Getting ready to install Win 7 on SSD

I saw this thread earlier and since I may go the SSD route in the future I checked out the OCZ Forum and this is what I have found so far. The Vertex 2 SSD uses the Sandforce controller and has some hard to understand features (at least for me). Two things about AHCI. AHCI is required to flash the firmware and is also required for TRIM support. The firmware update may be the big problem although its possible to move it to a different PC to do the flash when needed. As far as TRIM is concerned it may not be needed and that is where I get confused. Sandforce uses Duraclass feature that handles the writing of data to the drive. It compresses the data and encrypts the data. It does have a Garbage Collection feature but still uses TRIM. Duraclass also handles the block selection for the writes to equalize the wear on the drive. I am not clear on how much of an effect not having TRIM activated will affect the equalization of the drive or will Duraclass and Garbage Collection take care of the problem. That is where it stared getting fussy. I know that TRIM is not supported in RAID and doesn't stop people from using RAID with these drives.

I guess the OP may as well install the drive in IDE mode and see how it performs. Like I said if a firmware update is required he would need to hook it to another PC that supports AHCI. This can be done from a 32bit Win 7 bootdisk without affecting other drives on the system. Will not work with a 64bit bootdisk.

Hope I did not confuse anyone but myself.

Jim

We understand why you worried about it, but at this point it seems pretty pointless to. If you don't have it, you don't have it.

Don't be so concerned with trivial things like "future" firmware updates, as you've seen sometime doing un-needed updates cause problems, if it ain't broke, don't fix it. I updated the BIOS as soon as I built this machine and I have no desire to bother it unless a REAL need arises.

Fire up your machine and just have fun.

As I said earlier if you have a friend whose PC has AHCI you can install your drive on his PC to do the flash. Here is a link for the instructions. At the bottom is instructions on using a Boot disk and USB flash to upgrade the SSD without affecting the other drives on the system.

Guide FW1.11 is available now for all OCZ Sandforce based drives

Quote:
UPDATE: This procedure will most likely also work if you have a Windows 7 or Vista 32-bit (NOT 64-bit) Install or Recovery CD/DVD and a USB stick. Copy the 3 files (pkg and the 2 ssdupdate files) to a blank USB drive (does not have to be bootable).

EDIT: The updater runs fine in Windows 7 or Vista 64-bit, it will NOT run from a 64-bit Install DVD or Recovery CD

1. Boot to the disc (also make sure your USB Stick with the files on it is plugged in)
2. Select repair computer, then select command prompt.
3. Once at the command prompt type "Diskpart"
4. At the new Diskpart prompt type "List Volume"
5. Displayed on the screen will show the various drive letters available, one of them will be your USB stick. Note its drive letter.
6. Type "Exit" at the Diskpart prompt.
7. Now type <DriveLetter>and then a colon ( : ) where <DriveLetter> is the letter from step 5.
8. Now type "ssdupdate" that you put on the USB stick and you will see everything as above.
9. Once complete, the system will reboot automatically.


This is not a perfect solution but since your laptop doesn't have AHCI support at least this is a reasonable work around.

Jim