Simple Questions about GA-X58A-UD3R and SSDs

[srbarry]

What do I need to know about adding an ssd for my os win 7 and programs to my ud3r build?

I am thinking of adding a Crucial 128 or OCZ 120 gb ssd.

Specifically:

What is the best port to attache the ssd to? (I've heard there are issues with using the sata 6gb ports??)

I'll also be using a 1tb data drive (no raid) which port for the data hd?

Do I need to change anything in the bios?

Anything else I need to know to optimally set up the ssd?

Thanks!

[wazza300]

Re: Simple Questions about GA-X58A-UD3R and SSDs

crucial c300? or normal sata2 ssd?i think you would see slight increase on sata3 ports with a sata3 drive only in access times i think,other than that i would go for ocz on the intel sata2 port in ahci mode,plug ssd into port0 and storage hdd into port1,any sata dvd drives plug into ports4 or 5

you need to enable ahci before you install the os,or do a reg tweak later if youve installed it allready,for sata3 you need to enable it in the bios aswell and install the drivers

[srbarry]

Re: Simple Questions about GA-X58A-UD3R and SSDs

crucial c300? or normal sata2 ssd?i think you would see slight increase on sata3 ports with a sata3 drive only in access times i think,other than that i would go for ocz on the intel sata2 port in ahci mode,plug ssd into port0 and storage hdd into port1,any sata dvd drives plug into ports4 or 5

you need to enable ahci before you install the os,or do a reg tweak later if youve installed it allready,for sata3 you need to enable it in the bios aswell and install the drivers

Yes, that is the question. The Crucial c300 are sata 3 and the OCZs are sata 2. I would have assumed that I should go with the crucial c300 on sata 3, but I've seem some confusing posts that ssds don't work well with the marvel sata3 controller. But I can't confirm this. It's just ironic since i bought this board for the sata3 and now it seems I am better off going with sata 2 for the ssd. True?

As far as the bios and installation is concerned, I'll remove the old hd, physically install the ssd (assuming it's the ocz sata 2) into sata 2 port 0. Then reboot into the bios, change to ahci, boot with win 7 disk, install the os. Correct?

Lastly, I heard I should disable the swap/page file. True? I have 6gb of system ram, not sure why windows would ever need more anyway.

Thanks?

[Psycho101]

Re: Simple Questions about GA-X58A-UD3R and SSDs

The Crucial drive will be fine on the built in SATA6G port. The ports can handle a total of around 500MB, so the ~350MB transfers of the c300 will be ok. In contrast, the OCZ drive or thwe c300 plugged into a SATA3G port will top out at ~275MB read. All in all it's much more than access times that are affected.

To ensure no problems with the Marvel controler, update to the latest beta BIOS and install the latest SATA6G drivers in Windows.

Like Wazza said, Either install the c300 on SATA6G_1 and your HDD on Port0 of the Intel ports, with the DVD drive on port 5 (last port).

As for disabling the swap file, there are zero advantages to doing so and many pitfalls. It's natural behaviour for Windows to page out some information from RAM. Windows RAM management is designed to work with a page file. Things like Kernel dumps just aren't possible without a swap file on the primary HDD. If you want you can disable the swap file on the SSD, create a partition on your HDD, at the begining (fastest part of the disk) about 8GB in size and use that as swap space.

[srbarry]

Re: Simple Questions about GA-X58A-UD3R and SSDs

The Crucial drive will be fine on the built in SATA6G port. The ports can handle a total of around 500MB, so the ~350MB transfers of the c300 will be ok. In contrast, the OCZ drive or thwe c300 plugged into a SATA3G port will top out at ~275MB read. All in all it's much more than access times that are affected.

To ensure no problems with the Marvel controler, update to the latest beta BIOS and install the latest SATA6G drivers in Windows.

Like Wazza said, Either install the c300 on SATA6G_1 and your HDD on Port0 of the Intel ports, with the DVD drive on port 5 (last port).

As for disabling the swap file, there are zero advantages to doing so and many pitfalls. It's natural behaviour for Windows to page out some information from RAM. Windows RAM management is designed to work with a page file. Things like Kernel dumps just aren't possible without a swap file on the primary HDD. If you want you can disable the swap file on the SSD, create a partition on your HDD, at the begining (fastest part of the disk) about 8GB in size and use that as swap space.

Thanks,

I'm not sure why there are folks out there who are saying that the c300 won't work well with this board. There's a guy over at Tom's who got me all concerned.

Anyway, how do I update windows with the latest sata6g drivers?

