Confused about the AHCI vs RAID thing with SSD on Win7 install

[Matt_Stevens]

Okay, so my system was stable for ten months and then something very very bad happened to my OS. Long story short, I am starting over...

However, I am once again confused about how to handle the install. I have Windows 7 Professional (on a DVD), an i7 cpu and an intel 120GB SSD. MB is the MSI P67A-GD65 (B3).

I need some help with the initial steps that are just confusing the hell out of me. I can't really remember how I set it all up.

My thinking is only have the SSD and DVD drive hooked up. All my other drives disabled (I have two RAIDs I am hoping will be understood by my system once it is up and running). Insert the Win7 DVD and install, wiping the SSD out. Correct?

But should I switch everything in the BIOS to AHCI?

Right now my BIOS has EXTERNAL SATA 6BG/S CONTROLLER MODE: AHCI

and ONBOARD E-SATA CONTROLLER MODE: RAID

I thought my onboard had been set to AHCI but I guess not.

By the way, I ended up using all the drivers that came with my MB and they all worked. Even the dreaded 6 GB/S Marvell controllers.

I'm also not remembering when to install what drivers. I am assuming let Windows do its thing and then install the motherboard drivers, Intel Rapid Storage Technology, etc?

Sorry if this is all covered elsewhere but I am using my busted PC to write this and having a hell of a time searching. The system keeps locking up/crashing.

 

[gramboh]

AHCI would be a subset of RAID for your on-board controller, so that should not be an issue at all.

 

[Pinecone-sw]

How can you find out if the drive is actually running in AHCI mode?

 

[mikeymikec]

In Device Manager, under IDE/ATAPI controllers, you should have an AHCI controller listed.

If it's RAID, it'll be under 'Storage Controllers'.

There's a chance that you'll have an IDE controller listed because most boards still have an IDE controller, but focus for the AHCI/RAID stuff.

You ought to be able to check it in the BIOS as well, but that option can be in a lot of different places.

 

[bryanW1995]

If you're using RAID then you automagically have AHCI. Or, more importantly, you have NCQ (which is part of AHCI). In fact, Intel recommends that anybody planning to use AHCI just in RAID mode in the bios.

 

[Pinecone-sw]

In Device Manager, under IDE ATA/ATAPI Controllers, I have:

ATA Channel 0
ATA Channel 1
Standard Dual Channel PCI IDE Controller

Under Storage Controllers:
Intel(R) Desktop/WOrkstation/Server Express Chipset SATA RAID Controller.

No mention of AHCI.

Manual says only that RAID enables RAID.

 

[mikeymikec]

I guess your system is set up to use RAID to talk to your hard disk(s).

 

[Pinecone-sw]

An update, while rebooting, I noticed when the POST does the drive listing and RAID information, there is a line that says AHCI BIOS Not Installed.

 

[Matt_Stevens]

I ended up installing under the bios settings I had and it went fine. No problems at all.