can't get new SSD to run in SATAII mode

I think that "N/A - Unable to detect SATA interface details" is the root of the problem.

I'm guessing that either the motherboard can't figure out what in hell an SSD is, or the SSD can't figure out what in hell the motherboard is, so it is defaulting to SATA 1 as a precaution.
Maybe there could be a work around. Can't think of one just yet.

chev65, the OP had read the post at the link you've given but with no luck after trying it.

CBailey, I would agree with both TVeblen and badger906; me thinks old into new just isn't working, at least not without an update in Samsung's firmware since it's not likely Gigabyte will update the BIOS which could resolve the issue as well if they did. But badger's suggestion of a SATA 3 card may be worth looking into as if it worked you'd get more mileage out the motherboard you have. Otherwise your board is too long in the tooth, and believe me I know the feeling.

So the Op tried to reinstall Windows 7 with RAID enabled?

Or maybe the Op can answer me directly next time rather than someone else speaking for them?

My post was not meant as a swipe at you as we are here to help the OP. He stated in his first post he had read the same post at that link but also that he had not enabled it before installation; perhaps that can make a difference, perhaps not.

Hi all

Sorry, I've been tied up for a couple of days (family duties). Thank you all for your replies. The one thing I haven't tried is reinstalling Windows with the RAID option enabled. I did rather rush into installing it in the first place as I had to do it Friday night or wait until tonight. I was thinking I should return it to Amazon as being "incompatible" with my system but I think I should really try to reinstall it with the RAID settings configured before I do that. Seems to have worked for chev65.

Watch this space!

Well, I enabled the RAID in the BIOS and after a bit of messing around I got the Windows installer to see the drive. I had to actually add the drive to an array before the installer would see the drive - just enabling RAID didn't do it for me. I put various drivers on a memory stick and ultimately I extracted the ones out of the NVIDIA .exe file and showed Windows Installer that. Windows recognised they were drivers so I selected them and after the installer "scanned" them (or whatever it was doing that required a progress bar) it took me back to the screen where I could choose the drive to install Windows on - no idea whether the driver had been loaded or not. The drive was visible before I loaded the driver.

So, I get Windows installed and install the NVIDIA NForce driver, which contains all the chipset and storage stuff. I reboot and go to the Device Manager. I see the IDE controller (nothing about SATA there any more) and there's a new Storage Controller section which contains the SATA controller info. Trouble is, when I find the port that contains my SSD the "Speed Test" button is greyed out so I can't see whether the drive is being recognised as SATAII or check the speeds! See screenshot attached.

I downloaded the demo of 'HD Tune Pro' to benchmark it but I don't really know what I'm looking at. See screenshot - does this seem like good values for an SSD on a SATAII connection? Not if I'm interpreting the figures correctly - seems very close to the values from my first screenshot (using Windows 'speed test', unavailable to me now).

Any advice gratefully received.
Colin

Update - I sent back the EVO SSD and got a Crucial M550. According to the compatibility checker on the Crucial site that SSD is compatible with my motherboard so I took that as a good sign. Fitted it, reinstalled Windows (not using the RAID option) and it now connects as SATAII. Phew. See screenshot for speeds. I know the M550 is not as good or fast as the EVO but it works!

Thanks to everyone for their input.

Colin

That is surprising.
But it works. So I learned something today.