How to Enable AHCI - No option in BIOS.

Brds7t7 · May 30, 2012

Hey All,

I'm purchasing a new SSD next week. I've been reading up on it and it looks like I need to enable AHCI in my BIOS. I can't find any option for AHCI though.

I currently have my System setup as RAID0. This was how it was set up in the factory and I haven't changed it.

The only option I have is under SATA operation and I can either set it to "RAID Autodetect/ATA" or "RAID ON".

Is there anyway I can check to see whether AHCI is already enabled? If not will one of the above options enable it?

TVeblen · May 30, 2012

Some motherboards incorporate AHCI SATA automatically. In the early days of SATA there was a lot of confusion in terminology. "RAID" - "AHCI" - all the same thing

.

For your motherboard it looks like you want to choose "RAID Autodetect/ATA" to use a non-RAID setup with AHCI.

Brds7t7 · May 30, 2012

Thanks TVeblen,

I've read on a few other sites though which say the opposite and say it should be set to "RAID ON" for AHCI, so I'm not sure what to think!

I'd like to have the two spinners still set up as RAID 0 for my data while having my O/S on my SSD. Maybe that isn't possible?

TVeblen · May 30, 2012

If you want to set up a RAID array then you definitely want to use the RAID ON setting. And you will get AHCI by default (if it is hard coded in your motherboard's BIOS - meaning the board is not so old that it does not do AHCI).

I thought you were trying to set up the SSD without an additional RAID array.

TVeblen · May 30, 2012

It is not entirely clear whether that 9200 system is "too old":
AHCI support for Dimension 9200 with 2.5.0 BIOS - Desktop General Hardware Forum - Desktop - Dell Community

Brds7t7 · May 30, 2012

TVeblen said:
If you want to set up a RAID array then you definitely want to use the RAID ON setting. And you will get AHCI by default (if it is hard coded in your motherboard's BIOS - meaning the board is not so old that it does not do AHCI).

I thought you were trying to set up the SSD without an additional RAID array.

Sorry TVeblen, I should have been a bit clearer on my inititial post.

Eventually I will replace the two spinners with a larger capacity 2TB single drive.

Brds7t7 · May 30, 2012

TVeblen said:
It is not entirely clear whether that 9200 system is "too old":
AHCI support for Dimension 9200 with 2.5.0 BIOS - Desktop General Hardware Forum - Desktop - Dell Community

I hope not otherwise I won't be buying an SSD!

Brds7t7 · May 30, 2012

Reply from Dell Support:

"Hi Lee, just confirmed that there is no AHCI option for this model"

Now I'm not sure whether I'm able to use an SSD?

TVeblen · May 30, 2012

Like I said - hard to say.

Keep in mind he said that there was no AHCI option in the BIOS.

That could mean: "there is no AHCI capability on this system"
or: "AHCI is automatic in RAID mode and there is no option to change it"

I can't help with the SSD question. I have not played with one yet :cry:

.
But I suggest starting a new thread and ask the question directly: "Will a SSD run properly in legacy IDE mode?" Someone here will know.

TVeblen · May 30, 2012

Oh-oh. Related???
http://www.sevenforums.com/hardware...ccess-bios-after-ssd-upgrade.html#post1944302

Dwarf · May 30, 2012

Unfortunately, Dell is one of those manufacturers who like (or used to like) to use heavily customised hardware. In that case, although the board itself may support AHCI and other features/functions, they are not available because Dell does not provide the option for enabling them through their customised (and restricted) version of the BIOS.

Brds7t7 · May 30, 2012

Looks like my plans for buying an SSD have gone out the window! :-(
I'll follow your advice and start a new thread.

Thanks to you too Dwarf. I wonder if there's anyway of flashing the BIOS?

Next time I think I'll just build my own pc!

whs · May 30, 2012

I would not worry too much for the SSD. It will perform beautifully in any mode. Maybe it will show a little less in some of the measurements, but in real life you will not really notice a difference - AHCI or IDE or Raid.