[wazza300]

Re: Simple Questions about GA-X58A-UD3R and SSDs

i think you download them from gigabytes website and install from usb before os install,i dont know if win7 finds and installs them for you so best do it before os install just to be sure,marvell drivers are or were a bit flaky,its not the ports themselves,

[Lsdmeasap]

Re: Simple Questions about GA-X58A-UD3R and SSDs

The Marvell controller does have some issues with stability, and older issues that have now been solved in regards to speeds (4K/4K-Threaded)

If you use the Marvell ports I suggest you do not install any drivers for it, that way you are using the MSAHCI driver, I've found it to be the most stable (IE Not dropping drives under pressure)

Be sure you update your motherboard BIOS to the latest beta version, and then in the Integrated Peripherals BIOS page set the Marvell Firmware to Force or Auto so that it updates the firmware to the latest version.

The older versions have poor performance so updating this is a must if you plan to use those ports. Check the link in my signature for my review on the C300, I compared it's performance across several controllers.

Some of my thoughts may concern you though, about Marvell, but many of those thoughts are based on RAID performance or lack of, and or older firmware versions. I did use one of the newer firmware versions for the main part of the review, so those SATA 6Gb/s speed would be what you should expect with a single C300 and MSAHCI drivers.

[srbarry]

Re: Simple Questions about GA-X58A-UD3R and SSDs

The Marvell controller does have some issues with stability, and older issues that have now been solved in regards to speeds (4K/4K-Threaded)

If you use the Marvell ports I suggest you do not install any drivers for it, that way you are using the MSAHCI driver, I've found it to be the most stable (IE Not dropping drives under pressure)

Be sure you update your motherboard BIOS to the latest beta version, and then in the Integrated Peripherals BIOS page set the Marvell Firmware to Force or Auto so that it updates the firmware to the latest version.

The older versions have poor performance so updating this is a must if you plan to use those ports. Check the link in my signature for my review on the C300, I compared it's performance across several controllers.

Some of my thoughts may concern you though, about Marvell, but many of those thoughts are based on RAID performance or lack of, and or older firmware versions. I did use one of the newer firmware versions for the main part of the review, so those SATA 6Gb/s speed would be what you should expect with a single C300 and MSAHCI drivers.

I checked out you review and it's awesome (although I might have to go through it a few more times to get everything.)

The only thing that's really unclear is the TRIM. As far as I can tell, you were able to get the marvel controller to ustilize TRIM, other posts seem to say that TRIM does not work on that controller.

Anyway, I'm down to a choice of what to buy and maybe you could advise me:

Both options are made with the assumption that I will not be upgrading my mobo (UDR3) to a newer model anytime soon if at all.

Option 1: Go with the "next best" ssd and buy a OCZ 120gb and hook it up to the Intel controller. Advantages are lower price ($190,) easy installation, verified TRIM, and the ability to easily raid the ssd drive by buying another ocz ssd when they get even cheaper.

Option 2: Go with the Crucial c300 and hook it up to the marvel controller. Advantage is faster single ssd performance. Disadvantages are higher price ($270), iffy TRIM unless I am able to get through the complicated (to me) driver stuff, no raid down the road.

I'm not sure other configs make sense. If I'm not using the marvel sata 6g port, why go with the c300? The price differential over the OCZ seems excessive.

I'm leaning towards option 1 since I'm not sure the extra performance of the c300 is worth the extra $ at this point (although it a fine drive, maybe the best) and I'm a little uncomfortable with dealing with the extra complications of dealing with the marvel chip/drivers/ etc.

But maybe I'm missing something. Big question -> What would you do, what do you think I should do??

Thanks,

[wazza300]

Re: Simple Questions about GA-X58A-UD3R and SSDs

have you thought about an add in sata3 controller card similar to this? im not sure what drivers they use though maybe lsdme knows more

Startech 2-Port SATA III 6Gbps PCI-Express Controller Card [PEXSAT32]

for reliabilty in raid i would go for the ocz,if your not bothered about raid i would go for a c300,or maybe the c300 and a good quality raid controller card?

[Lsdmeasap]

Re: Simple Questions about GA-X58A-UD3R and SSDs

I checked out you review and it's awesome (although I might have to go through it a few more times to get everything.)

The only thing that's really unclear is the TRIM. As far as I can tell, you were able to get the marvel controller to ustilize TRIM, other posts seem to say that TRIM does not work on that controller.

Anyway, I'm down to a choice of what to buy and maybe you could advise me:

Both options are made with the assumption that I will not be upgrading my mobo (UDR3) to a newer model anytime soon if at all.

Option 1: Go with the "next best" ssd and buy a OCZ 120gb and hook it up to the Intel controller. Advantages are lower price ($190,) easy installation, verified TRIM, and the ability to easily raid the ssd drive by buying another ocz ssd when they get even cheaper.

Option 2: Go with the Crucial c300 and hook it up to the marvel controller. Advantage is faster single ssd performance. Disadvantages are higher price ($270), iffy TRIM unless I am able to get through the complicated (to me) driver stuff, no raid down the road.

