ejp

Thanks @samcool55 for all your help, you and @zMeul were able to put me at ease by confirming that my Intel SATA RAID controller (although it doesn't say AHCI) it does in fact have AHCI enabled and does default AHCI mode if I don't have a RAID array setup (or more simply, the Intel SATA RAID controller seems to support both RAID and AHCI and defaults to AHCI with all AHCI features included if you don't have a RAID array set between your disks). The conflicting information/recommendations I was getting from the zitat guy and the other forum was really worrying me that the Intel SATA RAID controller was not in AHCI mode (because the controller says RAID and nothing about AHCI in device manager) and did not have all the benefits AHCI provides (which is what I need because I'm not running RAID, just a SSD boot and program primary drive, and a HDD for storage). Correct me if I'm wrong, but you, zMeul and a few other knowledgable individuals (see image below) all seem to be saying the same thing and agreeing on the same points however. Can you lend me your thoughts on the posts of information in the screen shots above? Correct me if I'm wrong, but if I understand this all correctly now, all 5 of you( yourself, zMeul, and the 3 other individuals posts above) all seem to be saying the exact same thing, and all of you seem to really know what you're talking about. In short, all 5 of you say: connect your SSD and HDD to the Intel SATA RAID controller > don't worry about it being in AHCI mode, it is by default if you don't have a RAID array setup > SATA ports 1-3 that show your drives under the INTEL SATA RAID controller in device manager is the highest performance you will get period. Something that I did not know, but I later gathered from the posts above, is that there are two entirely different quality controllers on most motherboards ( I assume my mobo too) which is why it shows two different controllers in device manager, but the second controller (the one that shows Standard AHCI controller in SATA ports 4-6 for my board) are of much lesser quality than the Intel SATA RAID controller (ports 1-3), and thus you should always use the Intel RAID controller for best performance. If you'd be so kind, please correct any misunderstandings or misrepresentation of your recommendation/the information you see above if it is in error, but I think I understand it all now :). To answer your motherboard question, I believe I have an Intel x99 chipset (please see included image of device manager to confirm that I am correct in the motherboard I have) and it is the same motherboard in all Alienware A51R2 system. To to left in the image above you can see the motherboard as it appears in device manager which is Intel x99 (unless im wrong). In this image you can also confirm if my drives are now correctly connected to the right controller, if the AS SSD benchmark is showing the correct speeds and if the iaStorA green text to the left of the AS SSD benchmark all looks perfect to you. (let me know if anything is wrong) This has been a WAY more confusing problem for me to solve because Dell has locked down the BIOS features and it has no AHCI/RAID on and off option (which most BIOS have). So I had to physically connect the drives to SATA 1-3 and then SATA 4-6 and look under device manager to see which controller they appeared under. Pending your response, I think I might finally have everything worked out and have an understanding for whats going on here. I'll keep my drives on the Intel SATA RAID controller (connected to SATA ports 1-3), not worry about AHCI mode being enabled (even if the Intel controller says just RAID and Samsung magician says no AHCI detected) because AHCI mode is enabled by default if no RAID is setup between my drives, and finally have peace of mind knowing that I am getting the best performance from my drives having them connected to the Intel SATA RAID controller instead of the Standard AHCI controller. Pending your response and confirmation of the information in this post, I will happily commend you and zMeul both for all of your help. Happy Holidays.

Thanks so much zMeul for all your help, you've taught me a lot. Just to finally clarify, please confirm for me in the image below that this is the correct up to date driver and that everything in the image appears right (the device manager controller my drives are under, the AS SSD green text and benchmark, AHCI mode is confirmed running and how you can tell this, and anything else you can see). I just want to make sure I've got everything perfectly correct for the best performance possible, and I want to be sure that I have all my drives installed under the right controller with the right driver version so I can implement your recommendation. If, in looking at all the info in the image you conclude this is exactly how you would have it set up, I will proceed with implementing your recommendation.

I got that from the Frenando's WIN RAID forum, and as you can see from the screen shot above, he mentions that if my drives are connected to the Intel RAID controller seen in the image below, that even though I'm not running in a RAID configuration it is still in RAID mode and I should connect them to the Standard AHCI controller for best performance. Perhaps you can elaborate a bit on why the information in the image above is incorrect? So, just to be clear, the image below is exactly the setup you would choose and I should use for my SSD and HDD not in raid for max performance In AHCI correct?: Maybe @samcool55 can weigh in here when he gets a spare second to help resolve the confusion.

Alright guys, while I thought that I had solved this issue last night after providing the benchmarks and @zMeul mentioning that I am confirmed running in AHCI mode in looking at the AS SSD screen shots, and @samcool55 assuring me that although my drives were connected to the Intel Raid Controller, it didn't mean that I was running my drives in RAID rather AHCI still I came across a contradiction that has me confused--please see the following screen shot. Can you lend me your thoughts on if this information is in fact correct or if there is some kind of discrepancy I'm not understanding? I'm back to being unsure if I should have my drives on the Intel RAID controller now or the Standard AHCI one :(.

Thank you both so so much, I've learned ALOT. If you'd be so kind, could you both address the part in my most recent post about the Intel RAID controller name change and the driver version info I posted for you? Then I promise I'll be out of your hair if that looks correct to you guys :). For my education, can you describe what this iAstorav in green is to the left of AS SSD benchmark? It is in place of the AHCI that is shown in green when they are under just the AHCI controller. and... So, it's best to have both the SSD and the HDD on the same Intel Raid Controller instead of having SSD on the Intel Raid controller and the HDD on the AHCI controller, yes?

