Questions about OS Install on MSATA on a 2013 Alienware 17.

First off - Thank you any and all for your help. It is GREATLY appreciated, from a long time lurker.

I currently have a 2013 Alienware 17 with a SSD (OS) in bay 1 and a HDD in bay 2 (1 TB general storage.) I wanted to replace the current SSD with another large capacity drive so I purchased a Samasung 840 Evo Msata drive. It is currently installed and the magician software sees it.

Before I install windows 8 to it, I have some concerns about MSATA, as I am not too well acquainted with the technology. To my knowledge I just need to switch to AHCI in the bios then install windows 8.

1. Can I switch specific drives to AHCI only?
2. Will the drives currently in my computer still work as they currently do if I switch to AHCI?
3. Should I remove both currently existing drives before I switch over to AHCI?
4. Any other recommendations?

I'm terrified I'm going to render my current drives useless and prevent my self from just switching back to my current drives if something goes wrong.
Again, thank you all for you assistance!

- Weazelghast

 

1. No, unless you have multiple controllers to enable/disable AHCI on.

2. Depends if they're in AHCI mode already. Search for how to switch a running system from IDE to AHCI for modern O/S's.

3. YES! If you leave other drives installed, you may not be able to remove/replace them easily in the future (computer won't boot without them).

4. I'd be concerned about the mSATA EVO's lack of TRIM see Anandtech article on the mSATA EVO's for further info.


Before you put the old drives back in, make sure the BIOS is actually allowing (and set to) to boot from the mSATA.


Of course; the usual advice too - clean Windows 8.1 Update 1 install (via USB), OP the drive (my recommendation; 30%) and turn off all animations, System Restore, Error Reporting, Hibernation and depending on your workflow/software, the pagefile too (assuming you have 16GB RAM or more).


Good luck.

 

I have the mSATA 840 EVO 1TB and TRIM DOEs work I have verified using trimcheck.exe

Now, ensure that you only have one drive when installing Windows otherwise your boot files may be copied on to the other drives. So connect your new mSATA Drive and disconnect the cable from the other 2 drives.

Install Windows in AHCI mode if you are not planning on using RAId for maximum performance.

Once you are in Windows, reconnect those 2 other drivers and then run Samsung Magician to easily do the OP (over provisioning) [I highly recommend you OP by 30% if you don't really need all the space in your drive otherwise 10% as a minimum OP]

 

Ferris23,

trimcheck.exe is not a true test of properly functioning TRIM.

Connecting drives while Windows is running is not recommended (as you seem to suggest).

Using Magician to OP is also not recommended (by me); during the clean install; partition the drive as required. (Knowing that you can adjust as needed after Windows is fully loaded).

 

Bro,

Where did I say connect that drive while Windows is running? noone in his right mind would do that, what I meant after the installation, he needs to connect the drivers, obviously after shutting down sorry if it didn't sound that obvious

Now about TRIM, you go into ever 840 mSATA EVO saying that TRIM does not work on the mSATA 840 EVO just because of what you saw of an early review on Anandtech, can you show me where they said it didn't work? I thought what they said it didn't kick in as fast as it usually would but didn't state that it doesn't work......I will requote an earlier post I made to you which I dont get it why is it so difficult for you to believe it works when every person on every other forum I visit including OC Forums stated that trimcheck.exe is the perfect test.......

Ok does this help to confirm that TRIM does work on the mSATA 840 EVO?





If that doesn't convince you, how else do you want me to prove that it works and Anandtech's article is not true about TRIM not working?

From Overclock Forum:

 

Tiiler, Ferris,

Thank you! Again, I can't express my gratitude enough.

One last question for you guys (if you are familiar

I used alienware respawn to create a reinstall image on a USB Key. I do not have the original discs for Windows 8, as they do not come with Alienware laptops. Is this ok to use or should I call up MS to get a new install disc?

 

1) MS will not provide you with the installation media

Alienware would and for FREE! I simply called them and said that my Windows 8 DVD was damaged they sent me a Windows 8.1 DVD free of charge within 1 day!

