How to confirm if TRIM is enabled and use Intel SSD Toolbox

[WU-TANG]GZA

[WU-TANG]GZA

[WU-TANG]GZA

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Hi there ppl,

I installed my SSD last week and learnt how to enable TRIM. But, as fate would have it, when it came to the install time I forgot to set Sata to AHCI mode BEFORE installing W7. Therefore I googled the problem and changed the registry to enable AHCI mode then went into BIOS and changed it there. I also confirmed that something (can't remember exactly which one it was) in the registry (modify etc) was at 0 not the default 3. There were two registries that I confirmed as 0.

What what I've written, should I just assume TRIM is enabled? Is there no windows "TRIM Enabled" kind of thing to actually see for noobies?

Any help would be good if possible.

Thing I set to 0 if not already were:

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\System\CurrentControlSet\Services\Msahci

and

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\System\CurrentControlSet\Services\pciide

^^^ can't remember the reason for the 2nd one but meh...

The thing is I've read that although not essential, Intel SSD Toolbox can be useful. When I try to use it - it sees my drives (I only have 1 SSD) but it says RAID not supported. I understood raid only being Raid 0 or Raid 1 etc i.e. using multiple drives in a linked fashion. Is that not right?

Simply put, I'm quite noob and I just want to be 100% that I set up my SSD correctly (Intel x25- m 80gb) and maintain it properly so it stays lightning fast for all it's lifespan.

Advice would really be appreciated.

THANKS !
 
BUMP and adding info:

I also cannot install Intel RST or Matrix Manager as "your computer does not meet the minimum requirements for this software" - I'm assuming that this is due to the RAID issue above?

Please would really like someone to help me if poss.
 
Open an elevated command prompt and type:
Code: 
fsutil behavior query DisableDeleteNotify

If 0 (zero) is returned, TRIM is enabled in Windows 7. However, if SSD Toolbox won't work, then it's unlikely Windows 7 will be able to TRIM the SSD anyway.


Regarding SSD Toolbox and RST installer, are you sure the SSD is connected to an Intel SATA controller? You haven't by accident bunged it on a jmicron or marvell raid controller that your motherboard might also include?

And can you confirm you've got the correct RST installer: STOR_allOS_9.6.0.1014_PV.exe and is 11.1 MB in size?


Make and model of your motherboard and all attached storage devices might help too.


edit: also confirm if possible that your X-25M is a G2 (34nm) variant and not a G1 (50nm). You can do this in Device Manager / Disk drives, the SSD should be listed as INTEL SSDSA2M080G2GC or similar.
 
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Dinkas said:
Open an elevated command prompt and type:
Code: 
fsutil behavior query DisableDeleteNotify

If 0 (zero) is returned, TRIM is enabled in Windows 7. However, if SSD Toolbox won't work, then it's unlikely Windows 7 will be able to TRIM the SSD anyway.


Regarding SSD Toolbox and RST installer, are you sure the SSD is connected to an Intel SATA controller? You haven't by accident bunged it on a jmicron or marvell raid controller that your motherboard might also include?

And can you confirm you've got the correct RST installer: STOR_allOS_9.6.0.1014_PV.exe and is 11.1 MB in size?


Make and model of your motherboard and all attached storage devices might help too.


edit: also confirm if possible that your X-25M is a G2 (34nm) variant and not a G1 (50nm). You can do this in Device Manager / Disk drives, the SSD should be listed as INTEL SSDSA2M080G2GC or similar.
Click to expand...

Thanks for your reply.

I had done that disablenotify before and it does return with 0.

I cannot be 100% that the SSD is connected to the Intel Sata Controller I will have to check that later. Is there a way to check that in BIOS or is it just physically looking at it? I have changed the sata to AHCI mode if that is at all relevant.

The RST that Ihave downloaded is 6.4MB not 11MB like you suggest. The program I downloaded and tried to install is:

http://downloadcenter.intel.com/Sea...t=Intel®+Rapid+Storage+Technology+(Intel®+RST)

Is that not right? After googling your .exe I take it that it's the 3rd one:

http://downloadcenter.intel.com/Detail_Desc.aspx?DwnldID=15251&lang=eng

Should I have been trying to install that one instead lol ?


Motherboard:

Gigabyte EX58 - UD3R (Rev 1.6)

It is the Gen2 x25-m. As per Device Manager: SSDSA2M080 SCSI Disk Device

But it is the G2R5 version of the SSD.

The other HDD I have connected is a Sata 500MB HDD the make of which I cannot remember and windows only sees it as a local disk rather than the brand. (ST3500418AS ATA Device.)


Going back to the installer I take it I was trying to download the RAID version of the software (as I didn't know there was an alternative) and that's why it wasn't working LOL ? Therefore should download and install the 11.1MB installer?
 
By all means, try installing the correct RST driver. I'm not sure it will fix everything though as SSD Toolbox should work with the standard MS AHCI driver. And yes, the 3rd one down on that page, STOR_allOS_9.6.0.1014_PV.exe 11431 KB is the file you want.

