This is a new SATA mode to work with devices memory type. Exclusively in it, a computer can fully use all the possibilities of SATA, or rather:
- Quick change hard drive. And in more detail, this means that it can be changed without turning off the computer. When working with servers it is very comfortable.
- NCQ- thanks to this technology, the number of movements of the heads that produce reading is significantly reduced. Thereby speed hard disk increases when it is used by several programs at once.
If a activate Achi, then you will quickly access the files that are stored on the ROM, and the computer will also work much faster. Of course, on a regular home PC, the increase will not be noticeable. However, if there is support for this option, then it would be better if it is enabled.
IDE mode - what is it
This is too much obsolete a technology that was popular in the nineties and early 2000s. It was implemented in the IBM PC - the first computers. In it, data transfer took place on speed 150 Mbps. Many popular technologies did not support. For example, without rebooting the PC, it was impossible to remove the hard drive or CD drive. Then these features were added, but not every computer could use them. However, it is still in use today.
How to enable ACHI/IDE mode
Switching between ACHI and IDE is through BIOS. It is done before installing Windows, as follows:
In Windows 10, you can instantly switch on Achi, for this:
Which mode is better
Of course, it's best to choose ACHI. And this can be understood by comparing the two modes. IDE should be selected if your system has no drivers to SATA. All modern PCs support SATA, that is, if you select IDE, then it will emulation, and this will not give any increase in performance, which we do not need.
Quite often there are questions that arise in connection with the connection and configuration of hard drives of various types. Especially often - when installing the operating system on an SSD drive.
Basically, the difficulty of users arises when choosing a hard drive mode - AHCI, RAID or IDE. Since the RAID parameter is not interesting for the average user, since it implies the creation of a software or physical array of disks and is intended mainly for servers, we will not consider it, but limit ourselves to the parameters AHCI mode or IDE mode.
First of all, you need to remember that AHCI mode can not be enabled on all motherboards and not with all drives. Therefore, before connecting, it is necessary to carefully study the instruction manual of the respective devices.
IDE MODE
IDE mode is almost always enabled by default and provides compatibility with all types of "computer hardware". This is one of the oldest ways of communicating any type of drive with the motherboard - even an optical drive, even a hard one. The IDE bus connection is made using an 80-core flat cable. A big advantage of using the IDE interface is the ability to connect two devices in parallel to one interface, for example, a hard drive and a CD or DVD ROM. In this case, a 4-pin molex connector is used to power the device.
Important: when using an IDE disk or an IDE cable (via an adapter) when connecting a hard disk, AHCI mode will not work! Attempting to switch will result in an error and a death screen!
AHCI MODE
AHCI mode is designed to work only with hard drives connected using the SATA interface, regardless of its implementation. This type of connection is designed to provide higher data transfer speed and the ability to hot-swap and hot-plug the hard drive.
Higher disk access speed is provided by NCQ technology, which allows rearranging the order of reading files from the hard disk surface depending on their location. For a simpler understanding, the process can be described as follows: first, data that is closer in location is read, and then the read head moves to files that are more distant on the surface of the hard disk. Moreover, the order of receipt of commands for reading is ignored by the system. It is also worth noting that the performance gain is noticeable very well when running resource-intensive applications (for example, games), and for more efficient work, the hard drive must have a good cache.
Hot plugging or replacing a hard drive is a definite plus for using AHCI mode. When you connect a SATA drive with AHCI mode enabled in the BIOS, the drive is instantly detected by the system and is ready for use after power is applied. Almost the same as a flash drive installed in a USB port is determined.
First of all, it is necessary to note the use of solid state drives (SSD) to install the operating system - in this case, there are no options for choosing a connection mode - only AHCI.
If the hard drive used in the system is connected using the SATA interface, and the motherboard has the ability to switch to AHCI mode, then its activation is preferable, since it will increase the performance of the system as a whole.
