SSD => HELP HOW TO TEST ITS SPEED!!

[alricking113]

Hi guys,
I just brought this SSD:
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16820227550&cm_re=OCZ_vertex_2-_-20-227-550-_-Product

-WAs wondering.. is there a program or some kind of tools I can use to test its performance.. if it is indeed at least reading: up to 285MB/s and writing: up to 275MB/s

This is my first SSD and I am very newbie ..and also ..I thought all you needed was just pug in the SSD to either SATA II or SATA III and it should automatically detects and able to run at the manfactured stated speeds...........

BUT..

This guy from the review saying something about have to "enable" in Bios "AHCI" or update firmwire to all allow the SSD to read at its max..:

Words of advice: To everyone considering this (or any OCZ) drive, do you know what AHCI mode is? If you do not, be ready for several hours of frustration, research, and tweaking of your OS. If you do not configure the computer to AHCI mode before installing Windows, you will see decreased performance (which will be less than half the max performace speed listed on the box). Also, you won't be able to upgrade the Firmware of the drive.

Look in your BIOS for the AHCI configuration choice. If you happen to have a latop, like myself, where there IS no setting like that, check and see if there's a RAID enable/disable choice. I could start in AHCI mode if I had the RAID entry enabled.
Other Thoughts: If you had no previous knowledge of SSD's and you bought one, the drive would still work, but you would not get the performance listed by the manufactorer. You would need to go to the company's website, check for any updates to the drives, and read they're forums for other peoples advice and support.

That said, the "manual" that comes with the drive has no mention that the drive performs best in AHCI mode or that Firmware drivers are available on the company website. Even a small paragraph listed somewhere in/on the box with that information would have saved me (and countless others) several hours of grief.



Any suggestion or comments please..Thanks

 

[foscooter]

Go to the OCZ website. I once found some stuff there.

YES, enable ACHI in the BIOS for SATA drives to get the best out of SSD.

BUT, you'll have to set it back to IDE or Enhanced to do a firmware upgrade. This info should be on the OCZ website for firmware updates. Once updated, set it back to ACHI.

30Gb is tight. What OS? Using a second HDD drive for data/media/programs? Although my Windows 7 OS drive only uses 21+GB of space, out of 80GB...

Benchmarks: Try HDTune, but it's only free for 15 days.

 

[alricking113]

I will be using Window 7 x64 bit AND I have this motherboard.. i believe it should have ACHI??

ASUS P6X58D-E

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16813131641&cm_re=ASUS_SATA_III-_-13-131-641-_-Product

..I am confuse.. I read somewhere if you install Window using "IDE" and then switch to ACHI your operating system won't work or I believe needed to "reformat" .. I think I read it somewhere when searching for ACHI...is it true?

 

[foscooter]

Ok, OS and Mobo are great.

You would switch BIOS to "IDE" before updating the fimware, from a DOS disk or USB drive, and not even boot into Windows. Then you'd set it to "ACHI", and boot into Windows.

BUT, you should do this BEFORE you install the OS to the SSD anyway.

So, YES! Have your BIOS set SATA to ACHI before you install the OS (after doing a firmware update, if even needed).

 

[alricking113]

Thanks for the help bro, but I am confuse with your instruction because it seem to go the opposite of OCZ instruction.

I believee they wanted "us" to SET BIOS to ACHI, then install Window 7, and then do the firmwire update..

It seem there's a problem with IDE going to ACHI in order to update to firmwire 1.1v.. therefore, what you said "above," no need to switch back to IDE since ACHI should not be a problem for updating version 1.1 firmwire.

HERE's the Link of guide directly from OCZ website ..Hopefully I am reading things correct..Please let me know if I am right or wrong after reading the guideline..

http://www.ocztechnology.com/ssd_tools/OCZ_Vertex_2,_Vertex_LE,_Agility_2/

THEN click on the download link for the "guide"..it should download a PDF file..

 

[foscooter]

Ah, ok, I see. My Intel SSD needed it done that way. I'll read more later, and get back to ya.