Solid State Drives (SSD)

[Mowax]

very true i haven't talked about the drive i agre, i am over the moon with it, awesome piece of kit, just i want to get it set up the way i want it, (or wanted it) data integrity is important that's all and if it means that i need to set up the pc in a way that works with the SSD an the other drives then so be it, after all it's the SSD's kick **bleep** performance that I'm after for booting not data recovery! so yeah pleased with it, i just want it set up right, now i have the sides off I'm doing a bit of cable work and then I'll get her plugged in JUST the ssd and load windows again onto it.

I'll report back...

Thanks 

[targetbsp]

I'm slightly confused by that repsonse.  Which makes me wonder if you're confused by mine, or just trying something else first.  Are you noting the differences between when i say drive and driver?

Specifically, what I'm suggesting you do is use this: http://support.amd.com/us/gpudownload/windows/Pages/raid_windows.aspx

Though it might not help and you may still be better off without raid.  But there's always the possibility it will just solve all your problems.

[Mowax]

yeah i think so, if i'm following correctly it's suggested that i set up the SSD in the bios as AHCI, i can do but i've installed windows 7 on it and of course i get bsod when i change the bios from raid to ahci, so i'm thinking if correct, remove all other drives for now.....start pc > go into bios > change to AHCI for the drive and then either try and boot and install other hard drives ir do a fresh install and then use them AMD drivers for windows?

[targetbsp]

Can you setup your drives seperately? So have the SSD on AHCI and the others raided?  This might be why I'm confused - my board can't do that.

[Mowax]

thanks maybe i should have explained it more in details, yeah i get the choice to set up RAID in the bios or change it to ACHI and run the drives as IDE if i want on them or Esata or RAID or ACHI. but can't have both.....or can i ?

that's why i was wondering if i change to ACHI in the bios and then maybe i could use windows to do the RAID array under disk management. or would it be better just running the SSD from say "0" on the Board....but this way running the SSD from the board i can't configure the raid array or can i? i'm pulling her apart as i speak.

I have a pci express card that i can plop in an run the SSD just from there, do you think that would be a better option ? then the rest of the board can run the RAID array and i keep all my drives/files the way they are. But then again i might be on the hunt for a driver for the card that uses ACHI and might end up back at stage one.

It's an SLI controller i haven't got the model number to hand but can get it.

[targetbsp]

I suspect your board will be a better bet than software raid.  So the card might be a good idea if the sata driver linked above doesn't help.

The source for the updated driver working is here: http://www.behardware.com/news/11249/trim-with-amd-marvell-ahci-drivers.html

I have to say though, there are doubts around here that the Marvell controller supports trim despite that article saying it does.  So there's no telling that it will help.

[Mowax]

Ok got some screen shots of the bios for you, just so you can see what i'm looking at, and one of the state the rig is in now! you gt to love these saturday afternoons! there goes painting in the house for another day! lololol...

Ok so i have the SSD just plugged straight into the mother board on port "0" and set it up as

Sata port : AHCI

Onchip port 4/5 : as sata type

Onchip Sata Port as ESP : Disabled this is to make a port on the baord into esata.

Thsi is how it was

this is how i'm going to set it up

or should i set it up using ACHI and IDE?

and the rig.....more pics to follow of the build......

[Mowax]

Sorted, setting it up like that is amazing, it's amazing I'm telling you! it's like booting in under 11 seconds and 3 seconds off,

This is truly amazing and I'm well glad that i have spent the cash on getting this type of drive, honest big ups to crucial, used them for a while for all the memory and all ways installing there app on people's pc's to get the memory they need and have sent many a customer your way.

I think I'll be doing the same with these SSD's there amazing, thanks very much for your time and your patience and allowing me to explain my self so you have a clear picture of what i was trying to achieve!

I'll go run them small programs again and see what the results are that come back.

As for setting up raid i think I'm going to try the SSD on the PCI express card that i have and if it's the same start up seep all be it I'll loose a little as the controller kicks in then it's happy days for me as I'll have SSD running sweet and all my RAID array working as well.

Thanks top post!

I'll report back on the RAID side of things soon.

[targetbsp]

Glad you got it sorted!  I've only just seen your pics as althoguht you can always see them they take a little while to be moderated before I can.  That's one heck of a tidy case!

[Mowax]

Brillaint it is, i'm just putting the PCI express card in and going to run it and see what the test results are and also see what happens when i plug the raid array back in and see what data i have etc.

She's running sweet, and yeah told you i pulled her apart, going to tidy the cables up today - shame we have to use mechanical drives hu!

here's some better read results, and was i right in thinking that when (i've) been discussing AHCI i didn't mention that it was built into the BIOS?

Thanks i'll reply back once i've fitted the hard drives.

(might keep the DVD rom disabled as well as that just harrows boot time!)

Here's the new one

and then the old one

and then the new one

and then the old one