Intel G2 SSD and Win XP

[jnmfox]

I ordered an 80GB Intel G2 SSD this week and am planning on installing it in my work laptop, Dell Latitude D830. We still run Windows XP in my office so no Win 7 goodness. I have looked around the internets and these forums but I have seen conflicting information so I still have a few questions:

1. I will be installing Win XP SP3. Will SP3 allow me to enable AHCI in the BIOS without any problems or will I need to slipstream the Matrix Storage Manager with nLite before I install?
2. Is there a different driver I should use, Intel AHCI standard instead of the Intel Matrix Storage Manager driver?


Trying to make sure I get the most out of my new drive with AHCI enabling NCQ. I have already downloaded the Intel Optimizer for TRIM.

Thanks!

 

[jor8888]

ahci should be enable first before installing OS. I was lucky to be able to enable it after OS was installed but had to go thru all kinds of crashes to get it to work.

Big thread about how to enable it after installed.

http://forums.pcper.com/showthread.php?t=444831

 

[jnmfox]

ahci should be enable first before installing OS.

Yes but does SP3 have the drivers to enable AHCI? I have heard yes and no.

 

[Voo]

I thought XP doesn't even have any SATA drivers to start with? I always had a USB stick with the appropriate driver by hand.. though I'm not sure if I ever installed an XP where SP3 was already integrated.

 

[IntelUser2000]

I used XP before I used Windows 7(love it!) and I have the G1.

Well there's two ways about going AHCI-before installation or after installation.

After fiddling around trying to enable AHCI while installing, I just installed with legacy and enabled AHCI later. It works the same anyway, and it was less of a headache.

 

[jnmfox]

I used XP before I used Windows 7(love it!) and I have the G1.

Well there's two ways about going AHCI-before installation or after installation.

After fiddling around trying to enable AHCI while installing, I just installed with legacy and enabled AHCI later. It works the same anyway, and it was less of a headache.

I read that it didn't allow for all of the features of AHCI to work properly if you enabled it after installing. Is that incorrect?

 

[IntelUser2000]

Nah, probably not. If you do want to be sure, download a program that checks SATA features. Use the Matrix Storage Manager driver. You can also use the Intel SSD Toolbox to check if all features are enabled that are relevant after enabling AHCI like NCQ. Actually, looking at the Matrix Storage Manager would be easier, the toolbox infos are more technical.

You need some special way to enable AHCI in XP after install though. Search in google something like "AHCI in XP" or in that line.

Good luck.

 

[jnmfox]

Nah, probably not. If you do want to be sure, download a program that checks SATA features. Use the Matrix Storage Manager driver. You can also use the Intel SSD Toolbox to check if all features are enabled that are relevant after enabling AHCI like NCQ. Actually, looking at the Matrix Storage Manager would be easier, the toolbox infos are more technical.

You need some special way to enable AHCI in XP after install though. Search in google something like "AHCI in XP" or in that line.

Good luck.

Thanks!