m17x BIOS - Performance Options Dialog Box: RAID or ACHI?

Rameses

Rameses

Rameses

Soldato
Joined
18 Oct 2002
Posts
8,453
Wondering if someone can set my mind clear here, basically I've been handed this laptop to fix, something went wrong and my friend formatted and reinstalled W7. However, besides the many different drivers missing, and generally looking around I noticed only 1 hard drive is showing. I can see the 2nd drive as unallocated when in Manage within W7.

It has a C300 240GB and a WD 500GB. In the BIOS RAID is selected under the Performance Options Dialog, but shouldn't it be AHCI since we don't want RAID, or is it RAID (& Auto Detect)?

The initial boot screen is the raid software and it does list the two drives, no raid detected and then continues to boot as normal, just thought I'd check first incase its hindering performance or something, been a long time since I delved into BIOS.

Thanks. :confused:
 
Last edited:
jamesfreddie said:
You want to put it in ahci mode because then you get TRIM. And it should be abit faster.
Click to expand...

Thanks

I did try it putting it in AHCI, it stopped the RAID bios screen from showing and went straight to boot windows but alas it caused bsod's and wouldn't load. Put it back into RAID and it boots fine...guess it means formatting again? :/
 
Stick in ahci and format again if you can, or the windows fix as mentioned.
 
Don’t think having it set to RAID will make it slower. It will add 2-3 seconds to the boot but the drive will perform just the same. I have mine on RAID as I never bothered changing it and I would not do a fresh install just for a 2-3 seconds faster boot time. Also Trim works just fine, all it dose is load the RAID driver but if you do not have RAID it runs the same as AHCI.
 
Last edited:
Meaker said:
Intel's latest driver supports TRIM in raid...
Click to expand...

Think he is not running RAID, Its just the Drive mode setting in the BIOS that loads the RAID BIOS before windows loads. If you want to setup a RAID drive this is needed but if you dont use it, it loads as normal (just adds 2-3 seconds to display the drive info).
 
Well I thought about leaving it, or trying the fix but in the end it bothered me. :p

It wasn't much bother formatting and reinstalling Windows tbh, I had a thumb drive of all the drivers, a ninite installer for all relevant programs he'd use and of course I left it to update the 1001 updates after. A quick defrag and final check and I was done in no time.

Your right about it only save 2-3 seconds off the boot sequence Fred, but its better not to see it imo, and perhaps its just me but the SSD seemed faster in boot up (could be just my imagination though).

One final note though is that when I ran PCMark it said the m17x had 10GB, 3x2GB Hynix? memory @ 667mhz, and 1x4GB Crucial @ 533mhz? :confused:

Anyone know if that will effect Dual Channel? and also slow it down to the slowest speed (aka the 4GB stick?). I've advised him to get another 2GB stick and drop the 4GB, leaving it as 8GB total all same make & size.

Wish I had more time to play on it though, I didn't have chance to run any games only futuremark, first time I've seen and played with an Alienware machine, it was pretty cool to work on, spec is 2.20GHz i7 QC with a 2GB 6970m. :)
 
AmTechFox said:
Well I thought about leaving it, or trying the fix but in the end it bothered me. :p

It wasn't much bother formatting and reinstalling Windows tbh, I had a thumb drive of all the drivers, a ninite installer for all relevant programs he'd use and of course I left it to update the 1001 updates after. A quick defrag and final check and I was done in no time.

Your right about it only save 2-3 seconds off the boot sequence Fred, but its better not to see it imo, and perhaps its just me but the SSD seemed faster in boot up (could be just my imagination though).

One final note though is that when I ran PCMark it said the m17x had 10GB, 3x2GB Hynix? memory @ 667mhz, and 1x4GB Crucial @ 533mhz? :confused:

Anyone know if that will effect Dual Channel? and also slow it down to the slowest speed (aka the 4GB stick?). I've advised him to get another 2GB stick and drop the 4GB, leaving it as 8GB total all same make & size.

Wish I had more time to play on it though, I didn't have chance to run any games only futuremark, first time I've seen and played with an Alienware machine, it was pretty cool to work on, spec is 2.20GHz i7 QC with a 2GB 6970m. :)
Click to expand...

Think it will all run at 533MHz, Dont no about dual channal, I would do what you advised and get a 2GB stick.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top Bottom