Forum - RE: Recommended AHCI/RAID and NVMe Drivers

#361 | RE: Recommended AHCI/RAID and NVMe Drivers datum

Wed Feb 03, 2016 3:11 am

Hi guys, i have some big question about my ASUS G752VT equipped with Samsung NVMe drive (PM951 128GB). Last week ASUS finally add BIOS 213 that enable AHCI or RAID selection into chipset section (previously only locked into RAID mode, i had to install Windows 10 with Intel RAID driver folder into USB drive). Wich PROTOCOL is better (pay attention, DRIVER PROTOCOL)? RAID or AHCI? is better keep NVMe under RAID or format and install into AHCI protocol? (i've already tried to start a new installation with AHCI selected and Windows 10 recognize the NVMe natively). Why changing the controller SATA from RAID to AHCI also affect NVMe channel? Actually i have only one NVMe but i have two slot, keeping in RAID mode will easily allow me to upgrade with another drive doing a phisical RAID using Intel RST? sorry for numerous question but this is a new technology and everyone on the net says smoething different one from another.

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#362 | RE: Recommended AHCI/RAID and NVMe Drivers datum

Wed Feb 03, 2016 3:15 pm

@dr4g0n36:
Welcomeat Win-RAID Forum!

Zitat von dr4g0n36 im Beitrag #362
Wich PROTOCOL is better (pay attention, DRIVER PROTOCOL)? RAID or AHCI?

It depends on your storage drive disks configuration. If you dont want/need to create a RAID array, the AHCI protocol will be the better choice.

Zitat
is better keep NVMe under RAID or format and install into AHCI protocol?

If your system supports the SATA AHCI and PCIe NVMe features simultaneously, I would prefer the SATA AHCI protocol.

Zitat
Why changing the controller SATA from RAID to AHCI also affect NVMe channel?

I don't know the answer. With my Z97 system I have no problem to run my SATA drives in AHCI mode and my Samsung SM951 in NVMe mode.

Regards
Dieter (alias 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
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#363 | RE: Recommended AHCI/RAID and NVMe Drivers datum

Wed Feb 03, 2016 3:24 pm (Last edited: Wed Feb 03, 2016 4:14 pm)

Zitat von Fernando im Beitrag #363
Zitat von dr4g0n36 im Beitrag #362
Why changing the controller SATA from RAID to AHCI also affect NVMe channel?
I don't know the answer. With my Z97 system I have no problem to run my SATA drives in AHCI mode and my Samsung SM951 in NVMe mode.

Thanks for quick reply. The last question i made is due to better understand NVMe technology. Theorically NVMe is excluded from SATA channel, like another type of peripheal but when i change AHCI/RAID settings for sata channel also affect NVMe channel (BSOD for driver lack obviously). I'm trying to understand if actual NVMe technology and drivers are low-level still relegated to sata channel, downclocking theorically performance and skill. It's a "new" branch and everyone has different ideas/solutions.

EDIT by Fernando: Unneeded parts of the fully quoted text removed (to save space within the thread)

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#364 | RE: Recommended AHCI/RAID and NVMe Drivers datum

Wed Feb 10, 2016 3:42 am (Last edited: Wed Feb 10, 2016 9:30 am)

mockingbird

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Posts:	72
Registered since:	06.16.2014

Zitat
>32bit AMD AHCI Driver v1.2.1.321 for W2k3 x86 WHQL< (>MIRROR<)
>64bit AMD AHCI Driver v1.2.1.321 for XP+W2k3 x64 WHQL< (>MIRROR<)
These drivers are dated 10/28/2011 and usable with AMD AHCI SATA Controllers DEV_4391/4394 and DEV_7801/7804.

Is there any way to get the 2k3 driver to work on Windows XP? I've tried every which way, XP refuses it as being incompatible with the platform.
Thanks

edit:
In "amd_sata.inf" I changed:

1
2
 
[Manufacturer]
%AMD%   = AMD,NTx86.5.2
 

to

1
2
 
[Manufacturer]
%AMD%   = AMD,NTx86
 

...and

1
 
[AMD.NTx86.5.2]

to

1
 
[AMD.NTx86]

But it's getting a code 39, and it says it's corrupted after installing. Any suggestions?

EDIT by Fernando: Set the codes into code boxes and removed unneeded blank lines (to save space)

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#365 | RE: Recommended AHCI/RAID and NVMe Drivers datum

Wed Feb 10, 2016 9:33 am (Last edited: Wed Feb 10, 2016 11:18 am)

Zitat von mockingbird im Beitrag #365
Is there any way to get the 2k3 driver to work on Windows XP? I've tried every which way, XP refuses it as being incompatible with the platform.

I will do a deeper look into the related INF file. Maybe I can offer a mod+signed driver variant, which will be usable with Windows XP.

EDIT:
It seems, that Windows XP (= NT5.1) is not able to use any "pure" AHCI driver named amd_sata.sys, maybe due to the fact, that the related driverpacks contain an additional driver named amd_xata.sys.
According to my knowledge only "AHCI compatible RAID drivers" like the v3.3.1540.33 ones do support AMD SATA Controllers DEV_4391/4392/4393/4394 while running Windows XP.

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
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#366 | RE: Recommended AHCI/RAID and NVMe Drivers datum

Wed Feb 10, 2016 8:30 pm

Thanks.

