Windows 7 install questions.

from Sins Forums

So i downloaded and burned the windows 7 RC build 7100 iso and preparing to install. Im currently running vista home premium 64bit and im about to drop kick it in the teeth (figuratively) b/c of sluggish performance with high end hardware. Im going to install and use win 7 as my primary OS from here on out and here are my questions:

1. Should i reformat my HDD for a clean install? Be nice not to have to back up files and music but i dont want to risk some sort of error that could comprimise the files. Or should i install it on top of Vista?

2. Sounds noobish since im a hardware junkie, but the one thing im not sure about is getting my sata drive up to its 3.0 gb/s standard speed from its current Ultra DMA5 setting. In my bios, i have 3 settings to set my sata drive to: IDE (current), RAID, and ACHI. which of those three do i set it to?

any info will be appreciated.

38,856 views 10 replies
Reply #1 from WinCustomize Forums Top

reformat
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IDE
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If it's running at 1.5 in Vista, that's what it will run in Win7. What board are you using and did you remove all jumpers from the drive?

Reply #2 from Demigod Forums Top

1. I recommend reformatting. While others claim it's works flawlessly; I've never had any success.

2. The hard drive may be capable of transferring 3.0Gbps, but your motherboard is not. Thus, you cannot obtain that speed.

 

IDE or RAID: one drive, IDE. Two or more, your choice. I personally RAID them ("combines" disks via striping, mirroring, or both). I have 2 identical drives in a stripe (RAID0). It's faster, also "not as safe" - as far as data loss goes. If one of my drives were to fail, the RAID array would fail, thus I would lose all of my data. But I of course have the important stuff backed up externally.

RAID is a huge topic, you might want to research it if you're interested.

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

Ashes of the Singularity II
Reply #3 from Sins Forums Top

Don't RAID unless you have a specific RAID controller card, specifically with onboard DDR memory and four HDDs for RAID10... Bare minimum. Onboard RAID sucks. End of story.

 

-DrGonzo

Reply #4 from WinCustomize Forums Top

I do not believe the RC will install from a clean boot. From what I remember it has to be started from windows.

Reply #5 from JoeUser Forums Top

RC installs fine from clean boot. I keep some spare swappable drives around specifically for playing around with stuff like this. I installed it over a VMWare ESXi setup I wasn't using. That said, I still don't think it is quite ready as a primary OS as not all the software I like to have is ready just yet. I installed the Kaspersky beta and get lockups about every other boot; I'm not sure if it's from the AV beta or if Win7 doesn't like me manually reorganizing the start menu.

Reply #6 from JoeUser Forums Top

Quoting Dr.Gonzo, reply 3
Don't RAID unless you have a specific RAID controller card, specifically with onboard DDR memory and four HDDs for RAID10... Bare minimum. Onboard RAID sucks. End of story.
-DrGonzo
End of Dr.Gonzo's quote

Shouldn't forget to get a second identical controller as a backup while you're at it. The main reason onboard is crappy a lot of the time is because a lot of times it is really software/driver based; another reason is if the controller goes out on a good onboard setup, you may have to replace the whole mobo (with an identical one) to get at your data. Happened to a friend of mine. Due to the age of the board, he had to pay through the nose for a replacement. The main lesson, use RAID as it was intended (i.e. not as a primary backup solution).

Reply #7 from Sins Forums Top

Motherboard is Asus P5E Deluxe x48, ICH9R southbridge controller. The bios is flashed to the Asus Rampage formula v410 for the improved memory compatability and decreased Vdroop and Vdrop while overclocking (the two boards are exactly the same other than a 2nd lan, lcd poster, few other bells and whistles, and most importantly price). The Drive is a Western Digital 640gig SE16 AAKS sata drive. Got it OEM w/ no jumpers and havent added any. I plan on getting a 2nd AAKS for a matrix raid array ( Raid 1 w/ OS on it and Raid 0 for games etc).

i dont understand why my mobo wouldnt be compatable w/ 3.0 gb/s drive speeds, its no more than a year old. Heres a link to the tech info: http://www.asus.com/product.aspx?P_ID=wDz11GXFiWSqhjla&templete=2

The performance out of the drive is not painfully slow, but if i can squeeze more speed out of my rig, i will. And incase and other hardware is needed for whatever reason, heres my rig:

Asus P5E Deluxe x48 Mobo,  Intel C2quad q9550 E0 @ 3.85ghz (summer setting) cooled by a lapped Thermalright Ultra 120 Extreme, 2x2gig Corsair dominator pc8500 ddr2 ram @ 1081mhz, 4870 1gb gpu, Corsair TX750w power supply, WD 640gig AAKS sata HDD, Auzen Forte X-Fi soundcard, modified antec 900 case with aftermarket high cfm but low noise A.C Ryan UV Led fans.

For windows 7, i was planning on reformating but i wanted to make sure first. Thank you for the input! :beer:

Reply #8 from Sins Forums Top

Shouldn't forget to get a second identical controller as a backup while you're at it. The main reason onboard is crappy a lot of the time is because a lot of times it is really software/driver based; another reason is if the controller goes out on a good onboard setup, you may have to replace the whole mobo (with an identical one) to get at your data. Happened to a friend of mine. Due to the age of the board, he had to pay through the nose for a replacement. The main lesson, use RAID as it was intended (i.e. not as a primary backup solution).
End of quote

If i get a new mobo, i want to make a platform upgrade as well, to the x58 / core i7 and the triple channel DDR3 goodness. Being a piss poor college student, id have to find a buyer for my old gear to help fund my expensive hobby, or hope that i win the lotto or something.

Reply #9 from WinCustomize Forums Top

dont understand why my mobo wouldnt be compatable w/ 3.0 gb/s drive speeds
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It's not the board...it's the bios.

flashed to the Asus Rampage formula v410
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Brilliant.

Look in 'that' bios for the C1E setting and disable it. It's one of those pesky "bells and whistles" binaries they throw into a specific bios for a specific board for a specific reason..........

Then again, you could just re-write the hex/binary and be done with it. That should blow the fuckin' thing up.....

Reply #10 from Sins Forums Top

Thank you yrag, after i finish backing up my files, ill do a quick reboot and give ur suggestion a shot. If not, ta hell with it. Might as well save up 100-120 for the best socket 775 overclocker Gigabyte EP45 UD3R. That thing is a performs like a ferrari but at a civic price. And if i decide to crossfire my 4870, the pci-e lanes running at x8 2.0 dont bottleneck the performance. Wish i would have known prior to getting my p5e deluxe.

Edit: Before i flashed to the RF v410 bios, i did my research and found that its not a uncommon task to do to a p5e deluxe, specially those who want better overclocking. Besides, a P5E Deluxe logo that was printed onto a peice of tape was placed over what the board originally was, a Rampage Formula. Asus more or less dropped the ball in that aspect.