SSD & HDD w/ AHCI Fresh Install

Ok so have been searching google for a while and came across a few things but still doesnt answer my main question, so i bought a bunch of new hardware including a new mobo and ssd, now the problem im having is trying to decide whether to run IDE or ACHI as there are mixed responses as to whether it will work.

My current setup is 2 intel ssd's and 3 mech hdds with 1 optical drive, so will ahci work?

My board is a Gigabyte 990FXA-UD3 with 6 sata 3 ports, it does have marvell controller but that powers 2 esata so thats out of the question, but basically everything is going to be plugged into the gigabyte sata3 ports will this cause compatibility issues or run just fine?

Am going to fresh install win7 anyway as i need it installed on my new intel ssd but will install under IDE until i can get a definitive answer.

Thanks in advance.

We deal with this every day here. Try in AHCI mode first as it confers a slight advantage and is more modern. If it fails then use IDE mode.

What should I expect? Like post boot, successful install, boot to desktop?

Am installing hardware as we speak will try and see how it goes

If you're interested in getting a perfect install the first time then follow the Best Practices given in Clean Reinstall - Factory OEM Windows 7 which are the same as for retail. Sticking with those methods will get and maintain a trouble-free installation.

That's pretty much my exact routine when fresh installing, I usually leave all drives plugged in but will try with just my boot drive

Righto so it turns out my Motherboard supports split-settings out of my 6 sata ports it allows me to set port 4 & 5 in IDE mode while maintaining 1-4 as AHCI which i have my SSD's & optical on.

Got a few BSOD's to start with but after some driver updates for ACHI & RAID it seems to have sorted itself out having been running for a few weeks now and all is good.

My optical drive runs fine in AHCI mode as wells as both my SSD's and an ESATA port to my front panel have yet to plug HDD into esata to see if it causes problems but will cross that bridge when i come to it.

Thanks for reporting back, especially the AHCI:IDE port split on Gigabyte GA-890FXA-UD5 mobo which will benefit others who find this via Google - whose crawler just found it when it I typed it out.

To speed up my PC I installed AHCI DESPITE the warning that my optical drive may/may not work, bad mistake! No access to the CDDVD drive. After side-by-side error and porno invasion needed to reload Win7 - no go! Have used REGEDIT and BIOS to remove what the AHCI installation told me I had to do but still no access to optical drive.