Windows 7: SSD and AHCI

I agree. Here's a more recent tip from SSD Tips and Tweaks | OCZ Technology - Posted June 21, 2011

Its 2011, Windows Vista and 7 were designed to run in AHCI mode.

Hi All,

thanks for your wonderful support.

I have pretty much finished. Only have a few printers to install, set up backups and take some images.

I installed the OCZ Vertex 3 drive on the GSata SATA 3 controller and enabled AHCI for both the SATA2 and 3 controllers.

I have created a single partition and the alignment is at 1,048,576 where it should be. The drive formatted to 111.79GB, as hoped (Some of the older drives had a lower formatted size).

All Windows files, applications, drivers and so on are on the C:\ Drive now. I haven't done that since the mid 90's.

There was a problem with the eltron USB3 driver on the 6-series install CD. Installed fine, but system still didn't recognise USB 3 ports. I downloaded the latest driver from Gigabyte and all was well. Of course, I'm on latest F4 BIOS too.

The Old drive (ST31000528AS) is on the SATA2 controller with the 2 DVD drives and the BDROM.

System is slightly overclocked at 3.70ghz (I5-2500K native is 3.3), with memory running at 1600mhz. temps stable at 21C

Ran Prime95 for an hour - no issues.

Turned off defrag for C: drive.

Some MSXML patches and Office 2K10 failed to install, but when I updated my .NET to 4.0 with latest patches these problems were resolved.

After initial install total boot time after AHCI scan to desktop was 3 seconds. After installing all apps it's now up to 6. Before putting the SSD drive in it was 20-25 seconds.

Have I missed anything?

You can save 8GB of space on your SSD by deleating the hibernate file. Hibernate will not be an option then. To do that open an elevated command prompt (Start-type cmd in search box- right click cmd and select run as administrator.) In the command window type or copy/paste powercfg -h off It will appear to do nothing but it deletes the hibernate file. In the same command window you can determine if trim is enabled by typing
fsutil behavior query disabledeletenotify if the response is DisableDeleteNotify = 0 then trim is enabled. other than changing Defrag to manual there is nothing else you need to do. Run the windows experience index soon. I have been told that will cause windows to recognize the drive as an SSD and handle it properly. And congratulations on the install. I don't have a Gigabyte board, but on my board the gsata is the marvell controller. i believe you would get better results if you put it on the P67 controller on port 0 which should also be a sata 3. You may also save some boot time if you disable the marvell controller if you are not using it. It added 5 seconds to my reboot time on my board. Windows also prefers to boot from port 0. It will still work otherwise but usually works best on port 0.

Just FYI, Gsata means Gigabyte SATA.

Only you gigabyte fans would know that. On most of my boards the secondary controller is called Gsata or on mine it is Msata (Marvell)

Hi,

yes, I'm familier with the powercfg command. I always do that.
Yes, fsutil behavior query disabledeletenotify returned 0.

On my Z68X board (and someone please correct me if I'm wrong), as I understand it the first 4 sata ports are sata 2 only. That's why I had to connect it to the gsata port 0. (GSATA3_0 on board).

Have run WEI. WIll post results shortly.

As long as it is port 0 is all that will really matter, no matter they they call it.

If I see the labels right, yes you are right, the Black SATA headers are SATA 2, white (2) are SATA 3 and the gray ones are gSATA 3. Gigabyyte boards are real picky about what SATA headers you use and which will become disk 0.

Here's the system performance results since the upgrade.

Windows System Assessment Tool
> Running: Feature Enumeration ''
> Run Time 00:00:00.00
> Running: System memory performance assessment ''
> Run Time 00:00:05.10
> Memory Performance 21989.05 MB/s
> Total Run Time 00:00:06.15

This was 22,686 before the new SSD install.

HD-Tune reports the SSD drive temp as 128C. The drive has a fan behind it blowing through. How could it be that hot? Turning the fan to high makes no difference. Is this a false alert? The drive is cold to touch.