X100e and AHCI

I have a Lenovo X100e. First thing I did upon unboxing was take out the included HD and replaced it with a 60GB OCZ Vertex SSD(with most recent firmware updates already applied).

By default the HD mode was set to legacy. I changed it to AHCI, and then tried to install a clean copy of 32bit Windows 7 home premium. No Go. Windows would not install, gave error about the HD not being compatible.

So I turned off AHCI mode, and Windows installed fine. So then I went and turned AHCI back on. And again, windows fails. It will not boot.

So as I understand it, I need the HD mode to be AHCI, for Windows 7 to be able to TRIM the SSD. But windows will not boot when AHCI is enabled.

Is inability to boot windows with AHCI enabled a problem with the X100e bios, or is windows just missing the right driver. If it is a driver issue, does anyone know where I can find a AHCI driver for the X100e?

 

I don't know if this is the same problem or not. Worth a try?

- Set BIOS back to IDE
- Start Windows
- Run Registry Editor
- Go to HKLM\System\CurrentControlSet\Services\Msahci
- Change the "Start" value to 0
- Reboot and go to BIOS immediately
- Set BIOS to AHCI


Source: Windows 7 and AHCI - AVForums.com

 

IF you want TRIM to work in AHCI mode, then you need the Intel Rapid Storage Technology driver. Go to Intel's website and download it from their support section.

It will come with two pieces of software -- one that you install from a USB key when you first install Win7, and another that you install after the setup is complete. The 2nd one is optional, as it's primarily a client that you can use to view status / capabilities of the drives installed.

 

That solved the problem. Thanks.

 

Why would I need to install an Intel driver? There is not a single Intel component in this computer.

 

Yeah, my bad, I forgot that model is all AMD stuff.

So nevermind, if you want TRIM support, you have to retain the Microsoft driver and run it in IDE mode. Otherwise, AHCI mode on that chipset will not support TRIM commands. I believe the original OCZ Vertex series has it's own garbage collection, so if that's true, just make sure the drive is never set to sleep so that it's own garbage collection can work.

 

Why not? Do you have a link where I can read more about this MB not supporting trim? Trim worked just fine with this SSD on my AMD desktop...

 

Trim under AHCI mode is not supported on any current AMD chipset. More information can be found in this quite long thread:

AMD Processors Forums - AMD AHCI Driver SSD TRIM Support

TRIM is only supported on AMD chipsets when the system is running in non-AHCI mode (ie, using the Microsoft supplied IDE driver.)

 

I do not get the same conclusion after reading that thread. What I get out of that thread is that:

Microsoft AHCI driver DOES support trim, but 3rd party RAID drivers do not. So you have to choose between using the Microsoft driver (which supports trim), or the 3rd party RAID driver which does not. Also, I see nothing in that thread that claims that TRIM will work in any system with the drive in legacy/non-ahci mode. I am still pretty sure it will not.

I just checked the device manager, I am currently using the microsoft ahci driver and I have no need for RAID in this laptop that only has one SATA connector, so the microsoft ahci driver should be all I need.

From what I can tell TRIM should be working just fine now.

 

Arg, I'm such an idiot.

You're right of course, I had it backwards in my head. I don't know enough about the AMD platform

 

Good to hear. You can always check by running command prompt.


Command prompt > fsutil behavior query disabledeletenotify

DisableDeleteNotify = 1 (Windows TRIM commands are disabled)
DisableDeleteNotify = 0 (Windows TRIM commands are enabled)


Run command prompt as Administrator

 

Hi. I know it is not the subject. But how do you find the screen ?
thanks