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Enable AHCI on already installed SATA/IDE system?

R

realtrance

Member
Hi,

I've built a system for a friend, just using a single SATA drive, with the goal of keeping it simple to maintain (as well as install). I simply used the "Enhanced" IDE option in the AMI BIOS, instead of AHCI during install. My friend seems perfectly happy with the performance of the system.

Have I lost anything substantial in HD performance by not enabling AHCI? I know it supposedly needs to be enabled to turn on NCQ on the drive, but I'm not sure how significant that will be. Going through a reinstall will be time consuming, however.

The HD has a 16MB onboard buffer, I'm assuming that will be providing the majority of the drive's performance anyways.

Correct me if I'm wrong or give me info on what I'm missing, if anything, here -- thanks!
 
No, it is not worth it for the average user. You typically only gain hot swap and NCQ when you enable AHCI. However NCQ usually offers little to no gain, and in some cases it reduces performance.
 
Ok thanks -- as I thought -- sounds like a newbie question but I update PCs and build new ones so rarely, and the info re: SATA and AHCI etc. is so sparse in the manuals, that I had to ask.
 
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