How to install SSD/Hybrid drive on ASRock x79 Extreme6/GB over ACHI

From the past few days I am planning to build a new computer with following peripherals:

• ASRock x79 Extreme6/GB motherboard
• Intel core i7 processor
• 4GB DDR3 RAM
• Intel 520 SSD
• Seagate momentusXT hybrid drive
• Windows 7 Pro 64-bit SP1

I don’t know whether they are compatible with each other or not but I assume that they will work perfectly. But I have doubt about installing drives. Should I need to set BIOS to ACHI? Do you think that I have to install Intel's Rapid Storage Technology Driver along with Windows 7? All components are brand new.

Yes you need to set the BIOs mode to AHCI. This should be done before the OS installation, not after. First set the mode to AHCI, and then connect SSD to Intel sata3 port. After this you can install OS. If your Seagate Hybrid drivers are not SATA 2 then you can connect them to same Intel sata3 port. In order to set the BIOS, first enter into BIOS settings when the system boot up and then go to setup utility >Advanced screen> Storage configuration, here you have to set the "SATA MODE" to AHCI.

While connecting drives, you always have to make sure that you are not using any third party controller. It should be avoided unless needed without any choice. I would suggest you to use only intel ports. I hope that Intel chipset comes with 2 SATA3 ports. However I am still unclear about when I should install before or after installing both drives or not. I am thinking about installing Windows in SSD only but I assume that it doesn’t matter. But I think it is best to install the secondary drive only after the installation of Windows.

I assume that you are aware about the Z68 Express chipset which was built by Intel for second-generation Core family processors,. It is different from other chipset because it supports Smart Response Technology (SRT). Actually it is a solid-state caching technology. The main intention of this technology is to improve overall system performance and responsiveness. SRT is not specific to any motherboard or chipset or one which I have said before. You can get this technology from the Intel's Rapid Storage Technology (RST) drivers and software (version 10.5 or newer). But the reason to choose Z68 Express chipset is, this SSD technology is only enabled on this series motherboard and also on newer 6- and 7-Series Intel chipsets. So don’t think that just getting any motherboard will help you to get this technology.

Do you think that it does matter if I put seagate SataIII drive into any available port? I am quite sure that both groups are switched to AHCI. Currently I think that there are 5 SATAIII ports and they are divided into following 2 modes:

• SATA 3 Mode:SATA3_0, SATA3_1;
• ASMedia SATA3 Mode: SATA3_A0, SATA3_A1, SATA3_A2.

The SSD should goes into SATA3_0 due to OS but I am not sure where to put the Seagate HDD. Do you think that one slot is better than another one if you look them as performance-wise? Could you tell me proper recommended procedure for installation?

As far as I know that you install Drives without installing the AHCI drivers, the disk become unreadable and throw you a BSOD. In this case you have to switch back to IDE. The AHCU driver installation can be done during the Os installation. However if you have not done or skipped that process, you can manually install it later and edit the registry so that the driver can be recognized in AHCI mode. For manual installation and registry edits, you need to refer the good manual because it varies depending on the motherboard and guides also might be different from one another. It is always a good choice to install Drives and operate in AHCI mode because there are lots of optimizations over and above those possible in IDE.

I think that Windows Vista and later and Linux operating system from kernel 2.6.19 have full support of AHCI by default. You don’t need to choose AHCI driver installation separately in this case. However if you are using the older OS like Windows XP, in that case the drivers should be written by the host bus adapter vendor in order to support AHCI. For Windows XP, you will need a vendor-specific driver even if AHCI is available on the host bus adapter. The obvious reason for this is, Windows XP is released earlier. I don’t know about Windows XP SP3 installation.
However in Windows 7 Msahci driver disabled by default. So you have to enable it, if you have already installed the OS using different interface or different mode. It can be done by editing the registry key. First of all open Registry editor and Locate and then click the following registry subkey:

Code:

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HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\System\CurrentControlSet\Services\Msahci

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Right pane, right-click Start in the Name column, and click Modify. Type 0 Value data box and click OK. Now reboot the system, Enter into BIOS, make the changes from IDE to AHCI and finally the system restarts after exit from BIOS.

Somewhere above, as user has explained about SRT. It is a hybrid HDD/SSD caching. I can tell that this setup as some sort of usability benefits. By looking at your configs, I assume that you are using one SSD drive solely for the purpose of OS and other frequently used applications, games and few data etc whilst other for bulk storage. It surely provides good way of performance and storage capabilities. Only thing you need to care about here is management of multiple drives. The use of Smart Response Technology is, it hides all or part of the SSD from the OS installed on it and it caches data automatically. This helps you move data dynamically from or to other when low on storage.