Very odd that they wouldn't release an XP version of this.

amd_xata is put in the "UpperFilter" section. I tried deleting the upperfilter from the registry, and it still didn't work. So I think amd_sata.sys either has some OS check, or it is making API calls that don't exist in XP and failing. Otherwise, XP drivers do usually function in 2K3.

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#367 | Which driver for AMD SB950 SATA controller? datum

Thu Feb 18, 2016 5:27 am (Last edited: Thu Feb 18, 2016 6:07 am)

I'm not exactly sure which AHCI driver for my AMD SB950 SATA controller I need, I am using windows 8.1 64 bit, do I use this one:
64bit AMD AHCI Driver v1.3.1.276 WHQL for Win8/8.1 x64 ?

Is this driver version appropriate for SB950 SATA controller?

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#368 | RE: Which driver for AMD SB950 SATA controller? datum

Thu Feb 18, 2016 6:40 am

@woken:
Since your question belongs to the topic of this thread, I have moved your post here.

Zitat von woken im Beitrag #368
I'm not exactly sure which AHCI driver for my AMD SB950 SATA controller I need, I am using windows 8.1 64 bit, do I use this one:
64bit AMD AHCI Driver v1.3.1.276 WHQL for Win8/8.1 x64 ?

You can find the answer within the start post of this thread.

Zitat
Is this driver version appropriate for SB950 SATA controller?

Important for the compatibility of a driver is the DeviceID of the related on-board SATA Controller.
Please check the DeviceID (right click onto it > "Properties" > "Details" > "Property" > "HardwareIDs") and compare it with the DeviceIDs, which I have listed as being compatible with the AMD AHCI drivers I am offering within the start post of this thread.

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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#369 | RE: Which driver for AMD SB950 SATA controller? datum

Thu Feb 18, 2016 6:53 am (Last edited: Thu Feb 18, 2016 7:19 am)

Zitat von Fernando im Beitrag #369
Important for the compatibility of a driver is the DeviceID of the related on-board SATA Controller.
Please check the DeviceID (right click onto it > "Properties" > "Details" > "Property" > "HardwareIDs") and compare it with the DeviceIDs, which I have listed as being compatible with the AMD AHCI drivers I am offering within the start post of this thread.

Heya thanks for your reply.
I have a question, if my DeviceID is DEV_4390 then should I use the AHCI driver for DEV_4391?

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#370 | RE: Which driver for AMD SB950 SATA controller? datum

Thu Feb 18, 2016 7:21 am

Zitat von woken im Beitrag #370
if my DeviceID is DEV_4390 then should I use the AHCI driver for DEV_4391?

No!
AFAIK the AMD DEV_4390 SATA Controller doesn't run in AHCI mode.

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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#371 | RE: Which driver for AMD SB950 SATA controller? datum

Thu Feb 18, 2016 7:33 am (Last edited: Thu Feb 18, 2016 9:49 am)

Zitat von Fernando im Beitrag #371
Zitat von woken im Beitrag #370
if my DeviceID is DEV_4390 then should I use the AHCI driver for DEV_4391?
No!
AFAIK the AMD DEV_4390 SATA Controller doesn't run in AHCI mode.

I took a screenshot of my drivers details:

Does that help?

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#372 | RE: Which driver for AMD SB950 SATA controller? datum

Thu Feb 18, 2016 9:52 am

Zitat von woken im Beitrag #372
I took a screenshot of my drivers details:
Does that help?

It should have helped you, because it verifies, that the Controller is running in IDE mode.
You cannot install an AHCI driver onto a SATA Controller, which is running in IDE mode. The only accepted driver is the generic MS IDE driver named PCIIDE.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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#373 | RE: Which driver for AMD SB950 SATA controller? datum

Thu Feb 18, 2016 12:07 pm

Zitat von Fernando im Beitrag #373
Zitat von woken im Beitrag #372
I took a screenshot of my drivers details:
Does that help?
It should have helped you, because it verifies, that the Controller is running in IDE mode.
You cannot install an AHCI driver onto a SATA Controller, which is running in IDE mode. The only accepted driver is the generic MS IDE driver named PCIIDE.SYS.

Thanks so much for pointing out it was IDE, I've since had my friend reformat his computer that I'm trying to update his AHCI driver on and set AHCI mode into bios instead of IDE and successfully found 4391 on his hardware ID and used the suggested AHCI driver for it in the first page, thanks again Fernando

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#374 | RE: Recommended AHCI/RAID and NVMe Drivers datum

Fri Feb 19, 2016 6:51 pm

Hi,

Just to report my crystaldiskmark results about the latest Intel AHCI v14.8.1.1043:
On my Sandisk Ultra II SSD I have a significant loss on sequencial read q32: 377 instead of 437 using v14.8.0.1042 (official version for my MSI Z170A-G43 PLUS). I have 414 with MS standard driver.
Random write Q32 is 12% lower, the rest is more or less the same.
My laptop uses the same SSD, but 8 series chipset with 14.5.0.1081 AHCI driver: sequencial Q32 is higher with 523, however random write Q1 and Q32 are 50% lower !

Strange to see so much differences between ahci driver versions.

Thanks.

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#375 | RE: Recommended AHCI/RAID and NVMe Drivers datum

Fri Feb 19, 2016 7:26 pm

Zitat von astrakan im Beitrag #375
Strange to see so much differences between ahci driver versions.

Yes, usually the benchmark results of different AHCI driver versions are close together, but sometimes even within the same development branch the results are quite different (example: look >here<).

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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