AHCI settings on a Gigabyte X58 motherboard for new SSD install

[ckett]

Hello,

I just purchased an Intel X25-M G2 SSD and will be installing Windows 7 Pro 64 bit on it. The motherboard is a Gigabyte X58-UD4P. I will not be using any RAID configuration for my computer. Here are my questions:

In the BIOS there is a setting called SATA RAID/AHCI Mode (ICH10R South Bridge) - Here you can select Disabled/AHCI/RAID.

Should I select AHCI or leave this disabled since I will not be using a RAID setup?

Further down the BIOS page is a setting labeled Onboard SATA/IDE Ctrl Mode (Gigabyte SATA2 Chip)

Here you can select IDE/AHCI/RAID/IDE

Should I select AHCI here?


Thanks!

 

[linster]

AHCI should be selected for which ever controller your X25-M is connected to. If you don't know, select AHCI for both.

 

[taltamir]

There is a simple test to find out.
DISABLE the gigabyte controller... if windows doesn't boot because it can't find your drive, then it is connected to the gigabyte controller. If you boot normally, then the drive is connected to the intel controller.

On my gigabyte board the gigabyte controller causes problems with sleep mode... so I have it disabled. Having both on ahci also means much longer boot time since AHCI itself takes a while to load (and it does it separately per controller).
you should have 6 plugs from the intel controller and 2 from the gigabyte. Unless you have more than 6 HDDs you don't need the two from the gigabyte controller.