Configuring GA-890GPA-UD3H with AHCI driver

[Ekavali]

I get in the coming days a new computer (Gigabyte GA-890GPA-UD3H Rev. 2.1, AMD Phenom X4 970, OCZ 2 SSD) and would like to install Windows 7 64bit in AHCI mode. I have already learned that the AHCI setting must be activated before the Windows installation in the BIOS and that support in-house Microsoft AHCI driver TRIM. On the Gigabyte website are available for Windows 7 64bit three other AHCI driver for downloading. Two drivers from AMD (separately for AHCI and RAID) and a driver from Gigabyte themselves. Now to my questions:

1. Why do I need this additional drivers at all? Running the Windows installation is not starting so smoothly? What are the differences?
2. The drivers are called preinstall driver. Can they be involved only during the Windows installation, or even later with a driver change?
3. When Gigabyte driver I am not sure whether it is responsible only for RAID or for the sole AHCI mode without RAID. There is only one. In addition, it is also known as SATA2 driver. Is it then not SATA3 (6 Gb/s)?

I hope you can enlighten me a little. Thanks in advance!!

[Fragman]

The MS default driver is knit as compatible as possible. That is, with the real manufacturer driver from AMD can possibly better performance (in which case it will be definitely faster). So much for the difference in MS-AMD. And the second thing, preinstall is actually a process from the time Windows 2000 / Windows XP. There, you had to load with F6 during setup the driver disk that had to be designed specifically so that setup takes the drivers. The driver files (.Inf, .Sys, etc.) but also regular Windows directly include. In Windows 7 you can, so far I've noticed that integrate any driver, even if it is not prepared specifically as a preinstall.In the case of AMD there is only one driver for AHCI and RAID. Because you need not worry about it. Containing only depending on what was set in the BIOS. Whether SATA1, 2 or 3 is used depends on the hard disk. The chipset, the SB850 can be up SATA3.

[spuff]

Hi, this 890GPA SATA3 has 6 ports (blue), with 2 SATA2 ports (gray), (referred to in the bios with GSATA). So there are two different controllers. When you install the setup without W7 driver selects the ms-ahci Windows driver from automatically when AHCI is set in the BIOS. So in any event before Install the BIOS, then just set what you want, and eSATA connections, such as activate, etc. is useful to take the faster SATA3 for the HDD or SSD, for example, optical slow SATA2 etc. If no raid is used, you should put everything on AHCI. Windows 7 should also automatically set the correct alignment (1024k) for the Vertex2. Can you check before the install of Rep.option the Windows 7 - DVD on command prompt and diskpart.?

[Ekavali]

Thank you again for the quick responses already!! The SSD is brand new, the whole computer is being assembled by the dealer. Have I understood correctly? The Gigabyte SATA2 driver (a combination of AHCI and RAID), so I need only the two old (slow) gray terminals, as there is a separate controller? The run but otherwise with the Microsoft driver, right? I figured I could simply disable the two ports and my SSD, joining Samsung Spinpoint F3 HDD and an LG SATA burner just to the new blue ports. Then I would take me at least a gigabyte driver will not care!! AMD Raid drivers I can leave out, because I want to set up a RAID system. So I have to make up my mind so only if I install the Intel AHCI driver or the MS simply kept?

[Jevin]

Precise, the driver for the GSATA SATAII is for the 2 SATAII and PATA responsible (AMD deleted for the 8 series chipsets, the PATA). If you do not need a PATA and the 2 internal SATAII not need, then you can turn off the controller in the BIOS. In this in BIOS's Integrated Peripherals menu, and set the "Onboard GSATA / IDE Controller" to Disabled. To install Windows 7 I would only connect the vertex, and the DVD, install the SATA AHCI OnChip (also Port 4 & 5) and W7 as normal (turn off floppy drive in BIOS, otherwise W7 looking for minutes after). Then you can from the AMD AHCI for Windows 7 and install it. According to AMD is to allow for TRIM and is possibly faster than the MS driver. In this way, you must include a driver during installation, therefore, is most comfortable.

[Allison]

I have read that the current AMD AHCI driver automatically with the ATI Catalyst Control Center is to be installed? Uses me, unfortunately, still nothing, because the Intel SSD from Intel Optimizer Toolbox not working with the AMD driver. The tool does then always not available to detect raid. So I am inevitably went back to the MS driver. If in doubt I would stay with the default driver from MS (ms-ahci). The AMD AHCI driver is not according to AMD site! included in the Catalyst (as Catalyst 10.11). Is not in it in the Catalyst Software Suite Description and is available as an option Driver to see the same division. Please make some effort for me too.