Installing Windows 7 With AHCI

[Ritwik7]

Hi guys!

I will be re-installing my Windows 7 Ultimate x64 with AHCI enabled in BIOS. Currently it's running in IDE mode. Once I enable AHCI in BIOS and put in the Windows 7 disc in the drive, do I need to supply the AHCI drivers or will Windows 7 provide one?

If I have to supply it, how exactly do I go about doing so?

Thanks a lot. Awaiting responses.

 

[dividebyzero]

I know WIn7 includes a generic Intel AHCI driver. Just a matter of enabling in the BIOS as you say then installing. I'm not sure regarding AMD AHCI drivers - I would assume so.
If there isn't then you would have the option of a custom install with AMD drivers?

 

[Ritwik7]

Thanks DBZ.

I'm using the ASUS M4A78T-E motherboard. On it's website I only find AMD AHCI Compatible RAID Controller Driver.

Is that the one I'm supposed to install if the generic ones don't work?

Also, if I'm using a single HDD now, is it OK to install RAID drivers? Is that a better idea?

 

[dividebyzero]

Hi Rit,
From what I can see, the MS AMD AHCI driver (and there should be one in the WIn7 install so I've just found out) is better than the official AMD AHCI driver-at least from what I can make out from this
http://techreport.com/articles.x/17061/9
I don't know if you'll make much headway installing RAID drivers unless you plan on RAID for storage drives- forums seem split on the stability of various AMD southbridges with the AMD driver. I presume you're looking at this page at http://game.amd.com/us-en/drivers_catalyst.aspx

 

[Ritwik7]

Thanks DBZ. For that very reason I went with the AHCI drivers that came with Windows 7. As such, at least for Copy / Pasting files (large ones) from my external maxtor to my HDD are concerned, there isn't any improvement in transfer rates after switching to AHCI. Pretty much identical to IDE.