Installing Win7 64 on SSD SATA3 PCIe

[findjammer]

Hi All,

My first post here, been reading for years but never got stuck in!

I've been looking at upgrading to an SSD drive for my OS drive. Through the results of various adventures I need to reinstall Windows Joy! I'm running a P6T Deluxe V2, i7 920 with 24Gb Vengence RAM so I'm hoping the addition of an SSD will make it killer. I've pretty much settled on getting a Corsair Force 3 SATA III jobbie using the Sandforce 2200 controller since these appear to have a good size, endurance balance.

The problem is that to get all of it's performance I'll need to run it over PCIe or get a new mobo/chip combo which I can't justify at the moment.

Is there likely to be an issue installing Win7 onto a mass storage device connected to a PCIe port? Won't that be an issue in that the boot process will need a driver for the PCIe card before it will even see the SSD card in the system?

Also I heard that the Sandforce BSOD firmware bug has been squished, is that looking fixed now or is there still a problem?

Cheers,

Jammer

 

[RetiredChief]

Couple of things.
Most sata III pci-e controller cards are based on 3rd party Controllers such as the marvel chip. Your performance will not be as good as using say a Intel Motherboard chipset.
When connecting the Sata III SSD to a Intel SATA II controller, the primary hit is on Sequencial read/writes. This is not as big an issue as this is the least important matrix for a OS + Program drive - Is Important for editing LARGE data files/video files.

Might want to look at some of the benchmarks using PCMark Vantage, which is MUCH closer to real life, that shows both Sata II and SATA III tests.

Bottom line, I'd go for a good SATA III SSD and stick on your Intel SATA II port - then when you do upgrade MBs take it with you. Personally I prefer the Curcialo M4 and the Samsung 830. They may not have as High Syntetic Bench mark, but only a nickles worth of diff in real life - They are less probmatic and seem to have better reliability than the SF22xx based SSDs. Compare user comments @ newegg.

.. Went to anandtech to find a comparision, but their site must be down.

 

[findjammer]

Thanks for that info, very useful. Will go and check the stats you mention. I would prefer not to go with PCIe solution as there is a slight space issue in relation to my free slot and my GPU.

I couldn't get the Anandtech either ... odd.

 

[findjammer]

Sheesh ... I just looked at the specs for the 830 128Gb. Reliability listed as 1,500,000 hours ... = 62,500 days = 171 years!!

 

[RetiredChief]

OK, Here is a review which shows the diif between a Sata III SSD on Sata III and on Sata II.
Do not go buy the numbers, just use as a comparision. Most of the SSDs have newer Firmware that effects the performance. ie M4 newest firmware is 0309 (the 0009 also incresed performance.
http://www.anandtech.com/show/4341/ocz-vertex-3-max-iops-patriot-wildfire-ssds-reviewed/8

Here is anand's take on the 830 - They did not show PCmark vantage resulats so take with a grain of salt when comparing.
Note; also a newer FW than one reviewed - Fixes a bug that affected a small percentage of drives.
http://www.anandtech.com/show/4863/the-samsung-ssd-830-review

Also the M4 latest FW (0309) fixes the 5000 Hour bug.

 

[findjammer]

Excellent Chief!! Much appreciated. I've not heard of the 5000 hour bug. Was that related to TRIM / Garbage Collection? Just had a read about the bug here:

http://www.fastestssd.com/new-ssds/5000-hour-bug-in-crucials-m4/

Seems that the 830 even gets a big up at the bottom of that article, thanks for putting me onto this Samsung drive, looks like a very impressive one.

Having said that reading that article also made me a tad nervous talking about weird SSD problems. Doesn't sound good considering I want to run my OS on one.

 

[RetiredChief]

Have 4 systems, 2 desktops and two laptops all with SSDs. One desktop and one laptop use the older SSDs and my I5-2500k and My I5-2410m (laptop Samsung RF-711) both have two Sata III ea installed. The I5-750 uses a Sata II 120 Gig SSD (Phoenix pro) and a 80 gig Intel G2 also on sata II. The older laptops - A305 uses a Patriot Torqx (not the 2) and I had installed in a older A205 Intel G1 which I sswapped back and forth with an old wd Blue SSD.

NOTE: Only Had one problem and that was a compatability issue with a Agillity III - would not install in My RF-711 laptop. Installed a M4 with NO problems

I shy away from any SF22xx controller based SSDs - And I vowed to never buy a OCZ product - based on company management.

Added: M4 bug fix - http://www.anandtech.com/show/5424/crucial-provides-a-firmware-update-for-m4-to-fix-the-bsod-issue

 

[findjammer]

Interesting, what's your issue with OCZ?

I'm pretty sold on the Samsung drive now!

 

[RetiredChief]

Normally I wait to buy "new" hardware - let others find the flaws. Did not heed my advice and bought a pair of agillity IIIs - good price. One for SB laptop, one for I5-2500k Desktop.
Desktop installation - NO problem. Laptop, tried everyway-to-sunday, no dice would not install. Started reading the posts at OCZ - Had to check to make sure I was not connected to a horror story website. The company really fell into the catagory of Buyer Beware. Intially the blamed everthing except there product. Had to eat crtow on that one. This is why I will not buy OCZ - strickly a company mangement problem.

 

[findjammer]

Gotcha, I have a similar issue with Iomega from back in my Zip drive days. Thanks for all the info / tips Chief.