Help SSD & Mobo

[Billman]

I'm using an SSD drive on an older Mobo. I don't expect to get full speed out of it, but I'd like to make sure I'm getting the most I can. I plan to rebuild everything next year, so I'm hoping I can get some quick advice and be on my way.

Primarily what I want to know is: 1) Do I need to flash my mobo bios? and 2) Is there an easy way to check the speed of my SSD to confirm I'm getting the most out of it?

SSD: Samsung SSD 840 Series, 128Gb

Mobo: GA-965p-s3 Revison 1.0
BTW, it says "1.0" etched (in white ink) into the mobo and from memory this sounds right. There's only one other version, 3.3. It's been a while, but I'm pretty sure I had the first version. Can I count on that etched 1.0 or do I need to check more before I do a bios flash?

Assuming I have revision 1.0 of the mainboard, here's the link to the bios page. I generally avoid flashing the bios unless I think I have a good reason to do it. Basically, what I'm looking for is someone to look at the flash updates and see if any of them apply to running an SSD drive. There isn't much to read, but I have no idea what might apply. It's been at least 5+ years since I built this PC and I've lost track of new technology.

I'm be very grateful if someone could take a quick look at this page and let me know if there's anything flashes that might relate to the SSD: I'm currently only at F5 bios.
http://www.gigabyte.com/products/product-page.aspx?pid=2321&dl=1#bios

Not that you'll need it, but here's the general spec page for this mainboard:
http://www.gigabyte.com/products/product-page.aspx?pid=2321&dl=1#sp

Thanks!

 

[Billman]

Specifically, these are the updates to the flash bios that I haven't yet done. Do any of these have anything to do with SSD performance? I've only had it in for a day. It does seem faster, but it's not a big difference from my WD Caviar SE16.

Support Xpress BIOS Rescue function

Update CPU microcode

Add support for new super IO version

Add support for new super IO version

Fix PCI-E overclock issue
Support Intel E6420 & E6320 CPU

Update CPU ID
FSB 1333 MHz support for rev 3.3 only (Pretty sure I have rev 1.0)

Support Intel Core 2 Extreme Quad-Core CPU (Kentsfield)

 

[abekl]

I looked at the BIOS updates, and there's nothing there that looks to be related to your SSD's functionality or speed.

 

[Billman]

I looked at the BIOS updates, and there's nothing there that looks to be related to your SSD's functionality or speed.

Thanks, I appreciate your time.

This mobo has a GIGABYTE SATAII controller, so I know I won't get the full worth of the SSD, but compared to my old WD Caviar SE16 about how much speed should I expect? Half again as fast?

 

[john3850]

Many many people love them in old laptops without updates.
I tried one in a c2d laptop no problem.

 

[WaTaGuMp]

I just upgraded this week. I was running my SSD on a SATA2 Gigabyte board. Got the Asrock Z77 Extreme 4. Two of those boards were defective so I am now on my MSI.

Gigabyte SATA2 ran at about 250 MB/s
Asrock 357 MB/s
MSI 449 MB/s

So, those SATA2 numbers hopefully help you.

 

[tweakboy]

Youll get 250mbps on sata 2.0 on 3.0 once you get new mobo it will be 500mbps or more! But SSD speed is same boot up and launching of apps will be same speed. you will only tell a difference in going to 3.0 when theres a lots to load or big maps in games.

 

[Billman]

Just gauging by how it feels I'd say it seems a little faster and I needed a drive anyway, so it's an improvement.

Thanks for all the help.

 

[tweakboy]

Thanks, I appreciate your time.

This mobo has a GIGABYTE SATAII controller, so I know I won't get the full worth of the SSD, but compared to my old WD Caviar SE16 about how much speed should I expect? Half again as fast?

Your getting 260mbps since your on SATA2. But there is no speed difference in boot time or load times for apps. SATA3 is 6gbps , meaning about 530mbps

I did not feel any speed difference myself,, Going from sata 2 to sata 3 ,,

dont worry about the 260mbps ,, its only for bulk transfers that you need high mbps or RAID with 1000mbps and what not. So your good, dont upgarde your mobo if your doing it just for sata 3.... thx gl

 

[HURRIC4NE]

If your motherboard is pretty old, but you're proud because it supports SATA III, prepare to be disapointed.

i brought my motherboard solely because it provided SATA III, i hooked it up, ran some benchmarks, made sure all the drivers and firmwares was upgraded, and then the benchmark told me that SATA II ran faster than SATA III on my SSD, it wasn't the PCI issue, it was just that the controller didn't support much speed, something that the manufacturer was a jackass at saying (its an MSI Fuzion p55, one of the only p55's to offer Sata III, which is the only reason to why i brought it).

now i'm awaiting haswell, cpu+motherboard upgrade, then hopefully i can truely use SATA III on my corsair force series ssd.

 

[Billman]

If your motherboard is pretty old, but you're proud because it supports SATA III, prepare to be disapointed.

i brought my motherboard solely because it provided SATA III, i hooked it up, ran some benchmarks, made sure all the drivers and firmwares was upgraded, and then the benchmark told me that SATA II ran faster than SATA III on my SSD, it wasn't the PCI issue, it was just that the controller didn't support much speed, something that the manufacturer was a jackass at saying (its an MSI Fuzion p55, one of the only p55's to offer Sata III, which is the only reason to why i brought it).

now i'm awaiting haswell, cpu+motherboard upgrade, then hopefully i can truely use SATA III on my corsair force series ssd.

Yeah, I hear ya. Custom PC builder blues. My mobo is actually only SATA II but my HD might be on its way out so this was a good excuse to try the SSD. Good luck on your upgrade.