moeburn Posted August 3, 2013 Share Posted August 3, 2013 Windows Update discovered an update for my AMD SATA controller, and while I don't normally trust Windows Update for driver updates, I never thought I'd actually find one for this OEM motherboard. So given that I have a new Crucial M4 SSD, I figured I should install it, and the changes are quite different: Measurements taken with HD Tune Pro, 5 tests done to calculate avg and stdev 500mb file benchmark Before update: Sequential read 257693 KB/s Sequential write 171881 KB/s 4KB Random read single 5020 IOPS 4KB Random write single 13032 IOPS 4KB Random read multi (queue depth = 32) 37146 IOPS 4KB Random write multi (queue depth = 32) 31531 IOPS Now I did a lot of tests, that was the fastest write speed I ever saw. It was usualy 169-170mB/s. Same with Random read single, that was usually 4500ish. But the random multis never went under 30000. After I installed the update, I got this: Sequential read 258925 KB/s Sequential write 183236 KB/s 4KB Random read single 6080 IOPS 4KB Random write single 14780 IOPS 4KB Random read multi (queue depth = 32) 28710 IOPS 4KB Random write multi (queue depth = 32) 26803 IOPS Now sequential read is a little faster, sequential write is a whole 13mB/s faster, and 4kb random single is at least 1000 more IOPS on both read and write. But, multi is down by nearly 10,000. I don't really understand the difference, so should I keep this update or not? It improves one thing, and yet falters on another. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
moeburn Posted August 3, 2013 Author Share Posted August 3, 2013 I just tested it again. I tried downloading the latest drivers from AMD, its no different than the one I got from Windows Update. But I also tried rolling back to "Standard SATA Controller Driver", and it's FASTER at the 4KB random multi! Old Standard SATA Controller Driver: Sequential read 258842 KB/s Sequential write 176251 KB/s Random read 4833 IOPS Random write 12564 IOPS Random read (queue depth = 32) 37914 IOPS Random write (queue depth = 32) 32770 IOPS Newest AMD SATA Controller Driver: Sequential read 263507 KB/s (+4665kB/s) Sequential write 186376 KB/s (+9855kB/s) Random read 6042 IOPS (+1209 IOPS) Random write 15372 IOPS (+2808 IOPS) Random read (queue depth = 32) 29620 IOPS (-8294 IOPS) Random write (queue depth = 32) 26303 IOPS (-6467 IOPS) Which driver should I choose? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Evil Overlord Posted August 3, 2013 Share Posted August 3, 2013 In everyday use which one is better for you? Go with that one Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
moeburn Posted August 3, 2013 Author Share Posted August 3, 2013 In everyday use which one is better for you? Go with that one Honestly, it seems like the standard SATA driver is better. I really notice the difference in the random multi IOPS, plus I don't need sequential read/write speed very often. But I'm worried there are other things, things other than speed, that the AMD driver improves on, like stability/reliability updates, that I should go with because it is "newer and better" and specifically made for my device. I'm so conflicted! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Torolol Posted August 3, 2013 Share Posted August 3, 2013 unless you connect a SSD to that sata, defrag your HDD for obvious performance gain. it seems new driver are geared toward HDD users not the SSDs... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Evil Overlord Posted August 3, 2013 Share Posted August 3, 2013 I'd go with the older driver for now, if you are experiencing some kind of glitch later on, then use the newer one...? (But that's because I'm from the 'if it ain't broke, don't fix it' school) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
moeburn Posted August 3, 2013 Author Share Posted August 3, 2013 unless you connect a SSD to that sata, defrag your HDD for obvious performance gain. it seems new driver are geared toward HDD users not the SSDs... No I'm updating SATA controller drivers because I got a brand new Crucial M4 SSD. How else would I be getting read speeds of +250mB/s? :P I'd go with the older driver for now, if you are experiencing some kind of glitch later on, then use the newer one...? (But that's because I'm from the 'if it ain't broke, don't fix it' school) So am I. I'll contact the AMD devs and see if they can explain the situation, and maybe improve on their drivers, and in the meantime I'll use Microsoft's drivers. It is a 5-year-old OEM motherboard, after all. But it's an AMD 780G chipset, and AMD themselves specifically refer to the 700 series as the "newer chipsets". Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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