GA-790FXTA-UD5 optimisation for SSD system drive

[thx1138]

Since my system-HDD failed recently, I decided to buy an SSD to replace it. I've read that in order to function properly, ACHI should be enabled. I can find no mention of ACHI in the manual for my board, nor can I find it by perusing the BIOS interface. Is there anything I need to do to optimise the function of this SSD with my motherboard?

[Dark Mantis]

You should be able to find the AHCI option under the Integrated Periferals tab and then the ICH SATA Control Mode.

[absic]

Hi,

As you said enabling AHCI mode is the way to go.

Dark Mantis stated you need to make the required setting under the Integrated Peripherals heading in BIOS. The settings you need to make are as follows:
For the SATA 2 ports you need to set:
On-Chip SATA Type to AHCI also set On-Chip SATA Port 4/5 Type to As SATA Type.
The same applies to the Onboard SATA 3 Mode

For more information check pages 50 & 51 of your Mobo manual

ATB

[Dark Mantis]

Hi,

As you said enabling AHCI mode is the way to go.

Dark Mantis stated you need to make the required setting under the Integrated Peripherals heading in BIOS. The settings you need to make are as follows:
For the SATA 2 ports you need to set:
On-Chip SATA Type to AHCI also set On-Chip SATA Port 4/5 Type to As SATA Type.
The same applies to the Onboard SATA 3 Mode

For more information check pages 50 & 51 of your Mobo manual

ATB

I bow to your superior answer, O great Hero I must admit mine was just from memory of my board.

[absic]

I bow to your superior answer, O great Hero  I must admit mine was just from memory of my board.

LOL

I have an advantage as I am running a GA790XTA-UD4 which is a very similar board!

[thx1138]

Thanks very much. I do have a RAID among my SATAs, though (not including the new SSD). Would that be affected by switching from RAID to ACHI?

[absic]

Hi,

Yes, if you have already set-up a RAID array you could have issues when switching to ACHI.

If you could post back with details of your RAID set-up and which SATA channels you are using for it that would help to offer further advice

[venganza]

^^^ As above

Windows is quite clever at some things, but changing to AHCI on-the-fly like Linux isn't one of them.

You either need to set AHCI in BIOS prior to install, or mess about with a registry hack (which is not always trouble-free).

[thx1138]

Do those screenshots give the SATA channels? The physical connectors of the RAID drives are those just above the SATA 3.0 connectors (i.e. the lowermost of the SATA 2.0 connectors).

Does the answer lie in "OnChip SATA Port4/5 Type"? By my reckoning, I can set some ports to use a different mode than the rest... if 4 and 5 are the lower two SATA 2.0 connectors, and if I know Aunt Aggie like I think I do, they are, I should be able set them to RAID and set the other four to IDE for SpinRite and later to ACHI for my SSD. Oh wait *smile fades*. OnChip SATA Port4/5 Type can only be set to 'as SATA Type' or IDE. Damn you, Aunt Agather! Foiled again!

[absic]

Hi,

Could you please clarify a couple of points as, you now have 2 threads running which, although separate issues, cover the same ground.

Is your OS installed on the SSD drive?
What configuration have you used for the OS Install (RAID, AHCI, IDE).
What is your RAID Array used for?
Are you using the SATA3 ports and if yes what drives are attached?
From your other post, is the HDD you are trying to recover data from a single drive or part of a RAID Array?

thanks

ps I have asked anyone looking at your other thread to post here to avoid conflict with this problem. Hope you don't mind but I believe it is the best way to resolve both issues you are facing.

[thx1138]

Hi,

Could you please clarify a couple of points as, you now have 2 threads running which, although separate issues, cover the same ground.

Is your OS installed on the SSD drive?
What configuration have you used for the OS Install (RAID, AHCI, IDE).
What is your RAID Array used for?
Are you using the SATA3 ports and if yes what drives are attached?
From your other post, is the HDD you are trying to recover data from a single drive or part of a RAID Array?

thanks

ps I have asked anyone looking at your other thread to post here to avoid conflict with this problem. Hope you don't mind but I believe it is the best way to resolve both issues you are facing.

Hi. I created different threads 'cause I didn't realise at the time that the solution to each issue would affect the other.

My OS is installed on the SSD drive.

The OS was installed with the setting at RAID.

The RAID is a RAID 0. It stores data.

There are no drives attached to the SATA 3 ports.

The HDD that I'm attempting to recover from is a single, separate drive.

[absic]

Hi,

thanks for the info.

Sorry to keep asking questions but...... Do you use a PATA (IDE) DVD/CD? If you are using a DVD/CD drive that is PATA then you don't need to change any settings for it.
 
If I was faced with your situation I would do the following:

Put the SSD drive onto the SATA3 channel set to AHCI and re-install the OS (It should actually be a little better on the SATA3 than the SATA2 channels, especially as you are not setting up a RAID Array for your OS)
Leave your RAID array as it is and leave the settings for SATA2 channels 0, 1, 2 & 3 as RAID. (The way you already have them set)
Set SATA2 channels 4 & 5 to native IDE (you can do this and it won't affect the RAID set-up) for accessing the HDD that you wish to recover info from.

If re-installing the OS at the moment isn't convenient then, to be honest, you are going to be stuck until you can reconfigure your rig as your present set-up will not allow you to do everything that you want.

Hope this helps

[thx1138]

Hey, thanks. My DVD drive is PATA.

My SATA RAID though, is plugged into ports 4/5 - is it possible to just move them to different ports without destroying the array?

As for the OS install... ugh... I jut spent the past day installing drivers and programs... I can't bear to stomach another day of the same! Does ACHI just give a performance boost or does it prevent damage to the SSD? If it's only a (small?) performance boost, then I can just put it off until I next have to reinstall Windows?

[absic]

My SATA RAID though, is plugged into ports 4/5 - is it possible to just move them to different ports without destroying the array?

You should be able to safely move them to SATA2 ports 0,1,2 or 3 without issue.

Does ACHI just give a performance boost or does it prevent damage to the SSD?

Do be honest I have yet to find a real advantage to using AHCI and I tend to leave my SATA ports as IDE. There are small advantages with AHCI but I do not believe them to be that great. However, you will notice an improvement if you use the SATA3 rather than SATA2 for your SSD  as this contains your OS. But, as you have said, at the moment it is not essential and you can keep running as you are.

As you are not using your SATA3 ports you could set them to IDE to recover your lost data, rather than reconfigure the whole system.

My suggestion as to reconfiguring your system would be the best way to go and, when you have time to do so, I would recommend that you set-up as outlined in my previous post.

ATB

[venganza]

Do be honest I have yet to find a real advantage to using AHCI and I tend to leave my SATA ports as IDE. There are small advantages with AHCI but I do not believe them to be that great.

You might like to read why AHCI is very much a good idea, of course it will require reading (500 pages last coun in total t: http://forums.whirlpool.net.au/forum-replies.cfm?t=1462552

However, you will notice an improvement if you use the SATA3 rather than SATA2 for your SSD  as this contains your OS.

Actually no, quite the opposite, the Intel ICH10 chip performs better than the Marvel (both in extant reviews, personal testing and testing of associates on WP)

Also, there has been no definitive official testing or data to confirm the Marvel controller even passes ATA Trim commands (while we do know with certainty Intel does from data). Remember a query from OS will only show Trim is "enabled" not that is actually working.

For both the above reasons, performance if nothing else, SATA 3.0 controllers are not the place to running an SSD simple as that.