Converting SATA ports IDE to AHCI BIOS help

Hounder

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Jul 27, 2014
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Computer building newbie here. I just completed my first build and everything runs successfully! However, I made an optimizing mistake. I have a SSD (samsung evo) and I did not realize I should have enabled AHCI before I installed Windows. I realize doing so now would not work, I need the registry fix or a Windows re-install. But before that step I am not sure how to even correctly convert my SATA ports over to AHCI.

I have a Gigabyte GA-970A-DS3P mobo. I get into Bios -> peripherals and I find the option to change SATA ports 0-3 to AHCI and then keep ports 4-5 IDE or "Sata type" (some option I can't remember exactly). Now I have 3 things into my SATA ports currently. My SSD, my optical drive (Asus 24x DVD burner), and an e-sata plug in. So that means if I change ports 0-3 to AHCI and 4-5 to IDE then all my IDE ports are full. At some point I am planning on getting an HDD which I have read should be in IDE mode, but I will be out of IDE ports? Or can my optical drive and e-sata plug be in AHCI ports?

Less wordy version : What can all be plugged into my 4 AHCI SATA Ports? And should I be worried about only having 2 IDE ports?

I hope this makes some sense, as stated I am new to all this and I don't fully understand the "whys" of all these changes, I just know it will be better for my performance.

I very much appreciate the help! Let me know what more you need from me.
 
Solution
SATA ports can have 3 settings (modes): IDE, ACHI, & RAID.

Most Optical drives (CD, DVD, Blu-ray, etc.) use IDE mode.
Most Older HDDs use IDE mode. Newer HDDs have slightly better performance in AHCI mode.
All SSDs need to be in AHCI mode for best performance. They will work in IDE mode but at reduced performance.
If you are combining 2 or more HDDs or 2 or more SSDs into a single RAID array then the drives in the array have to be in RAID mode.


Try these steps:

1.) Connect your SSD to port SATA 0
2.) Connect your DVD to port SATA 4
3.) In BIOS the OnChip SATA Type should be set to "IDE"
4.) In BIOS the OnChip SATA Port4/5 Type should be set to "IDE"
5.) Edit your Windows Registry file...
SATA ports can have 3 settings (modes): IDE, ACHI, & RAID.

Most Optical drives (CD, DVD, Blu-ray, etc.) use IDE mode.
Most Older HDDs use IDE mode. Newer HDDs have slightly better performance in AHCI mode.
All SSDs need to be in AHCI mode for best performance. They will work in IDE mode but at reduced performance.
If you are combining 2 or more HDDs or 2 or more SSDs into a single RAID array then the drives in the array have to be in RAID mode.


Try these steps:

1.) Connect your SSD to port SATA 0
2.) Connect your DVD to port SATA 4
3.) In BIOS the OnChip SATA Type should be set to "IDE"
4.) In BIOS the OnChip SATA Port4/5 Type should be set to "IDE"
5.) Edit your Windows Registry file: http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/61869-ahci-enable-windows-7-vista.html
6.) Reboot into BIOS and set OnChip SATA Type to "AHCI"
7.) Boot into Windows and see if it boots normally without a BSOD
8.) Connect any HDDs or eSATA plugs to ports SATA 1 - SATA 3
9.) Benchmark your SSD with Samsung Magician (with RAPID mode disabled) to see if you are getting close to advertised Read/Write speeds.

 
Solution

Hounder

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Jul 27, 2014
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It worked and with no BSOD! Thanks so much!

And I think my Magician speeds are optimal (I'm having a hard time understanding what to compare) but I got:

Seq Read : 476 mb/s
Seq Write : 481 mb/s
Random Read : 40372 IOPS
Readom Write : 36242 IOPS

Which from what I have found is at or above the advertised speeds.

So when I do buy an HDD, *most* will be able to plug into an AHCI port, my 0-3?

Thanks again for the help!