AHCI Windows installation and two SSDs

[benwood]

I've read that in order to get the most out of a SSD the BIOS should be set to AHCI before installing Windows 7. I've also read that all hard drives should be disconnected from the system when doing this. Well I have not one but two SSDs and I was wondering if I should have both connected or should I only have the one I'm installing Windows on connected.

 

[Auric]

Well it is helpful to understand the reasons for those recommendations. Setting AHCI first precludes having to mess with software later, although a controller's specific driver may be preferable to the generic one installed automatically -even so, it is still simpler to replace it later than intervene during installation. Disconnecting drives minimizes complications -primarily installing anything to other than the intended one. It is likewise advisable to connect the OS drive to the primary controller's first SATA connector (port 0).

 

[Cerb]

I've read that in order to get the most out of a SSD the BIOS should be set to AHCI before installing Windows 7. I've also read that all hard drives should be disconnected from the system when doing this. Well I have not one but two SSDs and I was wondering if I should have both connected or should I only have the one I'm installing Windows on connected.

AHCI enables several features for SATA right off the bat, including NCQ, which is where the performance comes from. You can convert over to it afterwards, but you may as well just turn it on from the start.

Windows Vista and up make a special system partition, and your regular big partition. With multiple drives installed, it will sometimes put one on one drive, and one on the other, or install the bootloader to your secondary HDD. Having only the OS drive connected when installing entirely gets around that potential mess. Connect only the installation media drive (ODD, usually), and the drive to be installed on to, to make sure it will go as expected, then hook up other drives after you have a running desktop.