Problem with setting SSD to Achi mode

bhavv · 27 Nov 2011 at 19:38

I just figured out why my SSD was deteriorating and not getting any trim support - My marvell controller was in IDE, not Ahci mode (My Intel controller is in Raid mode, and I thought this had applied Ahci to my SSD, but I was wrong).

But I have a problem - when I set the marvell controller to Ahci, my system BSODS on startup and doesnt boot.

How do I get ahci mode working on my marvell ports without it crashing?

My mobo is a Rampage III Extreme.

Philtor · 27 Nov 2011 at 23:51

On my phone here so I can't link you but there's a registry hack you need to perform before you enable AHCI. Google it.

bhavv · 28 Nov 2011 at 01:08

Found it, and it was easy to fix, thanks.

setter · 28 Nov 2011 at 02:25

Strange you had to use a reg hack, i just set ahci in bios, that was it added another hdd last week, pllugged it in and of ya go. Were you doing a clean install, ie formatting and installing win7 on the ssd?

bhavv · 28 Nov 2011 at 05:12

No, its had Win 7 installed on it for ages, but I only just discovered the setting for the Marvell controller in my bios which had been on IDE since whenever I had first gotten the SSD.

If you install windows 7 onto an SSD in IDE mode, you then have to reinstall it in AHCI mode, or do the registry hack to make the SSD bootable in AHCI mose.

bhavv · 30 Nov 2011 at 11:12

Cool, after just a few hours of leaving my PC logged off, my write speeds are back to normal (50+ mbps, before they had fallen to under 30).

The C300 doesnt have high write speeds anyway, but having them drop so much was annoying.

setter · 30 Nov 2011 at 11:53

Yep, i leave my sysyem on the login screen for a few hours a week to let garbage collection do it's thing, (ocz vertex 2e bigfoot 120gb).

DragonQ · 30 Nov 2011 at 13:13

By the way, TRIM works fine in IDE mode. The logging off probably helped the garbage collection catch up though.

Also, Marvell controllers suck - you'd get faster speeds using an Intel/AMD controller, unless your Marvell controller is SATA 6 Gbps and your Intel/AMD controller is only SATA 3 Gbps.

bhavv · 1 Dec 2011 at 04:39

Trim doesnt work in IDE mode, I had my pc on the log in screen for full 24 hour days before and it did nothing.

And yes, X58 only has Sata 3 gbps Intel ports, and my mobo has two marvel sata 6 gbps ports. I wouldnt get 366 mbps read speeds with my C300 on sata 3 gbps.