Forum - RE: Which are the "best" Intel AHCI/RAID drivers?

#136 | RE: Which are the "best" Intel AHCI/RAID drivers? datum

Tue Jan 06, 2015 11:00 am

Thanks for a fascinating thread. There's certainly a lot to take in, and I'm afraid that it raises more questions than answers for this old timer!

I have been using an Asus P8Z77-V (ICH10R) for the last couple of years. I'm currently on BIOS 2104 (09/2013), and the Intel SATA BIOS shows as 11.0.0.1339. My Windows 7 Boot/System drive is an SSD, and I have 2 data drives: one a single drive, and one a RAID5 set.

I have been blindly upgrading RST with every new version until I hit 13.2, when installation problems caused me to revert to 13.1. One website I found suggested that 13.2 wasn't even designed for Series 7 chipsets, which was news to me. This brings me here.

After reading the thread opener and warning, I decided to stick to an RST(e) driver, and downgraded to 11.7�to suit the 11.0.0.1339 oROM.

After reading more of this thread, I have become confused about the best advice: is RST 11.7 best for my setup?

I am also confused about references to flashing the oROM. I didn't even know this was possible, or even advisable (how would it affect an existing RAID5 array?). I can't see anything about this on the Asus support/drivers page. Should I be doing this too? How?

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#137 | RE: Which are the "best" Intel AHCI/RAID drivers? datum

Tue Jan 06, 2015 2:05 pm

@ Bunzer:
Welcome at Win-RAID Forum!

Zitat von Bunzer im Beitrag #136
I have been using an Asus P8Z77-V (ICH10R) for the last couple of years.

I have the exactly same mainboard model. It has an Intel 7-Series Southbridge and no ICH10R one.

Zitat
After reading the thread opener and warning, I decided to stick to an RST(e) driver, and downgraded to 11.7�to suit the 11.0.0.1339 oROM.
After reading more of this thread, I have become confused about the best advice: is RST 11.7 best for my setup?

Not really. The Intel RAID ROM v11.0.0.1339 belongs to the "classical" Intel RST development branch, which work best with a "classical" Intel RST driver named iaStor.sys. The latest (and best) "classical" Intel RST driver is v11.2.0.1006 and the best matching Intel RAID ROM would be v11.2.0.1527.

Zitat
I am also confused about references to flashing the oROM. I didn't even know this was possible, or even advisable (how would it affect an existing RAID5 array?). I can't see anything about this on the Asus support/drivers page. Should I be doing this too? How?

Since I have done it very often with my ASUS P8Z77-V mainboard, I can confirm: It is no problem to update the Intel RAID ROM module of the BIOS and to flash the "modded" BIOS into the BIOS chip of your mainboard, because it has the "USB Flashback" option. Please look into your mainboard manual and read the first post of >this< thread.
I am pretty sure, that your already existing RAID5 array will be automaticly detected by an updated Intel RAID ROM module and not been degraded.
A problem may occur, when you are going to "downgrade" the in-use Intel RAID driver from v11.7.x.xxxx to v11.2.0.1006 from within a running Win7, because the SCSI filter driver named iaStorF.sys may still be active in the background and drop your system performance (look into the chapter "Switching from RST to RST(e) drivers and vice versa" within the start post of >this< thread).
If I were you, I would update the Intel RST RAID ROM of your mainboard BIOS to v11.2.0.1527 and then doing a fresh install of your Windows OS using the Intel RST driver v11.2.0.1006. According to my experience this would be the best option for your RAID system.
An alternative option would be to update the Intel RAID ROM to v12.9.0.2006 and the in-use Intel RAID driver to v12.9.4.1000 WHQL. This way you would avoid a fresh OS installation, because the already running SCSI filter driver named iaStorF.sys will stay active.

Regards
Fernando

My current System:
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#138 | RE: Which are the "best" Intel AHCI/RAID drivers? datum

Wed Jan 07, 2015 10:16 am

Not ICH10R? That must have been my last motherboard. I am easily confused!

I am keen to stay v11, but I am discouraged by your warnings about RST(e)->RST. I certainly do not want to reinstall, as this takes far too long to get to a nice customised system.

I seem to remember switching from AHCI/RAID to IDE in the past. Certainly, I leave the IDE drivers intact (ATA Channel 0/1 hidden devices), in case I ever need them. I might change the BIOS SATA mode to see what happens. Maybe this would make the transition easier? What about Safe Mode? Is there an authoritative "how to downgrade to RST" article anywhere?

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#139 | RE: Which are the "best" Intel AHCI/RAID drivers? datum

Wed Jan 07, 2015 11:42 pm

Hi i have a motherboard asrock z87 pro4 (intel 8 series c220 ) and OS:Windows 8.1 x64 , my hard disk run slow, what driver version i need for my ahci sata ? the fastest version,thankiu

My current system: mainboard Asrock z87 pro 4, processor i5 4670k, Hdd Toshiba 500gb,Graphics: Gigabyte Gtx 650 TI OC 2gb, Ram Corsair Veangeance 1x4gb 1600mhz, Os:Windows 8.1.1 X64.

