Which are the "best" Intel AHCI/RAID drivers?

XIII · August 4, 2015, 11:22pm

No, I am pretty sure, that the old Intel RST driver v11.2.0.1006 will give your Intel ICH10R RAID0 system the by far best benchmark scores of all RAID drivers.

I have no RAID array… 11.2.0.1006 is also the best option for a single drive in AHCI on an ICH10R controller, right?

(downgrading drivers seemed to be no problem, changing from RAID to AHCI was - I will probably try a clean install now)

Fernando · August 4, 2015, 11:29pm

You should test it yourself. A good alternative will be the Intel RST(e) driver v11.7.4.1001.

XIII · August 4, 2015, 11:56pm

You should test it yourself. A good alternative will be the Intel RST(e) driver v11.7.4.1001.

OK, but I’m probably first going to try what happens out-of-the-box in Windows 10 if I use AHCI instead of RAID.

Fernando · August 5, 2015, 12:04am

Then you will automaticly get installed the MS AHCI driver named STORAHCI.SYS.

robE · August 5, 2015, 3:09pm

Hello, i have 2 ssd’s and an old samsung f3 spinpoint hdd but i’m having an old problem which persisted on win 8.1 and even on win 10. Basically everyime i install the intel ahci driver my old HDD goes to “sleep” or spins down every 4-5 seconds if it’s not used and it’s very annoying because it just spins down and up all the time. This does NOT happen with microsoft ahci driver.

Is it possible that the hdd is just too old and it’s not compatible? Any ideeas?

Fernando · August 5, 2015, 3:16pm

@ robE:
Which Intel AHCI driver versions did you test?
Have you already checked the advanced Power Options? There is the option to prevent the spin down of the connected HDDs.

robE · August 5, 2015, 3:27pm

I’ve installed the one you recommended for 9 series motherboard: 13.2.4.1000 but after that i also tried the last one.

I did disable an option about power management from intel rst control panel but did nothing. I also set that hard disk never goes to sleep in windows control panel but still no difference. It’s like a constant spin up/spin down which is very annoying.

elisw · August 5, 2015, 4:20pm

I may bring my own experience (H81 chipset and Samsung SSD 840 Evo 120 GB): AS benchmark has shown better results with 14.5.2.1088 than 13.2.4.1000…
just to highlight what Fernando always states: there is no "better" driver for every system.

Fernando · August 5, 2015, 4:56pm

Can you post the results? How much better were the scores? How many passages did you run the benchmark tool?
Most important: What about the stability of the system?
During my recent RAID0 camparison tests with my Z97 system the Intel RST(e) driver v14.5.2.1088 showed the absolute worst scores in the first passage, but the best of all in the second passage.

elisw · August 5, 2015, 6:46pm

is it possible to upload them?
about the consistancy: I always discard the first 2 or 3 runs just after changing the drivers. Afterwards results are fairly consistant, even after many days

XIII · August 5, 2015, 9:55pm

Then you will automaticly get installed the MS AHCI driver named STORAHCI.SYS.

Indeed. So it was easy to install the classical 11.2 that you advise next. Thanks!

Fernando · August 5, 2015, 10:12pm

Yes, why not? You can simply attach the screenshots of the benchmark tool. Look >here<.

elisw · August 5, 2015, 11:51pm

here there are: first is 14.5.2

as-ssd-bench Samsun SSD 840 02.08.2015 15-14-32.png

kevindd992002 · August 10, 2015, 5:53pm

I’m trying to install 12.9.4.1000, as recommended for 6-series chipsets, in Windows 10 but it says that Windows 10 already has an installed version of 13.2.0.1022. Would I install the older driver anyway because it’s more compatible or should I keep the newer one installed by default by Windows 10?

Fernando · August 10, 2015, 6:52pm

This is the usual message you always get, when you try to “downgrade” any driver.
Nevertheless it is no problem to get a driver with a lower version number installed, when you use the “Have Disk” option.

You have to test it yourself, which is the better AHCI driver for your system.

xaftessest · August 12, 2015, 5:03am

I have a P67 System with RaidRom 12.9.0.2006 in RAID Mode and use the 12.9.0.1001.
Have the 12.9.4.1001 any benefits?

Would you recommend this version for a RAID array Fernando? A few sites earlier you say this version is only for AHCI systems recommend, but at the start page is it listed for RAID as well.

Fernando · August 12, 2015, 10:37am

Yes, the v12.9.4.1000 driver has less bugs than v12.9.0.1001.

The best performant Intel RAID driver is v11.2.0.1006, but it is not easy to get it installed with Windows 8/8.1/10. So if you want to be on the safe side, you should install the Intel RST(e) driver 12.9.4.1000.

xaftessest · August 12, 2015, 10:40am

If there a chanloge out for the 12.9.4.1000?

EDIT:
Do you have an idea why HP use an .reg file within the installer and set "Controller0Phy1ANEnable" to 0?

Cola · August 12, 2015, 12:55pm

Regarding #189.

I use AHCI driver Intel RST(e) v13.1.0.1058 WHQL and RAID driver IRST 13.1.0.2030.

I have some serious issues with this setup. Blue Screens and freezes randomly. If I clone this HDD and run it as a standalone setup without any raid functions (remove any RAID driver / tool), I have no issues and it’s working fine.
But that’s not an option for me, I need a RAID 1. So it’s definitely not a hardware problem.

Any suggestions what’s going wrong with the system and what I can do? UEFI-BIOS is the newest version.

Thanks,
Cola

Fernando · August 12, 2015, 1:20pm

It is possible, but I actually don’t have access to it

You should better ask HP than me.

Maybe it is the Intel RAID BIOS module, which causes the problems. There is an updated Intel RaidDriver v13.1.0.2126 available.