Windows 7 Intel X38 Driver question. Help!

[crimsonking]

Thanks in advance!

I am currently running Windows 7 64-bit on an Asus Maximus Formula mobo using the intel X38 chipset. I have installed the new Intel chipset utility software dated 12/22/09 and all it installed was a SATA channel driver. No harm no foul. I check device manager and it still shows my WD Black 1TB HDD on "Standard IDE Port" at UDMA 5. Not the Intel ICH9 Standard SATA Controller. Hmmm... In details, it shows no attached drives.

In my bios I have it configured for IDE mode, not AHCI or RAID. Is this why? If so, are there really any true advantages moving to AHCI?

I ran HDD tune and it confirms the UDMA 5 status, is this not due to the standard drivers? For supported it shows UDMA6, but for active it shows UDMA 5.

When I look in device manager, it shows my system devices such as my intel PCI-Express Peg Root and other drivers are provided by Microsoft, not intel.

I remember with Vista the intel chipset utility updated all of those from what MS threw at us.

If anyone can shed any light on this subject it would be deeply appreciated. Am I missing something?

Again, thanks!

 

[crimsonking]

Bueller? Bueller? Anyone? Please?

 

[GhislainG]

You need to configure the SATA controller as AHCI or RAID.

 

[crimsonking]

Thanks for the reply, GhislainG! = )

Is it really worth moving to AHCI? I have looked some benchmarks and they are kind of confusing. Some show that it helps in everyday mutli-tasking. Some don't.

Should I move to AHCI? I game every once in awhile. I mainly use my PC for multi-tasking office apps, and web design programs.

Again, any insight would be deeply appreciated. Thanks!

 

[GhislainG]

You won't be able to tell the difference. You can't move to AHCI without making changes to the registry or reinstalling Windows 7.

 

[crimsonking]

Thanks, GhislainG!

I will stay at IDE mode. = )

 

[crimsonking]

Best answer selected by crimsonking.

 

[mikey5802]

GhislainG wrote:

You won't be able to tell the difference. You can't move to AHCI without making changes to the registry or reinstalling Windows 7.


You should be able to notice the difference, but you'll have to try one of the following to get it to work:

Make a backup of your registry file before attempting any of the following!!

Try the suggestion from this link first:

http://www.tomshardware.com/forum/275009-31-ahci-sata-drives


If the suggestion from JamesA57 doesn't work, then try this one:

http://forums.pcper.com/showthread.php?t=444831


If either of the above mods don't work, try this one (it's more complicated):

http://forum.msi.com.tw/index.php?topic=106575.0

-OR-

Search Google for the advantage of AHCI over IDE mode. There are plenty of links you can browse to offering fixes for this issue.

 

[GhislainG]

I've switched a fairly fast hard disk (WD6401AALS) and I'll admit that I can't detect the difference on a PC. The difference can barely be detected on a server with significant I/O from several clients or VMs.