SSD (X25-M) + ICH7R (P5W DH Dlx) = ???

[firestarter.pt]

Simple question, is it safe to buy a X25-M SDD for a old (but good) board using the ICH7R controler?

Are there any known issues or performance problems?

Regards!

[Ao1]

I can’t give you an answer from direct experience however….

Tech Report produced a review of ssd’s (including the X25-M) that used Windows XP Service Pack 2 with a 5.1.0.1022 AHCI driver and ICH7R south bridge chip. http://techreport.com/articles.x/16848/2

The review got criticised for using old hardware. Tech Report defended the use of ICH7R on the basis that whilst the die size has changed in later versions nothing much else has. I don’t know if that is correct, but no doubt someone will chip in if not.

Bottom line however is that on that particular set up the X25-M worked OK on the ICH7R.

[Ourasi]

Simple question, is it safe to buy a X25-M SDD for a old (but good) board using the ICH7R controler?

Are there any known issues or performance problems?

Regards!

If you run it as AHCI, you will have sweet performance. If you run it as nonmember raid, you might run into a lot of problems...

[Rhys]

what type of problems?
This may not be good news if you have your storage HDD's in raid.

[Ourasi]

I can’t give you an answer from direct experience however….

Tech Report produced a review of ssd’s (including the X25-M) that used Windows XP Service Pack 2 with a 5.1.0.1022 AHCI driver and ICH7R south bridge chip. http://techreport.com/articles.x/16848/2

The review got criticised for using old hardware. Tech Report defended the use of ICH7R on the basis that whilst the die size has changed in later versions nothing much else has. I don’t know if that is correct, but no doubt someone will chip in if not.

Bottom line however is that on that particular set up the X25-M worked OK on the ICH7R.

The fact that a X25-E boots slower on his testbed then a Scorpio Black, is alone a reason for raising eyebrows. Most likely they used a nonmember setup, if they did, some of the odd results is explained by this. The problem is that the ICH rom have issues with many SSD's firmware, as the 6 seconds faster OCZ Core2 boot vs. X25-E clearly shows http://techreport.com/articles.x/15079/6 .... A solid mess that review......

[Ourasi]

what type of problems?
This may not be good news if you have your storage HDD's in raid.

The problem is that the Raid Rom have severe issues with the SSD's and their firmware, not all SSD's however, and probably no HDD's. I have a suspicion that the HDD VelociRaptor might be an exception regarding HDD's, but can't say for sure...

AHCI is safe..

[Ao1]

^^The only problems related to a single Intel drives and chipsets that I have heard about is with Nvidia (6 series). I know that my ICH9 chipset has a problem with raid because Asus did not bother to update the rom with Intel fixes, but that effects hdd and ssd. As far as I know there are no other specific issue related to the use of Intel ssd’s with various chipsets….but maybe you have other examples?


As for that review I agree there may be some anomalies but is that the test method or test up? I was just trying to show an example of X25-M performance with the chipset in question.

[firestarter.pt]

At the moment I use a raptor and an old maxtor in AHCI and dont have raid so I'm tempted to try the X25-M...

Thank for the replys!

[WhiteFireDragon]

isn't ICH7 the same SB on netbooks? i've tried a few different SSD's on my netbook, and there seems to be a transfer rate cap at around 115mb/s. i'm not sure if you'll get this same problem with this SB also or not.

[Ourasi]

^^The only problems related to a single Intel drives and chipsets that I have heard about is with Nvidia (6 series). I know that my ICH9 chipset has a problem with raid because Asus did not bother to update the rom with Intel fixes, but that effects hdd and ssd. As far as I know there are no other specific issue related to the use of Intel ssd’s with various chipsets….but maybe you have other examples?

Yes I have, ICH9R will mess up with both single X25-M as a nonmember Raid or 2 or more in Raid0, with various problems. This is with the usual v7.5.x.xxxx Rom version. This version worked just fine with 3xWD RaptorX in Raid0, but probably not the VR, as there are a huge amount of VR Raid users with issues on the same or older ICH..

Allt these various issues is nonexistent when used with AHCI.

I have seen this on older ICH's as well with SSD's, in person, this is why I feel so strongly against this review, coupled with a few other things...

On the ICH9R there is a simple fix, modd the bios with the latest official fix from Intel, that all manufacturers have access to, but never bother to update. Never testet these Rom's on older ICH, so this is unknown territory...

[Ourasi]

At the moment I use a raptor and an old maxtor in AHCI and dont have raid so I'm tempted to try the X25-M...

Thank for the replys!

I know of a few X25-M users with ICH7R, and on AHCI it shows very nice performance. I think you'll be very satisfied with the upgrade..

[Ourasi]

isn't ICH7 the same SB on netbooks? i've tried a few different SSD's on my netbook, and there seems to be a transfer rate cap at around 115mb/s. i'm not sure if you'll get this same problem with this SB also or not.

There is a huge difference between the ICH7 and the ICH7R, ICH7 is SATA I while the ICH7R is SATA II...