Ah thank you sir. So you can see from the benchmark comparison that my 4k speeds and access times are better in the Intel RAID controller benchmark vs the AHCI controller benchmark? and... I should keep both my SSD and HDD on the Intel controller instead of the SSD on the Intel controller and my HDD on the AHCI controller?

Okay so just to be clear, the first image that I posted showing my SSD and HDD under the Intel RAID controller--I got the most up to date driver from my PC manufacturer seen here: One of these downloads is a zip file which I used to update the Intel RAID controller driver in device manager with and the other download is the Intel rapid storage technology software. Once I installed the updated driver it changed my Intel RAID controllers name in device manger from: - Intel R Desktop/Workstation/Server express chipset SATA RAID controller to - Intel Chipset SATA RAID Controller Is this now the Intel driver and not the standard one you suggested given that I installed the drivers you see in the image above? Here is an image of the version and driver name it changed to in device manager once installed the updated driver from my manufacturer seen above. Can you confirm that it is fully updated? If you can absolutely confirm that all is well currently with the images I've provided and that I am in fact in AHCI mode, then it seems I will be going with keeping both my SSD and HDD on the Intel SATA RAID controller. To be sure, I should have both SSD AND HDD on the Intel controller yes? Thank you sir, and my apologies, it was just info in threads like these: http://www.tomshardware.com/answers/id-2472554/ssd-ahci-mode-raid-mode.html that really worried me about AHCI vs RAID as some are saying always use AHCI if you don't have RAID setup and

I have all the benchmarks posted for both of you above, just wanted to call your attention to it.

Okay, so here are the following benchmarks requested: 1st benchmark is with both SSD and HDD connected to SATA pots 1 and 2. In the image I have provided two benchmarks (one using AS SSD and the other Samsung magician with no RAPID mode enabled), the device manager showing where the drives are appear under, and the Intel R RAID controllers driver version info (please confirm for me if this is the most up to date version of the driver), and lastly the Intel rapid storage technology software window showing both my SSD and HDD: 1st screen shot = Benchmark with both SSD and HDD connected to SATA ports 1 & 2 appearing under the Intel SATA RAID controller in device manager: 2nd screen shot = Benchmark with SSD and HDD connected to SATA ports 4 & 5 appearing under Standard SATA AHCI controller in device manager Please confirm if these numbers, what you see to the left of AS SSD, and everything you see in the device manager all looks correct. From what I see from the benchmarks is that they are very close with the performance slightly in favor of the Intel RAID controller. Although Samsung Magician does not detect AHCI (I dont know why), AHCI should be activated correct? Please give me your final recommendation of if I should keep the drives in the first setup or the second.

Yep, Im getting benchmarks for both now and ill post them in just a few minutes so you can confirm. Thanks friend.

Thank you for the follow-up. The Intel RST I am worried about because mine says Intel R Desktop/Workstation/Server Express Chipset SATA RAID controller which means, in applying what your most recent post said, it is in RAID mode, and this worries me because I cannot choose AHCI or RAID in my BIOS like most other motherboards, thus I'm worried that that Intel R controller saying RAID instead of AHCI means that I am not getting the benifits of AHCI on my SSD (samsung magician also doesn't find AHCI or the interface when its connected to the Intel R SATA controller) A previous posted mentioned that the Intel RAID supports AHCI as well but if my BIOS is locked in RAID mode, I'm worried that AHCI is not enabled. I also have no way of confirming if in fact AHCI is activated when my drives are connected to the Intel R SATA RAID controller.

I'm not sure I understand what you mean, can you elaborate for me (no abbreviations)

Okay, ill get those benchmarks posted in just a few minutes, Im running them now. Thank you.

Unfortunately because my BIOS is modified by Alienware, it unbelievably does not have an option in the BIOS to turn on/off AHCI or RAID mode, thus I have to physically move the drives SATA port connection (if connected to SATA port 1-3 drives will appear under Intel R RAID controller but if connected to SATA ports 4-6 they show up under Standard AHCI controller). My only concern is that Samsung magician software does not detect AHCI or interface when it's on the Intel R RAID controller, but does when it is under the Standard AHCI controller. I can only use RAPID mode when Samsung software confirms AHCI mode. So, if I choose to have all the Drives in SATA port 4-6 under the Standard AHCI controller that would be a bad thing? I wouldn't loose any features or performance correct? I'm just worried about the Intel R SATA RAID controller because i don't know how I can confirm that AHCI is in fact running and provided by that controller, but AHCI obviously is under the SATA AHCI controller, thus I've been leaning towards keeping the drives under the Standard AHCI controller--would this be a bad thing?

Okay, ill run and post some benchmarks on the SSD and the HDD using AS SSD and Samsung magician so that you can confirm. Also, which "way they are connected" are you referring to (just so i'm clear) because I provided 2 setups (1 where my SSD, HDD, and optic drive are found under the Standard SATA AHCI controller physically plugged into SATA port 4 (SSD), SATA port 5 (HDD), and SATA port 6 (optic drive) and 2 - the other setup showing them under the Intel R SATA RAID controller (my SSD plugged into SATA port 1, HDD SATA port 2, and optic drive on SATA port 6 default). Thus, which good connection are you referring to? I'll get the benchmark screen shots posted very soon, and thank you.