New Intel 80gb as OS SSD

Paddyw01 · 31 May 2011 at 12:36

Hey guys,

I haven't been on here in a long time, but I've finally decided to upgrade to an SSD, and the one I'm looking at is the Intel 320 series 80gb http://www.overclockers.co.uk/showproduct.php?prodid=HD-012-IN&groupid=701&catid=14&subcat=910 but I have a few questions.

I've had a look through the SSD sticky thread and tried to find a similar topic in the first few pages, but I'm unsure as to how to make sure Trim is enabled seeing as it'll be my OS drive (Windows 7). How should I go about this? I've heard that all I have to do is physically install the SSD, set-up the primary boot drive as my DVD drive, then install Windows 7 as if it's a mechanical drive and Windows 7 will do the rest, but I've also heard that some, if not all SSD's require you to flash it with new Firmware to enable Trim. Is this true? Is this applicable with these new Intel 320 series drives?

My other question is, and forgive me if this is a ridiculous question, if it does need a firmware update to enable Trim, how on earth do I do that? Is this something that needs to be done before installing the OS, or after?

Also, from the product description on the OCUK page, it doesn't say that this drive comes with 2'5 inch to 3'5 inch adapters, only that it is "Supplied with FREE Limited Edition Intel Tool Kit and Intel branded Mini Maglite" which I think is a bit useless considering that a lot of people need the adapters. So does anybody know whether this drive comes with these adapters?

My last question is (for the moment anyway), what do you guys think of this SSD? I was looking at this Crucial SSD http://www.overclockers.co.uk/showproduct.php?prodid=HD-008-CR&groupid=701&catid=14&subcat=910 for a while, but the most important factor for me is reliability, and another user on here posted somewhere that Intel drives (based on the X-25) have a 0.59% failure rate as reported by independent sources. Naturally I want the sheer performance of an SSD, but I really don't mind sacrificing a little performance for greater reliability, that and apparently Intel have increased their warranties on these drives from 3 to 5 years.

Anyway, let me know what you guys think and any help and advice would be greatly appreciated.

Zarf · 31 May 2011 at 13:54

The 320 series is new, it doesn't need any firmware updates, It already supports Trim.
Just plug it in and install Windows 7.

The M4's aren't bad drives, same controller/build as the Intel 510 series iirc. Note that you'd need SATA 6Gb/s mothereboard to get any better speed out of them than the Intels 310's.
Even with a SATA 6Gb motherboard the extra speed isn't actually that noticable most of the time, I think you'd be better off with the extra space of the 80GB Intel.

I'm not sure whether the drive comes with a mounting kit, think the retail editions usually do though. Personally I just use Velcro strips for mine, SSD's are so light and small that you can secure them anywhere.

Paddyw01 · 31 May 2011 at 15:32

Hey Zarf,

Is that the way you installed it as I noticed from your sig that you have an Intel X-25? Isn't there anything I have to do to enable Trim, or will Windows 7 literally do everything?

Just thought of something quickly: after I've plugged it in and set my boot drive as my DVD drive (or before actually), do I set the SSD to AHCI? Forgive me again, but I don't recall seeing AHCI in my BIOS (ASUS P6T Deluxe), so how should I go about enabling that?

Thanks again.

Paddyw01 · 31 May 2011 at 18:13

Anyone? Really eager to get an SSD haha

Zarf · 31 May 2011 at 19:24

Windows 7 will do everything, alignment, TRIM, disabling unnecessary services etc. It'll detect the SSD when you run a windows performance test.

AHCI should be enabled before you install windows. It can be done afterwards but you need to edit the registry.

Your board definitely supports AHCI, the BIOS option should be under 'Main' -> 'Storage Configuration'.

You can set it as Enhanced also.

Paddyw01 · 31 May 2011 at 23:07

That's definitely good to know that W7 will do everything, as I remember previous versions of Windows which were a pain. However, although you've reassured me when it comes to Trim, I'm still a bit concerned with what some people have been saying about loading up a command prompt window or something like that to enable it. Do you know what that's about?

Incidentally, did you have any problems installing your SSD?

Many thanks for posting that BIOS picture too.

I'm going to go for the Intel 320 series 80gb after reading its reviews; not as fast as other drives, but a whole lot more reliable (hopefully).

Zarf · 1 Jun 2011 at 10:32

Paddyw01 said:
That's definitely good to know that W7 will do everything, as I remember previous versions of Windows which were a pain. However, although you've reassured me when it comes to Trim, I'm still a bit concerned with what some people have been saying about loading up a command prompt window or something like that to enable it. Do you know what that's about?

Incidentally, did you have any problems installing your SSD?

Many thanks for posting that BIOS picture too.

I'm going to go for the Intel 320 series 80gb after reading its reviews; not as fast as other drives, but a whole lot more reliable (hopefully).

