Zitat von Fernando im Beitrag #360

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@MonarchX:
Thanks for your interesting report, but what has it to do with the topic of this thread?

Zitat von MonarchX im Beitrag #358

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Maybe 14.10.0.1016 drivers can apply these "newer features" on Z77 motherboards when Z100 option is forced through Device Manager?

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You can easily verify, whether your speculation is reality or not by comparing the results you get after having installed a modded driver, where the related Intel SATA AHCI Controller model is detected and shown correctly by the Device Manager.
By the way: I doubt, that a user can get originally not available features by simulating to have a newer hardware while installing a driver.

Zitat

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What new features do Z87, Z97, and Z100 Intel RST AHCI drivers (like 14.8.7.1051 and 14.10.0.1016) have that Z77 (13.1.0.1058) Intel RST AHCI drivers do not?

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You should better ask Intel.
Each new driver development branch introduces new features (and new bugs).

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Thanks! I just thought the officially supported 13.1.X drivers were made before Windows 10 was released and the newer drives have better support for it. One way or another, forcing the newer drivers works perfectly. I ran AS SSD Benchmark 3x times with 13.1.X, 3x with 14.8.9.X, and 14.10.X drivers. With 13.1.X drivers I selected the officially supported C216 Intel 7-Series, for 14.8.9 I selected (forced) C220 Intel 8-Series, and for 14.10.X I selected (forced) Z170. 13.1.X has always won (very slightly) over both 14.X.X sets, but 14.10.X was the slowest set by 5-6pts below 13.1.X set, while 14.8.9.X set was getting maybe 1-2pts below 13.1.X set final benchmark results.

However, with 13.1.X drivers games load times were the slowest (1-3 seconds longer than with 14.8.9.X drivers). I re-created loading conditions for each driver set test and 14.8.9.X undeniably load games 1-3 seconds faster than 13.1.X drivers, which contradicts the fact that AS SSD Benchmark results were the highest with 13.1.X drivers, but AS SSD Benchmark is a synthetic benchmark and we all know synthetic benchmarks are not very representative of real-world applications performances.

Hello Dieter / Fernando. Thank you for this wonderful forum.

I have a Dell Inspiron 7720 17R SE laptop with 3630QM CPU, two SATA-III HDD bays, 1 Sata II mSata bay and 1 Sata II Optical Drive bay.

I picked it up used with the 32 GB mSata bricked and a new copy of Win 7 (down graded from 8) on the 500 GB HDD.

I ran various versions of Intel RST in ROM and in windows software (had to downgrade versions due to problems) but don't remember them. I ran Linux version of Facebook's HDD to SDD caching software on 12 GB of the mSata and Intel RST for windows on 19 GB of the mSata. After a year I bricked the HDD.

So I scooped up a new 128GB mSata to limp along with Linux only for a month and now a 240GB SSD to setup Windows 7 again (120 GB partition I think). I'd like to add Win 10 later. Linux is fine on the mSata and I'll setup a 64 GB disk cache on the mSata later.

I've reset the BIOS to ACHI. Can I install Windows 7 like that and change it to Intel RST later?

Control I to bring up Intel RST ROM only worked once is that a known issue or because I'm running weird ROM version?

Should I flash the ROM before installing Windows 7 fresh? If so which version?

I tried to get RST enterprise version before but couldn't locate it. Is that what your drivers are? Which version would be best (performance/stability) to start playing with? Kind of weird but I prefer the newer graphics / presentation of the RST software in windows to gaining the extra 5 MB/s transfer rate.

Sorry I don't recall the ICHR chipset family number and the Linux software I have now doesn't list it. I can get it after I install Windows using PC wizard but that would be too late :D

Thanks again!

Hi Fernando , My new Motheboard , the Asus X99A II , has a 14 series OROM shown in the Bios (once the F11 Wizard turns it on, setting Raid manually doesn't seem to allow access inside the bios) , so I assume I should use the best 14.xxx series driver in the OP ? but I also see there is a 4.xxx series Driver for the X99 Chipset but that may depend on the OROM used by the MB manufacturer ? is that right ?

Zitat von Fernando im Beitrag #382

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The choice of the "best" Intel AHCI/RAID driver for an Intel X99 Chipset system depends on the SATA mode (IDE/AHCI/RAID) of the on-board Intel SATA Controller and on your BIOS settings regarding the Rapid Storage Technology (RST resp. RSTe mode).
The Intel RAID ROM resp. EFI "RaidDriver" version within the BIOS of your mainboard is only relevant, if you are running your storage drives in RAID mode.

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hi Fernando!
what is the best Intel RST for my Lenovo y570?
I have many problems with drivers from official Lenovo website
- Windows 8.1 x64
- Intel 6 Series/C200
- Intel Mobile Express Chipset SATA AHCI Controller

Zitat von Fernando im Beitrag #363

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Zitat von willie666 im Beitrag #362

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What is your alternative for me to use the latest drivers?

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There are people, who feel better, when they are running the latest drivers no matter whether these drivers do support their system at its best or not. I always compare the different driver versions and choose the driver version, which seems to be the best for my system.

Zitat

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Your latest modded drivers didnt work on my Z77 board.

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Then you have done something wrong. Please repeat the procedure.
By the way: I do not create or modify any driver (= *.sys file). All I do is customizing the related text file (*.inf) to make the driver installable with Controllers, which are natively not supported.

Zitat

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Why should I use the old win7/8 drivers from above? So I use the latest 14.8.0.1042 8-series AHCI.

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If this driver is the best for you, why not? By the way: The Intel RST driver v14.8.0.1042 is not the latest from Intel.
My personal experiences with my old Z77 and Z68 systems were different (look >here<).

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Hi Fernando, sorry for the quick follow up post, but may I ask where your Z77 benchmarks went? I tried to refer to it as linked in your post, but you removed them because you gave the systems away. Not sure what the reference point for Z77 is now.

Have you been aware of the issue in RST v14.x drivers (and newer) discussed here:
https://communities.intel.com/thread/77335

The problem seems to be that drives which are part of a RAID array do not spin down any more. It works with the 13.x series driver, but not any more with the 14.x
I also checked with RSTe which seem to have this issue for an even longer time (went back until v3.2).

Just wanted to update you on mission accomplished thanks to your forum. The "bricked" 500 GB HDD couldn't be seen by Windows 7 but could be read by Linux (Ubuntu 14.04). I purchased new 240GB SSD and installed Win 7 under ACHI. Installing RST for Windows showed drive G (the bricked 500GB HDD) as inaccessable. I rebooted and changed BIOS ACHI to Intel RST. Then I rebooted and successfully used <Control>+i to invoke RST in BIOS. I deleted the 500GB HDD from acceleration / RAID. I rebooted and changed BIOS back to ACHI. It's all good for the time being with new 240 GB SSD, newish 120GB mSata SSD and old 500GB HDD which I will accelerate again some day...