2) If it helps you, I can create a Windows 8.1 Clean Installation Guide for the Alienware 18 with step by step instructions and the magnet download link for the correct untouched ISO from MSDN

tell me which route you want and I'll help you get this 100% right

 

You're welcome.

The image you created should be fine (and will be a licensed O/S), but a clean install of the latest Win 8.1 Update 1 image along with the current drivers for your system will be better (but much more work; well worth it to me).

 

The Anandtech article I'm remembering:

See:
AnandTech | Samsung SSD 840 EVO mSATA (120GB, 250GB, 500GB & 1TB) Review

 

That's a very old article, and despite Samsung not releasing any firmware updates. I can guarantee you that me and hundreds of users on other forums can guarantee TRIM is working.

 

Not (good enough) for me.

Samsung was contacted about the issue and the article stated that an update would be coming - none did. The article stands.

 

you are free to login to my system via TeamViewer to do all the checks you want to check if TRIM is really working or not. I tried PMing you but you have turned PM off.

 

I am absolutely willing to go option 2 if you're willing to spend the time to do that! Again, I'm blown away by the generosity of people in this community =D

 

please post your email as I am not able to PM you since you're a new member

put a space in between your email to avoid spammers from catching it

 

Thanks for the offer, but it would be meaningless unless the testing was done on my own setups, just a little surprised that Samsung hasn't responded to Anandtech. Okay, more than surprised.

 

Can you tell me why is that the case? I used the magician prog. to do the OP, does it damage the ssd or something?

 

To me, it 'damages' the O/S install (the 'optimizations' it offers to do to kill your system - I don't trust auto anything).

 

I would like some proof on that please as I have been using the OP and OS optimization since more than 6 months on various Samsung SSDs and it has been nothing but amazing

 

Granted, the early issues may have been fixed in the latest Magician, but when I did this (about a year and a half ago now?) I re-installed the just clean installed O/S.

Nothing to put my finger on (specifically), but based on the hundreds of O/S installs I've done, something was off. Never bothered to test this again.

Also, with Magician running - it just bothers me that I have another useless program checking for updates that may never come. I only install to update firmware if possible and promptly uninstall.

With a couple of systems that I am testing RAPID on - I like that on a non-administrative (Standard) user account the Magician software isn't running (but RAPID still does).


You are tempting me to test this on a new system setup again - but the OP'ing I will never leave until after Windows is installed: this needs to be done (optimally) at first use of the SSD, not after all nand pages have had a chance to become 'dirty'.

 

well with someone that has OCD like me and would format his system if he gets any error, I would've immediately noticed if something felt *not right* as you say

About OPing before hand, I don't think it's as extreme as you say because when you fresh install, most of your SSD is probably empty (free space) so it's not like you would install an OS and start hammering your system, I OP right after I install the OS as I prefer to do it 100% right through Magician, you know, it's like you would prefer to have your brakes changed at the dealership coz you know they'll get it 100% right as opposed to doing it yourself even if you know what you're doing.

But again, that's a personal preference..

RAPID, I never use, never saw one bit of a difference with it on other than the fake synthetic benchmarks

please read this:

A Closer look at Samsung CRAPID

 

Magician doesn't do it 100% right - it has to use the MS API's to accomplish it. Don't want no middle man at all; Windows install disk or Disk Management is the only 'right' way to do it.

I agree about RAPID in general - but testing never hurts.



Stay tuned as I do have some positive results with RAPID in very specific situations.

 

Let me get my popcorn

 

If I dont have windows running, i.e. a place for magician to be installed to and run from, how could I possibly OP the drive before it is installed? My email is kasdigha(at)gmail(dot)com.

 

With a Windows install disk or USB key, go to advanced options when you select the drive to install to, choose create partition and instead of using the full size it recommends as a default (in MB's), simply take that number, multiply by 0.70 and use that instead.

Now, you've OP'ed the drive before you've installed Windows or that pesky and normally unnecessary magician software.