Intel RST EFI RAIDDriver BIOS module v13.5.0.2164. Have you tested the combination v12.9.0.4.1000/v12.9.0.2006 as well? If yes, please post the results.
Actually⌠I was able to dig up an older benchmark I did with the same drives and same utility⌠However, according to the screenshot itâs using 12.7.0.1036 DRIVER⌠but not sure of ROM version but I assume that it would be in the same 12.x range. Keep in mind⌠at the time, the drives were brand new⌠since I actually ran this benchmark to see the difference between my Samsung 830âs and the new 840âs at the time.
At some point in the past, you told me that there are built-in AHCI drivers in the RAID OROM we are inserting in the BIOS files of our motherboards that increases performance of AHCI-based systems. Recently, I read some of your posts and you say that RAID OROMâs are only beneficial to systems in RAID mode. Which is more accurate now? My system is only AHCI and Iâm not using RAID at all.
It doesnât matter what is in your BIOS. Once Windows starts, it loads itâs drivers that access directly the present hardware. BIOS is useful just at boot time, until you see the windows login prompt. Login prompt is already with windows (different) drivers.
It doesnât matter what is in your BIOS. Once Windows starts, it loads itâs drivers that access directly the present hardware. BIOS is useful just at boot time, until you see the windows login prompt. Login prompt is already with windows (different) drivers.
I must admit, that you have a very good memory. A long while ago I thought, that AHCI systems may benefit from the Intel RAID ROM/EFI Raid BIOS module as well, because the BIOSes of old Intel chipset systems (up to 5-Series) contain a special Intel AHCI ROM module, whereas I couldnât find such module within the UEFI BIOSes of the newer Intel systems (from 6-Series up). Meanwhile I know, that I was wrong regarding this point: The modern Intel SATA AHCI Controllers do neither need nor use any separate "Firmware" (OROM/EFI module). So the statement given by plutomaniac is 100% correct. The Intel RAID ROM/EFI "RaidDriver" module version of the mainboard BIOS doesnât matter unless the Intel SATA Controller has been set to "RAID" mode. As long as the system drive is running in IDE or AHCI mode, the Intel RAID ROM/EFI "RaidDriver" will not be used at all.
There is no "AHCI driver" within the BIOS. What you probably mean is the BIOS module, which has been named "SataDriver" by Intel. This is the EFI mode "Firmware" for the Intel SATA RAID Controller and has no effect on Intel systems, which are running in IDE or AHCI mode. Recently Intel has internally renamed the module to "RAIDDriver", which may prevent any misunderstandings regarding its functionality.
Since I succeeded yesterday to get the âclassicalâ Intel RST driver v11.2.0.1006 running with Windows 8.1 from scratch (instead of the generic Win8 Intel RAID driver v12.0.1.1019), I decided to repeat the extensive RAID driver comparison tests I have done last year with my Z77 RAID system. Big advantage of this new test: I could start it with the lowest Intel RAID driver/ROM version v11.2 and then update both (ROM and driver) step by step up to the highest Intel RAID driver/ROM combo v13.5 (no driver/OROM âdowngradeâ required). This time I used my 2x256 GB Samsung 840 Pro SSDs as members of the freshly created RAID0. This way the viewers of my results can compare them with those I got some weeks ago with my Z97 RAID system.
These were my test candidates:
Intel RST RAID driver v11.2.0.1006 (dated 05/30/2012, latest Intel RST driver) in combination with Intel RAID ROM v11.2.0.1527
Intel RST(e) RAID driver v11.7.4.1001 WHQL (dated 03/05/2013) in combination with Intel RAID ROM v11.6.0.1702
Intel RST(e) RAID driver v12.9.4.1000 WHQL (dated 04/07/2014) in combination with Intel RAID ROM v12.9.0.2006
Intel RST(e) RAID driver v13.1.0.1058 WHQL (dated 05/28/2014) in combination with Intel RAID ROM v13.1.0.2126
Intel RST(e) RAID driver v13.2.4.1000 WHQL (dated 08/04/2014) in combination with Intel RAID ROM v13.2.0.2134
Intel RST(e) RAID driver v13.5.0.1056 WHQL (dated 10/09/2014) in combination with Intel RAID ROM v13.5.0.2164
Update of the Start Post
Changelog:
new: benchmark results with my Z77 chipset RAID0 system (2x256 GB Samsung 840 Pro SSDs) running Windows 8.1 x64
Out of curiosity, do you run the two benchmark tools once or more times? I remember when I was doing some similar tests that two runs could show a completely different result especially at Anvil Tools.
All benchmark tests were done twice, but the results were close together (possible reason: absolute similar procedure between each test and no other working on the machine during the whole test period).
If AHCI doesnât use the RAID OROM and it is generally recommended to install the Intel RST Driver that is most compatible with the RAID OROM version in the BIOS, what then is the best Intel RST Driver for my AHCI system? Does this mean that we can install any of the Intel RST Drivers without considering the RAID OROM version of the BIOS?
but I assume that it would be in the same 12.x range.