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#140 | RE: Which are the "best" Intel AHCI/RAID drivers? datum

Thu Jan 08, 2015 12:05 am (Last edited: Thu Jan 08, 2015 12:06 am)

@ geoweb35:
Welcome at Win-RAID Forum!

Since there are no remarkable performance differences between the different Intel AHCI driver versions (look >here<), I recommend to take one of the latest (v13.2.4.1000 or v13.5.0.1056) for 8- and 9-series Chipset systems like yours.

Regards
Fernando

My current System:
MB: ASRock X570 Pro4, CPU: AMD Ryzen 5 3600, System Drive: 500 GB Samsung 980 Pro, Graphics: Sapphire Radeon RX570, OS: Win10 x64 Pro
Donation Link:
If you are satisfied with my Forum activities, you can send a donation to my personal PayPal account by clicking onto >this< link.

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#141 | RE: Benchmark comparison of my favorite Intel RAID driver/OROM combinations datum

Wed Jan 28, 2015 7:40 pm

I want to enable the AHCI on the two SSDs. Chipset is IntelR 8 Series/c220 Chipset Family SATA AHCI Controller. OS: win7.
In the Windows registry I changed the msahci start value to zero. Then installed the IRST 13.
In the device manager, the two SSDs are still listed under Disk drives as such "INTEL SSD.. SCSI Disk Device" .
It does not seem right. how do I know AHCI driver is kicked in?
In the "System Information" though, under storage IDE, it says the driver is c:\windows\system32\drivers\iastora.sys(13.5.0.1056)

Also in case, how do I manually install the driver?

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#142 | RE: Benchmark comparison of my favorite Intel RAID driver/OROM combinations datum

Wed Jan 28, 2015 9:07 pm

Zitat von tony1024 im Beitrag #141
In the Windows registry I changed the msahci start value to zero.

This doesn't make any sense for me. Generally I do not recommend any registry modifications for non-experts, because it is always risky.

Zitat
In the device manager, the two SSDs are still listed under Disk drives as such "INTEL SSD.. SCSI Disk Device" .

The Disk Managmenent is always done by generic MS drivers.

Zitat
how do I know AHCI driver is kicked in?

You have to look, which driver actually manages the Intel SATA AHCI Controller, which usually is listed within the "IDE ATA/ATAPI Controllers" section of the Device Manager.

Zitat
Also in case, how do I manually install the driver?

This is what you should do:

Expand the "IDE ATA/ATAPI Controllers" section.
Search for the Intel SATA AHCI Controller. If you are unsure. which one of the listed "Standard AHCI 1.0 Serial ATA Controllers" or "Standard SATA AHCI Controllers" the Intel one is, look for the HardwareIDs (right click onto the related Controller > "Properties" > "Details" > "Property" > "HardwareIDs" > VEN_8086 = Intel).
Right click onto the Intel SATA AHCI Controller and choose the options "Update Driver Software...-" > "Browse my Computer...." > click the "Browse" button > navigate to the folder with the desired Intel AHCI driver > click "OK".
If you want to get an unsigned driver installed, you have to force the driver installation by clicking onto the option "Let me pick...." instead of the "Browse" button, then to click onto the "Have Disk" button and to navigate to the driver folder. In this case you have to choose the correct INF file yourself (for Intel RST(e) AHCI drivers it is the file named iaAHCIC.inf).
After the next reboot your Intel SATA AHCI Controller will use the desired Intel AHCI driver. You can easily verify it by doing a right click onto the Controller and choosing the options "Properties" > "Driver" > "Driver Details". Now you should see there "iaStorA.sys".

My current System:
MB: ASRock X570 Pro4, CPU: AMD Ryzen 5 3600, System Drive: 500 GB Samsung 980 Pro, Graphics: Sapphire Radeon RX570, OS: Win10 x64 Pro
Donation Link:
If you are satisfied with my Forum activities, you can send a donation to my personal PayPal account by clicking onto >this< link.

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#143 | RE: Benchmark comparison of my favorite Intel RAID driver/OROM combinations datum

Thu Jan 29, 2015 12:27 am

Got it. Thanks!
Now I have the iaStorA.sys and iaStorF.sys listed File version 13.5.0.1056.

Regarding the registry thing. Google "enable ahci windows 7" , that's what is said to be done? Like this one >here<

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#144 | RE: Benchmark comparison of my favorite Intel RAID driver/OROM combinations datum

Thu Jan 29, 2015 12:32 am

Zitat von tony1024 im Beitrag #143
Regarding the registry thing. Google "enable ahci windows 7" , that's what is said to be done?