I'm not sure other configs make sense. If I'm not using the marvel sata 6g port, why go with the c300? The price differential over the OCZ seems excessive.

I'm leaning towards option 1 since I'm not sure the extra performance of the c300 is worth the extra $ at this point (although it a fine drive, maybe the best) and I'm a little uncomfortable with dealing with the extra complications of dealing with the marvel chip/drivers/ etc.

But maybe I'm missing something. Big question -> What would you do, what do you think I should do??

Thanks,

I'm glad you liked it, thanks!

No, TRIM is still not working on Marvell 9128 controller

I would go with option 3, that you didn't list :)

C300 on the Intel controller, then add another one when their prices come down due to C400 launch. Then maybe after that you Intel will finally have Native 6Gb/s controller on motherboards, so then you could have a real quality 6Gb/s RAID.

C300 is worth the extra due to it's intended future use, but you could always move to 6Gb/s SSD's at a later date if you wanted.

Personally I have not used a Sandforce drive, but from what I see online I wouldn't want to trade using theseC300's on any controller for Sandforce drives.

[Kramttocs]

Re: Simple Questions about GA-X58A-UD3R and SSDs

Hi all,
I am in the same situation as the op and never imagined the research needed before upgrading to a ssd. I have the same mobo (rev2) with firmware fc and am looking at the c300 64gb from Newegg.com - Crucial RealSSD C300 CTFDDAC064MAG-1G1 2.5" 64GB SATA III MLC Internal Solid State Drive (SSD)

@ srbarry - did you get yours going and have you had any issues?

Lsdmeasap - is option 3 still the best? I also have a 6gb/s 1tb wd hdd and 2 other sata hods that will be storage. Then I have a liteon sata optical drive. Any suggestions on which ports I should plug these all into?

Any help would be appreciated. Thanks

[srbarry]

Re: Simple Questions about GA-X58A-UD3R and SSDs

Hi all,
I am in the same situation as the op and never imagined the research needed before upgrading to a ssd. I have the same mobo (rev2) with firmware fc and am looking at the c300 64gb from Newegg.com - Crucial RealSSD C300 CTFDDAC064MAG-1G1 2.5" 64GB SATA III MLC Internal Solid State Drive (SSD)

@ srbarry - did you get yours going and have you had any issues?

Lsdmeasap - is option 3 still the best? I also have a 6gb/s 1tb wd hdd and 2 other sata hods that will be storage. Then I have a liteon sata optical drive. Any suggestions on which ports I should plug these all into?

Any help would be appreciated. Thanks

No problems in the end, check out this thread:

GA-X58A-UD3R and SSD - Gigabyte - Motherboards-Memory

[Psycho101]

Re: Simple Questions about GA-X58A-UD3R and SSDs

If it were me, I'd plug the Crucial SSD into the first SATA6G port and put all the rest on the Intel ports. Having a SATA6G spinning HDD will make next to zero difference as they're only just surpassing SATA1.5G let alone the bandwidth of a SATA2 port.

Put your DVD drive on the very last Intel port (5) then your storage HDD's on 0, 1 and 2.

[Kramttocs]

Re: Simple Questions about GA-X58A-UD3R and SSDs

Thanks psycho and srbarry.

@psycho - wouldn't it be better to put the sata3 ssd on the intel port for now until the marvell drivers get worked out? I am only speaking from what I have read online but it sounds like with Trim not working on the sata3 ports at the moment I have a better chance of harming the ssd by putting it there.

Also, if I do put it on the Intel port 0 is it still recommended to get the latest drivers from intel and load those during the win7 install?

I am still on the fence (due to the issues with this board and sata3 ssd's like srbarry and the initial reason for this thread) about getting a 90gb ocz vertex 2 instead of the c300. One of the main reasons is (and please correct me if I am wrong on this) that with the c300 a firmware update requires an os reinstall while with the vertex it doesn't.

Thanks again.

[Psycho101]

Re: Simple Questions about GA-X58A-UD3R and SSDs

You won't harm a SSD. Absence of TRIM won't effect anything wear wise. Besides, as far as I'm aware, TRIM works fine with the standard MS AHCI driver, no need to use the Marvel one.

Early C300 FW updates are destructive, not sure about the latest one, version 6, but you can simply use Windows 7 backup and restore to image the drive before updating, then restore the image. That should take less than 10 minutes but depends on how much data is on the drive. Even if you did get a Vertex instead, you'd still want to image the drive first. If anything went wrong, you'd potentially loose your data. I know from experience, anything can happen: Someone turns on the washing machine down-stairs and the main breaker trips, freak power cut, random FW flasher freeze etc.