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Windows 7: AHCI Drivers & Intel Chipset Software Installation Utility: HELP!!!

G

GearJunkie

Member
I'm getting ready to install Windows 7 64bit and and have been searching for answers to a few questions, to no avail... I should have come here first. Below are my 2 questions:

1. Do I need to pre-install AHCI drivers BEFORE the OS install, as needed to be done with XP and Vista?

2. Do I need to install the Intel Chipset Software Installation Utility AFTER installing the OS?

2b. If I AM supposed to install the Intel Chipset Software Installation Utility after the OS installation, should I install the (older) version that came with my MB CD, or should I install the latest version from Intel. (Someone told me that I should only use the version that comes with the MB, as this is the version that the MB was programmed with. I'm just looking to verify if this is the case or not.)

I would really appreciate some knowlege on this issue!

Thank you!
 
1. If all your disks show up, no. If you don't see your disk, Windows will ask you for a storage driver.

2. Yes.

3. Latest version.
 
Thanks for the reply! I have a couple of follow up questions to your first answer:

1. Does W7 have AHCI drivers built in for the most common SATA drives? (I'll be using a 300GB Velociraptor)

2. Would it be safer to install the AHCI driver, even if W7 sees the drive?

The machine will be a Photoshop workstation, so reliability is key over everything else.

Thanks again!
 
1. The AHCI driver is for the storage controller, not the drive itself. Since Windows 7 is fairly new, it's a safe bet that it will have AHCI drivers for all but the very latest equipment.

2. It's not necessary to install the AHCI driver prior to installing Windows unless Windows Setup requires it to proceed. Once Windows is installed, installing the chipset drivers and Intel's storage driver (whatever they're called these days) will give you the latest AHCI driver.
 
I can confirm my experience with a new build - I first turned on AHCI in BIOS and then installed Windows 7 x64 (Pro) and did not have to do any other work, as far as AHCI goes.

Dumb question alert: What is the Intel Chipset Software and why would you need to intall it?
(I've been through this site http://www.intel.com/support/chipsets/inf/, but I'm still not clear on how I'd know if I needed a later version, or why.)
 
If you have a Computer with Intel Chipset that came out before the initial Release of Win 7 you do not have to do any thing.

Consider the Initial rlealse of Win 7 as Mid Aug. 2009.
 
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