Best way to install SSD/AHCI mode on 790XTA-UD4 for Windows 7?

[Galloway]

Hi all,

I installed a new SSD, but looks like I did so with my BIOS settings set to IDE. Everything has been working fine now for a month, but I just read now that I should have installed with AHCI mode in the BIOS so that Windows can take full advantage of the TRIM call and read the drive more efficiently.

I have reinstalled with AHCI mode set in the BIOS, but now I get this notification in my system tray that says, "Eject SATA disk device." Almost as if it thinks this device is a USB key.

For a clean install, do I need to create another CD with the SATA driver on it, and then point the Windows installer to it?

Looks like on page 92 of the docs, you have to create a boot disk with the driver on it, and pick whether you want to use the AMD South Bridge, JMicron, or Marvell chipset. But I was wondering if it was possible to do the driver install after the OS gets loaded?

I also disabled the JMicron chipset, as that tries to scan for external drives connected through the back panel.

I am going to try to load the driver from CD during install, and report my findings here.

[wazza300]

Re: Best way to install SSD/AHCI mode on 790XTA-UD4 for Windows 7?

tried the registry tweak??? saves you re-installing the os

1.Exit all Windows-based programs.
2.Click Start, type regedit in the Start Search box, and then press ENTER.
3.If you receive the User Account Control dialog box, click Continue.
4.Locate and then click the following registry subkey:
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINESystemCurrentControlSetServicesM sahci

5.In the right panel, right-click Start in the Name column, and then click Modify.
6.In the Value data box, type 0, and then click OK.
7.On the File menu, click Exit to close Registry Editor.
After this you’ll have to restart your computer, go to BIOS and enable AHCI. When you log in to Windows again, you’ll notice the installation of drivers for AHCI. Another restart will be required to finish the driver installation

[Galloway]

Re: Best way to install SSD/AHCI mode on 790XTA-UD4 for Windows 7?

Thanks for the tip. :) I had tried that tweak, and it does work, but I still get this, "Safely remove hardware and eject media" message on my task bar for the hard drive. It may be nothing, but it does make me think something is not configured correctly.

I tried a fresh install of Windows, and selected the Windows 7 64-bit driver for the AMD South bridge chip. Wonder if I should connect the drive into the Marvell chipset instead and see if I get the same issue.

[Lsdmeasap]

Re: Best way to install SSD/AHCI mode on 790XTA-UD4 for Windows 7?

That may be normal, depending on the drivers because that is what enables/disables the message/hot-swap ability

I do know you can pick which you want if you use the J.Micron ports/drivers, as they have specific driver packages one enabled and one with it disabled.

Sorry though, I do not use AMD so I can't be sure what to tell you would be the best ports to use performance-wise, but I doubt it is the J.Micron or Marvell because on Intel boards those are way worse so I assume the same applies for AMD. But the J.Micron is the only one that allows us to hot-swap.

These tips may help, depending on how annoyed about this you are.

Hide it
Disable the Safely Remove Hardware Balloon Notification Popup Warning

See bottom post for remove it, and allow you to hide devices from safely remove
Solved: "Safely Remove Hardware" Icon - Tech Support Guy Forums

[wazza300]

Re: Best way to install SSD/AHCI mode on 790XTA-UD4 for Windows 7?

im not sure,i dont use raid so i cant help you much,i think the remove hardware is the intel storage manager,look on main page and use the latest one i think it stops the msg's then,im using it for ahci,ill find the link

http://downloadmirror.intel.com/15251/eng/STOR_allOS_9.6.0.1014_PV.exe

^^^ just realized you have amd setup

[Galloway]

Re: Best way to install SSD/AHCI mode on 790XTA-UD4 for Windows 7?

Hey guys,

Thanks for your super fast responses, the links and information are very helpful. I may just end up hiding the message if this is considered normal operations.

I installed the Marvell driver, but it shows up for some reason in the BIOS as an IDE device, so not sure if I'm getting true AHCI.

I'll run some other utilities to see what my Windows experience score is and it the utility sees the AHCI support.

[Galloway]

Re: Best way to install SSD/AHCI mode on 790XTA-UD4 for Windows 7?

Seems like it sees the drive okay and is seeing TRIM okay. I may reinstall one more time on the AMD chip to see how it goes.

[Lsdmeasap]

Re: Best way to install SSD/AHCI mode on 790XTA-UD4 for Windows 7?

Well not sure what you were looking at, or where in the BIOS, but you can set Marvell mode to whatever you want. If you had it set to AHCI or RAID and it showed at IDE in another part of the BIOS that is fine, it's just how GIGABYTE labels Non AHCI/RAID

Your above image looks how it is supposed to! If you leave it like that or go back to that, just be sure to enable Write Back Cache and you should be good to go

[artdrivers]

Re: Best way to install SSD/AHCI mode on 790XTA-UD4 for Windows 7?

but looks like I did so with my BIOS settings set to IDE.

Yes you did if you didn't change your bios settings before running Windows setup.
We can help if you want a fresh Windows install with AHCI.
Is this the only hard drive you have connected? If not where are the other hard drives connected, and are they IDE, RAID, AHCI?
Below is a template of your Intergrated Peripherals. If you want you can print it go into Bios use it to jot down your settings. Then post them here. Then we can assist you. We will need to know which controller you want to use first, and set the hard drive to the first connection on that controller. To use the Marvel controller you will want to connect it to the GSATA3_6 Then go into bios and set it according to AHCI Then when you run Windows setup use the advanced option and install the Marvel 9128 chip RAID/AHCI driver.