The only condition for activating AHCI mode with an already installed Windows system is the need to install drivers and make changes to the registry.
How to switch ahci to ide in bios?
To switch the mode in the BIOS, you need to find the item "Controller Mode" or similar, in which you can select the IDE, AHCI, RAID or Compatibility mode. Although, depending on the manufacturer of the BIOS, this parameter may be in different menus.
Switching ahci and ide modes - Option 1
Switching ahci and ide modes - Option 2
Switching ahci and ide modes - Option 3
Switching ahci and ide modes - Option 4
Switching ahci and ide modes - Option 5
As you can see from everything described above, AHCI mode is preferable for working with drives connected using the SATA interface and having sufficient cache. A big advantage of using this mode when replacing or testing hard drives is that a constant reboot is not required. It is good practice to set the default AHCI mode in gaming computers and those using resource-intensive applications for work.
IDE mode does not require any special connection or configuration manipulations, and the speed of accessing the hard disk when using a computer to perform standard tasks is quite sufficient, despite the outdated protocol.
SATA RAID/AHCI Mode
Possible values:
Disabled, RAID, AHCI
Description:
This option allows you to specify the operating mode of a modern IDE/SATA chipset controller. With a value Disabled to access SATA drives, a mechanism similar to a regular IDE controller will be used. Of course, this somewhat limits the speed of the disk subsystem, but you do not need to install additional drivers - everything you need is already included in any operating system.
Meaning RAID found only on motherboards that support RAID arrays from drives connected to a standard IDE/SATA chipset controller. Its choice makes it possible to combine hard drives into RAID arrays in order to increase the reliability of information storage or to increase the speed of operation. Please note that when installing the Windows 2000 or Windows XP operating system, you will definitely need a driver diskette (if your computer does not have a disk drive, this can lead to an unsolvable problem, since other drives are not supported). Drivers are also required for Windows Vista, but in this case, in addition to a floppy disk, they can also be written to a CD or Flash drive.
Naturally, you can talk about a RAID array only if you have two or more hard drives installed in your system. Moreover, it is desirable that they be of the same brand and volume, ideally with the same firmware and from the same batch.
Meaning AHCI is present only on fairly new motherboards whose IDE / SATA controller supports the SATA II interface. Choosing this option allows you to take full advantage of the advanced SATA II host controller (AHCI stands for Advanced Host Controller Interface) - command queuing, hot plugging, etc. We should not forget about the higher performance of the disk subsystem in this mode. If your hard drives support SATA II, it makes sense to stop at this value. Just keep in mind that you need a driver floppy to install Windows 2000 or Windows XP.
For older operating systems (Windows 9x family), the use of RAID arrays and an AHCI controller is hardly possible - the necessary drivers simply do not exist.
It is necessary to change the operating mode of the standard IDE/SATA chipset controller before installing the operating system. If the system is installed, a simple mode change in the BIOS will result in a blue screen of death. If you still want to enable AHCI on the installed system, before changing the value of this option, force the driver to change the IDE / SATA controller to the correct one.
Where it was mentioned that AHCI mode is needed for its normal operation. This mode opens the possibilities of storage devices to the full, which greatly improves performance. We are talking about memory drives - SSD, HDD. Next, you will find out what AHCI is, check if it is enabled, and if not, enable it.
What is AHCI?
Previously, computers had the so-called PATA interface, to which all storage devices were connected, but the times have passed and the SATA interface has come to replace it, which will be discussed now.
SATA has two modes of operation:
IDE(Integrated Development Environment) - this mode is needed to create compatibility with legacy devices that are still connected via the PATA interface, which can be said that the SATA interface with IDE mode is almost the same as PATA.
AHCI(Advanced Host Controller Interface) is a SATA mode that reveals all the possibilities of memory drives. It has some interesting features: hot-plugging and connecting hard drives, that is, you can do this while the computer is turned on. Another possibility is NCQ technology, which reduces the number of read head movements for hard drives, and also improves drive performance.
