I want to enable the AHCI on the two SSDs. Chipset is IntelR 8 Series/c220 Chipset Family SATA AHCI Controller. OS: win7.
In the Windows registry I changed the msahci start value to zero. Then installed the IRST 13.
In the device manager, the two SSDs are still listed under Disk drives as such "INTEL SSD… SCSI Disk Device" .
It does not seem right. how do I know AHCI driver is kicked in?
In the "System Information" though, under storage IDE, it says the driver is c:\windows\system32\drivers\iastora.sys(13.5.0.1056)
Also in case, how do I manually install the driver?
This doesn’t make any sense for me. Generally I do not recommend any registry modifications for non-experts, because it is always risky.
The Disk Managmenent is always done by generic MS drivers.
You have to look, which driver actually manages the Intel SATA AHCI Controller, which usually is listed within the "IDE ATA/ATAPI Controllers" section of the Device Manager.
This is what you should do:
- Expand the "IDE ATA/ATAPI Controllers" section.
- Search for the Intel SATA AHCI Controller. If you are unsure. which one of the listed "Standard AHCI 1.0 Serial ATA Controllers" or "Standard SATA AHCI Controllers" the Intel one is, look for the HardwareIDs (right click onto the related Controller > "Properties" > "Details" > "Property" > "HardwareIDs" > VEN_8086 = Intel).
- Right click onto the Intel SATA AHCI Controller and choose the options "Update Driver Software…-" > "Browse my Computer…" > click the "Browse" button > navigate to the folder with the desired Intel AHCI driver > click "OK".
If you want to get an unsigned driver installed, you have to force the driver installation by clicking onto the option "Let me pick…" instead of the "Browse" button, then to click onto the "Have Disk" button and to navigate to the driver folder. In this case you have to choose the correct INF file yourself (for Intel RST(e) AHCI drivers it is the file named iaAHCIC.inf). - After the next reboot your Intel SATA AHCI Controller will use the desired Intel AHCI driver. You can easily verify it by doing a right click onto the Controller and choosing the options "Properties" > "Driver" > "Driver Details". Now you should see there "iaStorA.sys".
Got it. Thanks!
Now I have the iaStorA.sys and iaStorF.sys listed File version 13.5.0.1056.
Regarding the registry thing. Google “enable ahci windows 7” , that’s what is said to be done? Like this one >here<
I would always prefer a fresh OS install than a change of the SATA mode "on the fly".
Yes it’s extremely easy that way, I’ve done it in the past with great results. For most people formatting and reapplying all custom Windows settings etc means a day of work so that registry alteration is a must for me.
For a fresh OS install I need less than an hour and I get a better performant and slim system this way.
What I do not really understand is why so many users want to change the SATA mode after having completed the OS installation. They should have thought about what they want before they start booting off an OS image.
To my understanding you are keeping your data elsewhere but if they are at the same drive as the OS copying back and forth takes time. The actual format is quick indeed but everything else afterwards (programs, drivers, windows settings, customization etc) is time consuming. Especially if you are using HDD instead of SSD or RAID for that matter.
A lot of people don’t know the difference between IDE/AHCI/RAID and at older boards IDE is default so they end up installing the OS that way. It has to do with lack of knowledge beforehand.
For a fresh OS install I need less than an hour and I get a better performant and slim system this way.
And then there is the small matter of reinstalling all your applications and drivers, and customising their settings…
As I already said: All these things (incl. OS installation) doesn’t take more than 1 hour for me.
These are the reasons:
1. All my important data (personal data, favorite drivers and software, even the folder with the recently downloaded files) are always outside the system drive.
2. Since I always use the latest available ISO version of my mainly used Operating Systems (Win8.1 x64 and Win10 x64 Preview), there are only a few MS updates required.
3. No individual OS settings are required after a fresh OS installation, because they are automaticly done by the OS (via MS account).
4. Since I know, which drivers I need/want, and where they are stored on my big sized storage HDD, they are installed very quickly.
5. I use only a very few tools, which have to be installed separately (Google Chrome, WinRAR, HxD, Adobe Reader).
6. After having installed Google Chrome all my browser favorites, eMails and cookies are available from scratch.
Hey Fernando, when installing the Intel RST drivers for ahci is it best to install the full software or just install the drivers from device manager. Also,is there any benefit to the full software, just curious on what’s the best way.
@ NIK1:
All your questions will be answered after having read the start post of >this< thread (especially point 3).
For my Sabertooth z77 do you still recommend the Intel RST v13.1.0.1058 WHQL over the RST AHCIRAID Driver v11.2.0.1006 .
It depends on the SATA mode (AHCI or RAID).
RAID0: RST v11.2.0.1006 WHQL
AHCI: RST(e) v12.9.4.1000 WHQL or v13.1.0.1058 WHQL
Hey Fernando. Just wondering in my Sabertooth z77 mb I noticed my Intel RAID ROM is version v11.0.0.1339 .I have found that the RST(e) v12.9.4.1000 WHQL works a little better over the v13.1.0.1058 WHQL but they are very close. Should my raid rom be updated to something else when using the v12.9.4.1000,or is it only when you use and enable raid in the bios that you update the rom.
Yeap, RAID only
Curious, all ROM’s should have information from older versions thus it should not make much difference if you are using a older driver with newer OROM, correct?
@ ep0x92:
You can use a combination of an old Intel MSM RAID ROM with a much newer Intel RST/RST(e) RAID driver, but a vice versa combination (old RAID driver with much newer RAID ROM) may cause problems. Contrary to the Intel RAID drivers the Intel RAID ROM modules are not completely downwards compatible.
Good to know then, it will be interesting to see what 7 installs by default when I do it on my incoming SSD. I’ve found 7 to be pretty good at picking what is correct.
With 12.7.0.1936 ROM logically then the 12.9.4.1000 driver should play nice and be the best choice even for P45.
I could flash the bios to a older 11 series ROM and then use 11.2 driver but it might be a difference so small you won’t even notice in real world.
I also read the OCZ arc100 SSD has it’s own built in garbage collection during idle, course trim helps too but apparently it can clean up their own mess without OS help.
Since the Garbage Collection needs much more time than TRIM to clean the cells, the performance of an SSD without TRIM support will drop dramatically after a heavy usage, if there are not enough free space left on the SSD.
From what I can tell garbage collection happens during idle, does that include when the computer is in hibernation/sleep or just when the drives are not doing work?
SSD’s are fast but I am finding out they need way more maintenance then good old HDD for endurance and longevity.
I’ve found page after page of tweaks you should do to limit cell read/writes. What a PITA.