I'm suspecting that windows 8.1 doesn't like my HDD AHCI configuration or something, so i would like to switch from AHCI to IDE-Mode for testing purposes, the question is: If all i have is mechanical drives (my main drive being a Seagate ST1000VX000) and i don't plan to use a SSD, so is there a noticeable performance loss from using IDE-mode rather then AHCI ? I don't care for the hot swap feature. NCQ is a mixed bag from what i looked into, and i also plan to get a raptor in the future. PS: if it helps i use my PC mainly for gaming and Photoshop.
When NCQ works properly....it has benefits. In my experience, AMD has issues with AHCI. Whether or not there will be a performance loss switching to IDE, depends on the files involved. The larger the file, the less noticeable. Of course, if files get small enough, the performance difference becomes immeasurable anyway. The performance difference, at the widest point, has never been life-altering anyway. A few milliseconds here and there. Go ahead and switch and see what happens.
Have you installed AMD own drivers? I saw a noticeable boost in performance (on Intel rig with Windows Server 2008 R2) after switching from IDE to AHCI. My college uses virtual machines and developer tools. He told me about stutters under usual work load and I checked his rig for a usual bunch of tweaks and suggested that IDE->AHCI switch.
Well just checking back in case anyone else might be interested in this.... I had a lot of time to poke around and experiment and yes with the 710 chip AHCI improves performance greatly, especially in file transfer you can have up to 35% performance increase and with the drivers installed you can get about another 10%. The bad side is that at least for the 710 chips you need an older driver, i got it of my motherboard manufacture site and the version is 1.2.001.0331 from 04/11/2011. To get them properly installed in windows 8 you need to manually install it via device manager for SB and AHCI controller. Now everything works smooth and nicely.
Interesting I never noticed any perceptible difference between the 2 on an Intel chipset on a mechanical drive I don't have a ssd so I can't speak to that.
Well at least with my two Seagate mechanical drives the difference was quite noticeable. Strangely just the usual windows experience feels smoother as well.
