SSHD drive & M/B port

[martinlest]

I am replacing a recently failed Corsair 128GB SSD with a Seagate 1TB SSHD drive. My O/S is on another SSD, plugged into one of the two Marvell 6GB ports on my M/B.

I am assuming I am best connecting the new SSHD to the other Marvell port? Please correct me if I am wrong (and explain why!). (The SSHD will have Microsoft Flight Simulator installed on it, so it's not just for data storage per se).

Thanks,

Martin

 

[Golden]

I don't think the Marvell port matters.....you certainly won't get 6GB throughput. Its only easier on the 3GB motherboard SATA port because you don't need to install specific Marvell drivers.

If you are prepared to install the Marvell drivers, then use the 6GB - I don't think it will make much difference.

 

[martinlest]

Thanks. How do I know if I have the Marvell drivers already installed? They show in Device Manager as what exactly? (The PC in question is in bits at the moment as I wait for my new SSHD drive to be delivered, so I can't go and look right now to check).

I've seen more than one thread/tutorial on the other hand which instructs people to set up the drive as AHCI but not to install the Marvell drivers (to use Windows native drivers I guess: Windows 7 x64 would install 6GB SATA drivers for those ports at installation anyeway?).

Otherwise, this post suggests the V1.0.0.1034, which is what appears on the Asus drivers support page; or the V1.0.0.1045. But it seems quite a few people have issues with BSODs:

http://www.tomshardware.co.uk/forum/298530-30-asus-p6x58d-marvell-driver

Maybe I won't notice any performance difference if I just connect the SSHD drive one of the spare blue SATA ports then?? Or, I could try the Marvell port, set it as AHCI Mode and see how it goes (without installing Marvell drivers, as above?). As I say, my (O/S) SSD is attached to a Marvell port in AHCI mode. Only did that very recently, but no issues so far. Of course, if I don't in fact have a Marvell driver installed.....

 

[martinlest]

How do I know if I have the Marvell drivers already installed? They show in Device Manager as what exactly?

Now I can get into my PC and look in Device Manager, it's obvious. Marvell 91xx installed (v.1.0.0.1034) under Storage controllers.

 

[whs]

As Golden says, the effect will be minimal. For the HDD part of the SSHD, the 3Gb port is largely sufficient. And even for the SSD part it would only make a difference if very large blocks are being transferred - if any.

Run an Atto test on the SSHD and you will probably find that the maximum capability of the drive (even at large blocksizes) is below 3Gb/sec. Have a look at the picture on the website as example. Those nums are in MByte.

 

[martinlest]

Now that the SSHD drive is installed, I can see when I boot that the Marvell screen that comes up shows my SSD (OCZ) as being '3GB', but the SSHD is in fact shown as '6GB'. Not sure of nthe isginicance of that (if any) is practical terms.

Just out of interest, I see that, when I go to the 'Safely remove hardware' icon in my system tray, the internal HDDs I have on the 6GB ports show up there. Haven't tried to 'remove' my O/S drive that way: I suppose it would just tell me that the drive is in use and can't be removed. Why do drives plugged into the Marvell ports appear there?

 

[whs]

Yeah, on some systems the OS drive shows up. But it does not let you 'remove' it.

 

[Lady Fitzgerald]

Most, if not all, MOBOs recommend using the Marvell ports for storage only. An OS drive should be installed on the faster Intel ports.

It's normal for drives installed on Marvell ports to show up in the Safely Remove Hardware menu.