Integrated Peripherals
OnChip IDE Channel [Enabled]
OnChip SATA Controller [Enabled]
OnChip SATA Type [Native IDE]
x OnChip SATA Port4/5 Type IDE
Onboard ESATA Controller [Enabled]
Onboard ESATA Mode [IDE]
Onboard SATA3 controller [Enabled]
Onboard SATA3 Mode [IDE]
GSATA RAID Configuration [Press Enter]
Onboard LAN Function [Enabled]
Onboard LAN Boot ROM [Disabled]
} SMART LAN [Press Enter]
Onboard Audio Function [Enabled]
Onboard 1394 Function [Enabled]
Onboard USB 3.0 Controller [Enabled]
OnChip USB Controller [Enabled]
USB EHCI Controller [Enabled]
USB Keyboard Support [Enabled]
USB Mouse Support [Disabled]
Legacy USB storage detect [Enabled]
Onboard Serial Port 1 [3F8/IRQ4]

[Galloway]

Re: Best way to install SSD/AHCI mode on 790XTA-UD4 for Windows 7?

Just an update, I reinstalled Windows with the AMD drivers, and it still has that annoying message, however, this is the first time my Windows Experience score for the drive is at 7.1. Every other combination I have tried has been at 6.9. So it does look like this combination of reinstalling plus preloading the AMD SATA driver seems to be a winner.

I'll probably stick with this combo and figure out how to eliminate that annoying message.

I think Lsdmeasap is probably right, this is probably "normal," since it's part of the hot swap functionality built in. Though, since it's my boot drive, I will never be hot swapping it.

This is the only hard drive in the system. I may also change my DVD player over to SATA if it supports it, though right now it's hooked up as IDE and with an IDE parallel cable.

I also think there may be some issues between the drive, which is SATA2/3GB and the Marvell chip, which is SATA3/6GB. Although the drive does work in this combination, it seems to still be using IDE mode. I am basing that assumption on the IDE messages I am seeing at POST and in the motherboard BIOS screen, and also by its lower Windows Experience score. There is also no separate Marvell BIOS message that appears detecting the drive, though that may be normal.

So far here are the combinations I have tried:

Enable ACHI after Windows was installed

1) Enable AHCI in BIOS on Marvell chip and driver after Windows was installed. Drive connected to 3_5
No popup
Windows Experience score 6.9
Motherboard BIOS shows it as attached as an IDE device

2) Enable AHCI in BIOS on AMD chip and driver after Windows was installed. Drive connected to 2_0
Popup
Windows Experience score 6.9
Motherboard BIOS does not show it as attached as an IDE device
AHCI BIOS detects the drive properly

Enable AHCI during fresh Windows install

3) Enable AHCI in BIOS on Marvell chip, preload and driver on fresh Windows install. Drive connected to 3_5
No popup
Windows Experience score 6.9
Motherboard BIOS shows it as attached as an IDE device


4) Enable AHCI in BIOS on AMD chip, preload driver on fresh Windows install. Drive connected to 2_0
Popup
Windows Experience score 7.1
Motherboard BIOS does not show it as attached as an IDE device
AHCI BIOS detects the drive properly

I also read a Powerpoint from Microsoft that a fresh install and recognizing it as an SSD drive may result in higher speeds, by the way the OS is installed and located on the disk. I will see if I can find it. I guess for some reason placing the OS in the middle of an SSD drive is better, which is different from a spinning drive. Not sure if what I said is true or not, but wanted to pass it on. I would have guessed that the location on an SSD drive would not matter.

I will post my BIOS settings with these combinations later tonight when I get home.

You guys have been extremely helpful, appreciate all the very helpful and quick advice.

[artdrivers]

Re: Best way to install SSD/AHCI mode on 790XTA-UD4 for Windows 7?

Sounds good if you are satisfied with the performance you currently have and just want to eliminate the annoying icon you may want to try this.
Alternatively, (my recommendation) is to remove the icon altogether with the free Icon Remover tool.
Just so you know the program will be installed in all programs named Icon Remover. It's a free downloadable program. Sometimes the best kind. I left a download shortcut and a Link below---->

http://www.iconremover.com/iconremoversetup.exe

More on this---->
IconRemover - freeware tool for complete removal of 'Safely Remove Hardware' Icon
I have tested and can confirm it works in Windows 7 64bit. It comes with an undo button, and it also works. Although be aware if you use this program you will no longer have it available when removing usb devices or flash drives unless you turn it back on again. Turnning it on and off is easy, as easy as 2 tabs one tab for "Show the Safely Remove Hardware Icon". The other tab for "Remove the Safely Remove Hardware Icon". You may want to try Icon Remover.

[Lsdmeasap]

Re: Best way to install SSD/AHCI mode on 790XTA-UD4 for Windows 7?

You need to align your SSD yes, placing the OS or partition in the middle of the drive is not needed at all.

Google how to align SSD partition, OCZ forums have many guides on that. That will improve your scores a lot, if you didn't align already.

You will need to backup and restore after alignment, or do a clean install after you align the disk.