The command window thing lets you check that windows has turned it on and manually toggle it. It should be on by default but if you wish to check open up a command window (press start, type CMD, right click and run as administrator)

Run:

Code:

fsutil behavior query disabledeletenotify

If it returns 0 then TRIM is enabled.
If you need to turn it on run:

Code:

fsutil behavior set disabledeletenotify 0

I've not had any problems with mine. You really can just treat them like any other drive.

w00dy85 · 1 Jun 2011 at 11:06

It will be worth installing Intel SSD Toolbox, as it will help with maintaining your SSD. It also told me I still had superfetch on, and disabled it for me

Paddyw01 · 2 Jun 2011 at 00:08

Zarf said:
The command window thing lets you check that windows has turned it on and manually toggle it. It should be on by default but if you wish to check open up a command window (press start, type CMD, right click and run as administrator)

Run:

Code:

fsutil behavior query disabledeletenotify

If it returns 0 then TRIM is enabled.
If you need to turn it on run:

Code:

fsutil behavior set disabledeletenotify 0

I've not had any problems with mine. You really can just treat them like any other drive.

w00dy85 said:
It will be worth installing Intel SSD Toolbox, as it will help with maintaining your SSD. It also told me I still had superfetch on, and disabled it for me

Many thanks to the both of you for your help, and I'll be sure to look into that Intel SSD toolbox.

I've had a look at my bios and it is as you posted on here zarf, but I just had a thought about achi. When I switch the SSD to achi before installing w7, will achi apply itself to my other mechanical sata 2 drives when I install them later? Forgive me, but how exactly does achi work when it comes to all this? Such a newbie when it comes to ssd's lol.

shine · 2 Jun 2011 at 01:05

AHCI will be enabled for all drives, but it's not a bad thing. AHCI is a standard that allows developers to use SATA drives in the most efficient manner which is why you get the best performance in this mode:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Advanced_Host_Controller_Interface

Paddyw01 · 8 Jun 2011 at 00:41

shine said:
AHCI will be enabled for all drives, but it's not a bad thing. AHCI is a standard that allows developers to use SATA drives in the most efficient manner which is why you get the best performance in this mode:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Advanced_Host_Controller_Interface

Many thanks for the link and thank you to you all who have helped me on this issue.

SSD arrived last week so I'm going to install it later this week. Such a small, light piece of tech. I can't wait to get it up and running.

Paddyw01 · 9 Jun 2011 at 15:15

Hey guys,

So I finally got round to installing my new SSD.

Pretty awesome, but I tell you, the problems I had. Firstly, after setting my SATA drives to AHCI and my DVD ROM drive as my first boot device, Windows would not boot at all. I kept on getting a message saying that I needed to change my boot device.
Anyway, problem solved; I tried to install W7 in enhanced mode and it started to install so then I went back and changed it to AHCI, and, oddly enough, it worked!! Very strange issue.
Then I thought my DVD drive had failed as I had an error message saying that the I/O of a device could not be read, and it gave me a long error message. That went away too, so things are working pretty well.

Pain in the backside though is that I spent all morning looking for my motherboard driver CD, but I couldn't find the damn thing in half a dozen PC hardware boxes, so now I'm running withoug some of my mobo drivers, and the ridiculous Asus website is incredibly useless. You'd think, like nVidia, they'd have an automatic function to be able to detect what your hardware is, and what is the most up-to-date drivers you need, but no. There must be at least 30 different drivers, and to be honest, I haven't got the faintest idea which ones I need. Any advice? Does anyone know a way to auto-detect the mobo drivers I would need?
Before anyone says anything, yes I am an idiot to have lost that driver CD.

Thanks for any help.

Paddyw01 · 10 Jun 2011 at 13:05

More problems now. I think the reason for my aforementioned problems is that my dvd rw drive is now dead (thanks again Samsung for incredible reliability). It is definitely plugged in correctly, but it does not show up whatsoever when I click the computer tab.

Also, another problem and I really could do with some help here: I shut down my computer and plugged in my 2 1tb hard drives - one is brand new, but the other has data on it from my previous set up. Now W7 does detect the brand new one and I've successfully formatted it, but it won't detect the other one whatsoever, not even in disk management. I suspect the reason for this is that I took it out of my old setup (with XP), then plugged it in, but, my new setup is, following your advice guys, AHCI, so could it be that my old hard drives are on a different setting (as in IDE)? How do I solve this?

Any help would be greatly appreciated.

Paddyw01 · 10 Jun 2011 at 13:40

Any help anyone?

Paddyw01 · 10 Jun 2011 at 14:08

A sincere apology from me to everyone on here and the moderators.

I found the route cause of the problem: an ever so slightly loose modular cable on the PSU which would explain the temperamental installation (I/O error message) of W7 and my hard drives not being detected, as all of the above was connected with the same modular cable.

Moral of the story, always check your power connectors!!

shine · 10 Jun 2011 at 14:13

Glad your sorted now.

Paddyw01 · 10 Jun 2011 at 14:19

shine said:
Glad your sorted now.

Lol, tell me about it, I feel like an idiot!! At least if anybody has the same or similar problem, they'll be able to learn from my stupidity.