Regarding the Intel SATA controller, I think it'll be the blue SATA ports, whereas the white SATA ports will be a third party controller. This is how it is on my Gigabyte P55A-UD3.
 
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Hi Dinkas,

Just tried the correct installer and that wouldn't install either. I will check out which port I connected the SSD to later on. Thanks for the info (ie. blue white etc really helps the noobs) will update later.
 
Hm, it's worrying that RST simply refuses to install. What controllers are listed under IDE ATA/ATAPI controllers in Device Manager?
 
Can you also check in BIOS / Integrated Peripherals:

eXtreme Hard Drive (XHD) = Disabled
PCH SATA Control Mode = AHCI
SATA Port0-3 Native Mode = Enabled

Please bear in mind that I'm taking this from a P55 BIOS, so it might be slightly different for X58.
 
Dinkas said:
Can you also check in BIOS / Integrated Peripherals:

eXtreme Hard Drive (XHD) = Disabled
PCH SATA Control Mode = AHCI
SATA Port0-3 Native Mode = Enabled

Please bear in mind that I'm taking this from a P55 BIOS, so it might be slightly different for X58.
Click to expand...

Hi dinkas,

Couldn't see eXtreme Hard Drive
SATA control mode is in AHCI
and I changed Sata port 0-3 native mode = enabled. **

The controller listed in device manager currently are:

ATA Channel 0
ATA Channel 0
ATA Channel 0
ATA Channel 1
ATA Channel 1
ATA Channel 1
Intel ICH10 Family 2 port Serial ATA Storage Controller 2 - 3A26
Intel ICH10 Family 2 port Serial ATA Storage Controller 1 - 3A20
JMB36X 1394 Standard Dual Channel PCIE IDE Controller


**Only thing I can think of now is that I have connected the SSD to Sata port 4 and thus not affected by changing Sata port 0-3 native mode = enabled. ** If that's what the 0-3 refers to, of course. Just an idea?

If not, I'm pretty stumped. Thanks for your suggestions. I just want to make this drive work as well as it should be (if it is already I wudnt know) and want to make sure TRIM is working.

P.S. I also changed the port to a blue one as you indicated. I had just bunged it into a white one. Done all of above, but still can't install RST or the correct installer or Matrix, none of them. Still doesn't meet the minimum requirements. :(
 
Have you tried SSD toolbox since putting the SSD on the ICH10 controller? I think it probably is worth moving the SSD to SATA2_0/1/2/3 (the gigabyte manual will show you which port is 0/1, 2/3 etc.). Basically the blue port furthest from the white port is port 0/port 1.

I would also point out that one of the causes of RST failing to install due to "does not meet minimum requirements" is Windows not loading the MSAHCI driver. So it's possible/likely that whatever registry hacks you made haven't worked properly.

edit: can you link what guide/instructions you used for changing the registry.
 
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Dinkas said:
Have you tried SSD toolbox since putting the SSD on the ICH10 controller? I think it probably is worth moving the SSD to SATA2_0/1/2/3 (the gigabyte manual will show you which port is 0/1, 2/3 etc.). Basically the blue port furthest from the white port is port 0/port 1.

I would also point out that one of the causes of RST failing to install due to "does not meet minimum requirements" is Windows not loading the MSAHCI driver. So it's possible/likely that whatever registry hacks you made haven't worked properly.
Click to expand...

Just reinstalled Toolbox and that IS working now. So I will run the optimizer. But RST still won't install. Would you say RST is more beneficial than the toolbox? Or both equally important.

I did put on the port closest to the white port so I will shift it to another one later.

Thanks again for all ur help m8.

The changes I made to the MSACHI registry was putting it to 0 (if it wasn't already at 0)
 
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Having both would be best if only for the fact it means there are no more problems (as RST will install successfully). Otherwise you'll always have in the back of your mind that something, somewhere, isn't working as intented or as it should.

It probably would've been easier to reinstall Windows 7, however, the troubleshooting thus far has highlighted a few issues (like the SSD being connected to a third party controller) that you're now able to remedy.

If you were to reinstall Windows 7 now, I'd be reasonably confident that RST would also successfully install afterward. That said, it may be a relatively minor issue that's preventing successful RST installation so worth perservering with to its conclusion.

I think what we need to examine now is the changes you made to the registry in order to enable AHCI. Do you have a link to the procedure you used?
 
Thing I set to 0 if not already were:

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\System\CurrentControlSet\Servic es\Msahci

and

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\System\CurrentControlSet\Servic es\pciide


I changed those two to 0. One of them was already at 0 but can't remember which. I still need to switch the SSD to another port to see if that's the problem if not then I will keep searching and maybe reinstall. Not like it takes long. The drive gets 7.2 from Windows, which shows performance is OK but it's longivity I am wanting also.

Thnx.
 
The MSAHCI key was the correct one to change, not sure about the PCIIDE key, do you remember what its original value was? Mine is "3", no idea why though.
 
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