v12.9.4.1000 WHQL + Z97 + WINDOWS 8.1

Important Drivers Specific: Intel AHCI/RAID Drivers
1

Good day,
I’m having issues with IRST V.13.XX on my Z97 with W8.1. V13 drivers enable APM and the click sound of the heads parking/unparking becomes unalterable.

I did a fresh install of W8.1 and I’m current with MS AHCI stock drivers. How can I install the Intel v12.9.4.1000 WHQL? When i try, the windows tell me that the current drivers are newer.

Thanks

2

@ jrmpt:
Welcome at Win-RAID Forum!

You have to force the installation by using the "Let me pick…" > "Have Disk" option.
Then browse to the folder of the desired 32/64bit driver and hit "OK". Now choose the file named iAHCIC.inf and click "OK". Then you will see a list of the compatible Intel SATA AHCI Controllers. Since your 9-Series system is natively not supported, I recommend to choose the listed "Intel(R) 8 Series/C220 Chipset Family SATA AHCI Controller". Ignore the warning and continue the installation. After the next reboot your Intel SATA AHCI Controller will use the desired Intel RST(e) driver v12.9.4.1000 WHQL.
Don’t worry, the driver is running fine with Z97 Chipset systems.

Regards
Dieter (alias Fernando)

3

Dear Fernando,
Thanks for your prompt answer. Any way of getting a v13.xxx with APM disable?

Thanks

4

The Power Management settings have nothing to do with the AHCI driver version.

5

Thanks. I just asked because W8.1 with MS driver or IRST v12x that APM is off. If I install the v13x, it turns on and the click noise starts.

What I lose for use v12 instead of v13 on a Z97 system?

My device manager shows as 8 series




Thanks again

6

From which part of the Device Manager did you get the screenshots?

Not much (look >here< for my recent comparison tests with my Z97 AHCI system), but you have to force the driver installation, because none of the v12 driver series natively do support Intel 9-Series Chipsets.

7

I took it from the device manager.



For the pic of the apm I used AIDA64.

8

@ jrmpt:

Thanks for the screenshot of your Device Manager with the details about the Intel(R) 8-Series/C220 Family SATA AHCI Controller of your system, but I could not find any hints to the Power Management.

9

Good afternoon,
Dear Fernando, please note pics with both cases




Do you know which default AHCI driver comes with W10? It will be awful if the default driver enables the APM (aka noise).

Thanks

10

@jrmpt What drives are you using? Is it WD greens? As they are known for aggressive head parking and many can have their behavior modified by using a program called wdidle3.

11

Good day,
Thanks for the tip. I had this issue with a samsung drive. Since I traded with a WD BLUE the problem ended.
Thanks again

12

The Win10 in-box AHCI driver is named STORAHCI.SYS.