Unfortunately some manufacturers really cripple the BIOS (Sony is notorious for that). But that should not keep you from using a SSD.

Brds7t7 · May 30, 2012

Just had another reply from Dell:

"SSD does not require AHCI controller to function. However your system will not be compatible with SSD"

Not sure I buy that at all. Probably want to sell me a whole new System! :S

Brds7t7 · May 30, 2012

Thanks for the info Whs. I keep reading posts about write degradation if AHCI is not enabled on an SSD. Is that true at all or exaggerated?

whs · May 30, 2012

Burdus77 said:
Thanks for the info Whs. I keep reading posts about write degradation if AHCI is not enabled on an SSD. Is that true at all or exaggerated?

I have never heard about a thing like that and the reasoning is beyond me. There is a lot of smoke regarding SSDs on the web. One of my 4 year old SSDs runs in IDE and is still doing well. In fact the lifetime prediction is until 2021 - probably longer than my own lifetime prediction.

And what Dell tells you is a lot of bull also. As long as you a Sata interface, the SSD will work.

bobkn · May 30, 2012

whs said:
Burdus77 said:

Thanks for the info Whs. I keep reading posts about write degradation if AHCI is not enabled on an SSD. Is that true at all or exaggerated?

Click to expand...

I have never heard about a thing like that and the reasoning is beyond me. There is a lot of smoke regarding SSDs on the web. One of my 4 year old SSDs runs in IDE and is still doing well. In fact the lifetime prediction is until 2021 - probably longer than my own lifetime prediction.

And what Dell tells you is a lot of bull also. As long as you a Sata interface, the SSD will work.

I presume that Burdus is referring to the slow-down in writing to an SSD that occurs if "garbage collection" isn't performed. Nothing to do with life expectancy of the drive, at least not directly.

I haven't observed anything like that on my non-AHCI laptop yet. Perhaps it has yet to occur (which would be the case if there was still virgin space on the SSD), or maybe it's one of the magical self-cleaning drives.

I agree about the Dell advice probably being made-up nonsense.

Phone Man · May 30, 2012

My understanding is ACHI is required for the Trim command to function. However I have read that a lot of SSD's have their own "Garbage Collection" function that does the same thing as Trim so should function fine as IDE. I would research the SSD you are looking to buy as see if their support can give you that answer.

Jim

Brds7t7 · May 30, 2012

bobkn said:
whs said:

Burdus77 said:

Thanks for the info Whs. I keep reading posts about write degradation if AHCI is not enabled on an SSD. Is that true at all or exaggerated?

Click to expand...

I have never heard about a thing like that and the reasoning is beyond me. There is a lot of smoke regarding SSDs on the web. One of my 4 year old SSDs runs in IDE and is still doing well. In fact the lifetime prediction is until 2021 - probably longer than my own lifetime prediction.

And what Dell tells you is a lot of bull also. As long as you a Sata interface, the SSD will work.

Click to expand...

I presume that Burdus is referring to the slow-down in writing to an SSD that occurs if "garbage collection" isn't performed. Nothing to do with life expectancy of the drive, at least not directly.

I haven't observed anything like that on my non-AHCI laptop yet. Perhaps it has yet to occur (which would be the case if there was still virgin space on the SSD), or maybe it's one of the magical self-cleaning drives.

I agree about the Dell advice probably being made-up nonsense.

Bobkn, Yes I meant garbage collection not life expectancy.

My thoughts when Dell said "Your pc is not compatible with SDD" were..... "YEAH RIGHT!" :roflmao:

Brds7t7 · May 30, 2012

Phone Man said:
My understanding is ACHI is required for the Trim command to function. However I have read that a lot of SSD's have their own "Garbage Collection" function that does the same thing as Trim so should function fine as IDE. I would research the SSD you are looking to buy as see if their support can give you that answer.

Jim

Thanks Jim,

The one I'm looking at is the Samsung 830. Had a like on their site but can't see any mention of garbage collection. It does come with their magician software which may be for that.

How to Enable AHCI - No option in BIOS.

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