ICH9R AHCI

[gpse]

Hello all,
My mobo has the ICH9R and is set to use AHCI in the bios, do I need to install the Intel Matrix Storage Manager software in Vista 64-bit? I currently have the latest chipset drivers installed, and in device manager it show's Intel ICH9 SATA AHCI Controller. With my current settings am I getting NCQ and the other AHCI features? or do I need to install the Matrix Storage Manager software to get the most performance? I only have one Seagate 7200.11 SATA Hard drive, and a Pioneer DVR-212d SATA DVD Writer. Is the Storage Manager only needed for RAID?

thanks,

ASUS P5K-E wifi
500GB Seagate 7200.11
Vista 64-bit

 

[Wigwam]

just to bump this question because I have a similar query here

I will only have 1hdd and 1 sata dvdrw; plan to use in AHCI mode.
If I need these RAID?AHCI matrix drivers how to install during XP installation without a fdd?

Thanks

 

[gpse]

I installed the Matrix Storage Manager, even though I'm not using RAID. I noticed a small performance increase which is nice.

 

[Wigwam]

did you install this at XP install ("F6/Floppy" method) or subsequent to XP install and if so a small walk-through would be appreciated.

 

[gpse]

I have Vista, so it supported AHCI out've the box.

 

[Wigwam]

D'OH!

 

[Idontcare]

Originally posted by: gpse
I installed the Matrix Storage Manager, even though I'm not using RAID. I noticed a small performance increase which is nice.

I was going to recommend you do this when I opened the thread, but my recommendation is because you need to go into the storage manager software and right-click on the Volume or Drive (I forget which, check them all for good measure) and select "Enable Write-Back Cache".

This will give you a performance boost, at least in the synthetic benchmarks such as HDTUne and the like.

 

[gpse]

when i open the storage manager software it show's my hard drive, but when i right click on anything it says "no action avalible"
and in device manager if i enable it once i restart it's unchecked again.
when i didn't have the intel software installed in device manager i could enable it and "advanced performance" no problems.

 

[Idontcare]

I know exactly what you are saying, that whole "click it in device manager but that doesn't work deal" which is why I was happy to find out Intel Storage manager does it.

You have to check on all the listing in the heiarchy shown in the matrix storage manager, it wasn't listed for the the physical drive for me but rather it was available under the "volume" heading. Good luck, hope you find it.

 

[gpse]

well since I'm running AHCI it doesn't show the volume, just the physical drive, I guess if I was running RAID it would show it???

 

[Wigwam]

if I install XP in ide mode, is there no way to subsequently install the Intel Matrix Driver from device manager and then set to AHCI in bios?

I would like to make use of NCQ etc and could just go buy a fdd and fit one but it would be nice to have a work around...

 

[Idontcare]

Originally posted by: Wigwam
if I install XP in ide mode, is there no way to subsequently install the Intel Matrix Driver from device manager and then set to AHCI in bios?

I would like to make use of NCQ etc and could just go buy a fdd and fit one but it would be nice to have a work around...

I am aware of no workaround and I have been searching extensively for one.

The closest thing you will get to not needing a floppy is to build a slipstream image. I used nLite. It works.

If you do buy a floppy be aware of the fact that there are only a few USB floppy drives that are recognized by WinXP as being an acceptable floppy source for F6 installed drivers. (mine was not one of them) Best to get a legitimate floppy drive and go from there.

Or slipstream...its really not as bad as it might seem. I was quite nervous, turned out to work great. Saved me ZERO time though as I played around with slipstream options in nLite and must have compiled and installed some 10 different slipstream discs before it was all done with.

 

[Wigwam]

Thanks
I used nlite to slipstream SP2 into XP. Problem is, until I build this machine I have very limited computer access [catch22!] so will just have to buy an internal fdd then

 

[VirtualLarry]

Originally posted by: Idontcare
If you do buy a floppy be aware of the fact that there are only a few USB floppy drives that are recognized by WinXP as being an acceptable floppy source for F6 installed drivers. (mine was not one of them) Best to get a legitimate floppy drive and go from there.

That's new information to me. Can you give a list of working USB floppy drives? Does it depend on the floppy drive model, or is it dependent on the mobo bios?

 

[NoelS]

Originally posted by: Wigwam
if I install XP in ide mode, is there no way to subsequently install the Intel Matrix Driver from device manager and then set to AHCI in bios?

I would like to make use of NCQ etc and could just go buy a fdd and fit one but it would be nice to have a work around...

Wigwam,

Yes, there is (at least for XP) but not from Device Manager! Here's the procedure, read a couple of times and then go for it... FIRST go into BIOS and select AHCI vice IDE where you have the option. THEN, using the Windows CD install disk, start an XP install and immediately press F6 when it opens. Then select the SECOND R (for Repair, not the first R which is for "Recovery"). Somewhere along the line it will ask you to put the IHC9R driver into the floppy (think you can also use CD) drive, do it when it asks. The rest of the install will go like a clean install, but you Will NOT lose your programs and settings!

Give it a try - it's a standard Windows repair install except you're installing the IHC9R drivers at F6 as well...

Noel

 

[Wigwam]

thanks guys. in the end I have just bitten the bullet and bought a fdd. seemed far too much stress for the same of £4.50 [for the drive]. Luckily I found a floppy lying around.

component set is just completed with purchase of GFx so will look to build tonight.