SSD Compatibility w GA-EP45-DS3L

[N0Spin]

Hi everyone,

I finally upgraded (clean installed) Windows 7 Home (64 bit) on my C2Q6600 system (I built in 2008), and I want to install a 256GB SSD for a boot and applications disk.

I have heard that SSD compatibility with older systems can be a real problem (including some specific examples in this thread), so I am hoping to hear from anyone who can speak to my MB in specific and/or a potential inexpensive add on controller card which is known to work or generally recognized for great compatibility.

[Side note: Given the common thought and specific recommendations here and elsewhere to 'just add an SSD to add life to an old system' I think an article exploring the topic of compatibility with older MBs (either by direct SSD support via SATA port, and/or utilizing an add on HD controller card) could be a very useful article for a lot of readers.]

Again, many thanks in advance...

 

[cin19]

1)Updaet the BIOS for your MB, if you have the version that is not F10. http://www.gigabyte.com/products/product-page.aspx?pid=2844#bios
2)You also need the intel chipset driver, I will go to intel website to get the newest one Version:9.3.0.1026
http://downloadcenter.intel.com/Detail_Desc.aspx?agr=Y&DwnldID=20775&ProdId=3324&lang=eng&OSVersion=%0A%09%09%09%09%09%09%09%09%0A%09%09%09%09%09%09%09&DownloadType=
3) Also mae sure your SSD has the newest version firmware too.
4) Use the AS SSD to check the Alignment. http://www.alex-is.de/PHP/fusion/downloads.php?download_id=9
You can see like iaStorA or iaStorF is OK in green that means is good.
Your MB has 6 of the intel SATAII ports, the good news is SSD will fit well with those ports, the bad news is your SSD will run SATAII type speed because the SATAII limit. But you will only see the difference between SATAIII and SATAII in the benchmark score, you will not notice in the real world usage.

When you install the OS , set the ahci in the BIOS, only connect the SSD or DVD, after that shut dwon the PC and connect the regular HDD or other like the controller card. And the detail for using SSD, go to "Useful SSD Articles - Part 2" http://www.tomshardware.com/forum/270102-32-useful-articles-part

 

[N0Spin]

Thank you for the reply cin19. The links you posted will be helpful.

Do/did you have this motherboard, and did you install an SSD in that system?

I was hoping to verify that the MB will/should work with an SSD, and hopefully getting some recommendations as to which specific SSD or SSD brands appeared to be compatible.

(I don't want to order one only to find out it will not work with this MB, and I've heard of problems in that regard.)

Oh, and one other question would be whether there is any big disadvantage to GHOSTING my freshly built 240GB Windows 7 boot partition over from my hard drive, instead of doing another clean install and starting all over.

Thank you again.

 

[Jemiide]

N0Spin how did it go ? I'm writing here because PMs are not working.