I would always prefer a fresh OS install than a change of the SATA mode "on the fly".

My current System:
MB: ASRock X570 Pro4, CPU: AMD Ryzen 5 3600, System Drive: 500 GB Samsung 980 Pro, Graphics: Sapphire Radeon RX570, OS: Win10 x64 Pro
Donation Link:
If you are satisfied with my Forum activities, you can send a donation to my personal PayPal account by clicking onto >this< link.

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#145 | RE: Benchmark comparison of my favorite Intel RAID driver/OROM combinations datum

Thu Jan 29, 2015 12:44 am

Zitat von tony1024 im Beitrag #143
Regarding the registry thing. Google "enable ahci windows 7" , that's what is said to be done? Like this one >here<

Yes it's extremely easy that way, I've done it in the past with great results. For most people formatting and reapplying all custom Windows settings etc means a day of work so that registry alteration is a must for me.

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#146 | RE: Benchmark comparison of my favorite Intel RAID driver/OROM combinations datum

Thu Jan 29, 2015 1:13 am

Zitat von plutomaniac im Beitrag #145
For most people formatting and reapplying all custom Windows settings etc means a day of work so that registry alteration is a must for me.

For a fresh OS install I need less than an hour and I get a better performant and slim system this way.
What I do not really understand is why so many users want to change the SATA mode after having completed the OS installation. They should have thought about what they want before they start booting off an OS image.

My current System:
MB: ASRock X570 Pro4, CPU: AMD Ryzen 5 3600, System Drive: 500 GB Samsung 980 Pro, Graphics: Sapphire Radeon RX570, OS: Win10 x64 Pro
Donation Link:
If you are satisfied with my Forum activities, you can send a donation to my personal PayPal account by clicking onto >this< link.

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#147 | RE: Benchmark comparison of my favorite Intel RAID driver/OROM combinations datum

Thu Jan 29, 2015 3:24 pm

Zitat von Fernando im Beitrag #146
For a fresh OS install I need less than an hour and I get a better performant and slim system this way.
What I do not really understand is why so many users want to change the SATA mode after having completed the OS installation. They should have thought about what they want before they start booting off an OS image.

To my understanding you are keeping your data elsewhere but if they are at the same drive as the OS copying back and forth takes time. The actual format is quick indeed but everything else afterwards (programs, drivers, windows settings, customization etc) is time consuming. Especially if you are using HDD instead of SSD or RAID for that matter.

A lot of people don't know the difference between IDE/AHCI/RAID and at older boards IDE is default so they end up installing the OS that way. It has to do with lack of knowledge beforehand.

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#148 | RE: Benchmark comparison of my favorite Intel RAID driver/OROM combinations datum

Thu Jan 29, 2015 4:19 pm

Zitat von Fernando im Beitrag #146
Zitat von plutomaniac im Beitrag #145
For most people formatting and reapplying all custom Windows settings etc means a day of work so that registry alteration is a must for me.
For a fresh OS install I need less than an hour and I get a better performant and slim system this way.

And then there is the small matter of reinstalling all your applications and drivers, and customising their settings...

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#149 | RE: Benchmark comparison of my favorite Intel RAID driver/OROM combinations datum

Thu Jan 29, 2015 4:51 pm (Last edited: Thu Jan 29, 2015 5:19 pm)

Zitat von Bunzer im Beitrag #148
And then there is the small matter of reinstalling all your applications and drivers, and customising their settings...

As I already said: All these things (incl. OS installation) doesn't take more than 1 hour for me.
These are the reasons:
1. All my important data (personal data, favorite drivers and software, even the folder with the recently downloaded files) are always outside the system drive.
2. Since I always use the latest available ISO version of my mainly used Operating Systems (Win8.1 x64 and Win10 x64 Preview), there are only a few MS updates required.
3. No individual OS settings are required after a fresh OS installation, because they are automaticly done by the OS (via MS account).
4. Since I know, which drivers I need/want, and where they are stored on my big sized storage HDD, they are installed very quickly.
5. I use only a very few tools, which have to be installed separately (Google Chrome, WinRAR, HxD, Adobe Reader).
6. After having installed Google Chrome all my browser favorites, eMails and cookies are available from scratch.

My current System:
MB: ASRock X570 Pro4, CPU: AMD Ryzen 5 3600, System Drive: 500 GB Samsung 980 Pro, Graphics: Sapphire Radeon RX570, OS: Win10 x64 Pro
Donation Link:
If you are satisfied with my Forum activities, you can send a donation to my personal PayPal account by clicking onto >this< link.

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#150 | RE: Benchmark comparison of my favorite Intel RAID driver/OROM combinations datum

Thu Jan 29, 2015 4:57 pm

Hey Fernando, when installing the Intel RST drivers for ahci is it best to install the full software or just install the drivers from device manager. Also,is there any benefit to the full software, just curious on what's the best way.

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