New Computer for Work

[rathoriel]

I computer at work is acting up on me and is out of warrenty so I talked my supervisior into letting me build my own computer.(I am the IT guy for our company)

This is my frist time working with a SDD and I hava a few questions.

some sources say I should enable AHCI before Installing win7 others after...which is it?
what other issues/adjustments do I need to make to take full advantage of the SSD?


here are the parts fron newegg.

RAIDMAX SMILODON ATX-612WB Black 1.0mm SECC Steel ATX Mid Tower Foldout MB Computer Case
Item #: N82E16811156063
Standard Return Policy  $69.99 

 .  1 OCZ Agility 2 OCZSSD2-2AGTE60G 2.5" 60GB SATA II MLC Internal Solid State Drive (SSD)
Item #: N82E16820227542
Limited Replacement Only Return Policy  $146.99 
 .  1 Intel Core i5-760 Lynnfield 2.8GHz LGA 1156 95W Quad-Core Desktop Processor BX80605I5760
Item #: N82E16819115067
CPU Replacement Only Return Policy  $208.99 
 .  1 Microsoft Windows 7 Professional 64-bit 1-Pack for System Builders - OEM
Item #: N82E16832116758
Software Standard Return Policy  $139.99 
 .  1 ASUS P7P55D Deluxe LGA 1156 Intel P55 ATX Intel Motherboard
Item #: N82E16813131400
Limited Replacement Only Return Policy  $164.99 
 .  1 GIGABYTE GV-N84S-512I GeForce 8400 GS 512MB 64-bit GDDR2 PCI Express 2.0 x16 HDCP Ready Low Profile Ready Video Card
Item #: N82E16814125289
VGA Standard Return Policy  $32.99 
 .  1 CORSAIR CMPSU-550VX 550W ATX12V V2.2 SLI Ready CrossFire Ready 80 PLUS Certified Active PFC Compatible with Core i7 Power ...
Item #: N82E16817139004
Standard Return Policy  $84.99 
 .  2 CORSAIR XMS3 4GB (2 x 2GB) 240-Pin DDR3 SDRAM DDR3 1600 (PC3 12800) Desktop Memory Model CMX4GX3M2A1600C9
Item #: N82E16820145260
Memory Standard Return Policy  $187.98
($93.99 ea) 

[x5ga]

If you really really want to enable AHCI, you can do so whenever you like. Before installing Windows is the easy choice, since if you want to enable it after, you have to work some magic in the Windows Registry, else you'll get a BSOD.

AHCI has 2 main advantages over the normal mode:

1) Native Command Queuing (NCQ) -> SSDs do not take advantage of this since their seeking time is theoretically O(1) because of no internal mechanic/moving parts like the older HDDs have.
2) support for drive hot-swapping, which you won't use since as I see from the specs you only have one HDD, also I assume that the SSD will be your boot/system drive, so hot-swapping it is pointless.

The system specifications are very good

[rathoriel]

From some of the stuff i have been Reading is sounds like AHCI is need for trim.
here are some copies from a few boards

 X-25M Gen 2 and Windows 7 and AHCI and TRIM

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Okay.. I have been doing a lot of research on X-25M Gen 2. I purchased it Friday and it should be coming tomorrow.

As far as I know. This drive works/and will work the best in Windows 7.
I have also read that the Intel drivers don't support TRIM what so ever, and accordion to Anand to get TRIM is to use Microsoft driver in non RAID mode.

However, I haven't read anywhere where in windows it will say that "TRIM" is enabled? Anyone knows how I am going to verify this?

Also there is a lot of talk about using AHCI mode to improve SSD performance. And someone mentions that in order to get TRIM you need to use AHCI mode.

So does that mean I have to go into the BIOS change to AHCI and try that SATA port with AHCI enabled? And possibly, windows won't boot because it doesn't understand it, will need to do repair or install fresh.

These are a lot of unknowns. Hopefully someone can fill me in.

Thanks!
 X-25M Gen 2 and Windows 7 and AHCI and TRIM

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

I'm certainly not an expert, so don't take my word as law, but here's how I understand it:

+ AHCI mode will net you the best performance.
+ ACHI mode is needed for the TRIM command.
+ The TRIM command is issued by the operating system, and will only be available for Windows 7 (not for Xp or Vista).
+ TRIM will help to return a "used" SSD, which degrades over time, to "like new" performance.
+ Intel SSDs do not currently support TRIM, but they will be releasing firmware sometime around the release of Windows 7 which will add support.
+ Intel may also release a program that allows users to perform garbage collection themselves, which will improve "used" performance (and work under Xp and Vista).
+ The TRIM command will not be able to be passed through current RAID controllers, so it will not work in RAID (for now).
__________________
Trim available in IDE and AHCI?After reading so many confusing posts about having TRIM...I am still wonder whether TRIM will still pass the command through IDE. 1/2 the people in forums says yes, and 1/2 the says no. I am still in IDE mode and never used AHCI. I thought TRIM was working until lurking in many forums. My performance never degraded so far using X25-M G2 02HA...still the same benchmark since the first TRIM firmware. Someone chime on this to whether I should enable AHCI.

Re: Trim available in IDE and AHCI?
 
After reading posts here I decided to test the IDE vs AHCI myself:

 


Results with Windows 7 and IDE mode

 


Results with Windows 7 and AHCI mode

 
As you can see AHCI performs much better. Especially when multiple threads/application are reading small files at the same time (4K QD32 test). Enough reason to stick with AHCI for me. For those who want to try: you first have to switch on HDMI support in Windows 7 by editing the registry before you change to AHCI in the BIOS. Without it Windows 7 just crashes at startup.

[x5ga]

I don't know exactly about the huge gaps in performance between AHCI and IDE modes there, but I as far as I know, TRIM is enabled in both AHCI and IDE modes, at least if you use the native Microsoft drivers in Windows 7. Still, there's no disadvantage to using AHCI mode. Actually, my recommendation would be to use it (enable it before installing the OS -easier this way).

[fohfoh]

I'd also say that the X25 seems like a better buy than the other. I think it was naru who had the OCZ one fail in a weird way some time in summer.

[Aadieu]

Uh... what do you need it for? Number crunching?

It's a really strange setup, imho. If you take out the part about the tower, it sounds like a 12" subcompact executive superlaptop. From 2 years ago.

PS for $1 grand (your approximate price) you could get that rig factory-built and ready to go from the box, at any of a number of stores near your house or workplace. Hell, you could even get all that ... in a LAPTOP. It'd even have a screen, wifi, and loads of other cool stuff like keyboards and touchpads.

[tomoya-kun]

You really cheaped out on that 8400, didn't you?  9800XX cards are only like 70$