Using this mode will have a positive effect on, in practice it is not so noticeable, to be honest, but still, there is something, so I would recommend turning this mode on if it is turned off, especially since there is nothing complicated about it.
Does your computer have AHCI mode?
There are two ways to find out if there is an AHCI mode on a PC or laptop, if you have it fairly new, then most likely you have it.
First method : We must go to the device manager, where you expand the tab IDE ATA/ATAPI controllers, or something similar, and if the word AHCI is present in the controller name, then this mode is used.
Second method : The presence and use of AHCI mode can be viewed and . There you should find SATA mode, or something similar and check if it's AHCI, then you can be calm.
I want to remind you that instead of the AHCI item, there can be IDE, but you should not immediately switch this mode, below you will find out why.
How to enable AHCI mode in the operating system?
Enabling AHCI goes through the BIOS. Most likely, you have SATA interfaces on your motherboard, but you cannot activate the AHCI function in the BIOS. Most likely the matter is in the BIOS firmware, and it needs to be updated, but without special knowledge this should not be done.
If you have modern versions of Windows, then you already have the AHCI driver installed, it is required. It has been built in since Windows Vista. In this case, you can activate AHCI without any problems.
What to say about Windows XP, at that time there was no AHCI mode, and the SATA interface was just being developed. But the necessary driver can be found on the Internet and used in Windows XP.
That's all, I told you about the features of the AHCI mode, now you know how to check for its presence, and how to enable it.
On modern computers, to connect storage devices (HDD, DVD or Blue-Ray drives), the Serial ATA (SATA) interface, which is based on the AHCI mechanism, is mainly used. But today there are computers that still use the ATA interface, which functions on the basis of the IDE mechanism. In this article, we will look at these two technologies in detail and conclude which is better: AHCI or IDE.
You need to choose a mode that will make your computer run faster and more efficiently, so the interface is of no small importance. On the other hand, it all depends on the operating system: use Windows 7 or Windows 10 - use the new technology, "sit" on the old Windows XP - the IDE interface is recommended here. So, let's look at the difference between these interfaces.
What is IDE mode
IDE is a mechanism through which equipment communicates with each other using the ATA interface. In the 90s, this technology was used on almost all computers.
Through the ATA interface, the data transfer rate could reach up to 150 Mbps. At that time, the IDE mechanism did not have the various technologies that Serial ATA now uses (for example, hot swapping of drives). After, of course, the specialists introduced the necessary technologies, but this was only on some personal computers.
What is AHCI mode
AHCI is a mechanism designed for the new Serial ATA interface, or SATA for short. Today, this interface is used on almost all modern computers, servers, etc. In addition to high data transfer rates, it supports all new technologies.
All new operating systems are initially configured for the SATA interface, so the overall performance of the computer is much higher than that of computers with the old interface.
Which mode to choose in BIOS - IDE or AHCI
Many motherboards have both interfaces, so the average beginner might have a perfectly logical question. which mode to choose IDE or AHCI. Usually, on such motherboards, AHCI is set, in rare cases - IDE. So, we are faced with the task of choosing a mode from two. We act like this: first we find out which IDE or SATA hard drive is used in the computer.
Next, we determine the operating system: if a new one is installed (Windows 7, 8, 10), then select the AHCI mode; if Windows XP, then IDE. If you have the IDE mode set, and the hard drive is SATA technology and the operating system is not Windows XP, then this drive will be emulated for the IDE mechanism, therefore, the speed will meet the old standards.
So, to change the mode in the BIOS when starting the computer, press the Del key. Next, we go to the "Peripherals" section, here we activate the SATA controllers and select the AHCI mode.
To save the settings, press F12 and agree.
I hope my instructions helped you figure it out which IDE or AHCI mode is better Suitable for personal computer. If you have any questions - welcome to the comments! That's all and see you soon!
