JDtech

AHCI is short for Advanced Host Controller Interface, an Intel-developed interface specification which controls how software communicates with storage devices--particularly hard drives. AHCI offers some advantages over the preceding Serial ATA (SATA) standard, including the ability to hot swap SATA hard drives, which otherwise would have to be installed with the machine powered down. AHCI also provides a feature called "native command queuing," which arranges incoming requests for data based upon where data is physically stored on a drive. The result is a reduction in seek times and therefore faster performance. AHCI mode is typically enabled (or disabled) in your computer's BIOS--the setup program that you access as soon as your computer boots up.

Whether your SSD will benefit from or even function with AHCI, however, is totally dependent upon the drive itself. Some SSDs will not operate properly with AHCI enabled. Others, particularly those from Intel, will perform marginally better. Keep in mind that the "native command queuing" feature of AHCI will provide the most benefit to conventional hard drives, since the physical location of data on an SSD is not of great importance. Consult the SSD manufacturer's web page to find out whether the drive you own or are considering supports AHCI. And when in doubt, do without AHCI. In some cases having AHCI turned on will prevent you even from installing your operating system.

__________________
Members don't see ads in threads. Register your free account today and become a member on Tech Today Online, gaining access to posting privileges, contests, free plug-ins and other downloads, unlimited online storage for your photographs, reviews, free marketplace listings, and much more.