How can I check new drive is working in XP?

[DevonK]

I am looking to get a Force 120 tomorrow while a good rebate is in effect but won't be using it for a few months when I do a Sandy Bridge build (money from a budget has to be spent now or lost). How can I check that the drive is functional with my current Win XP 32 bit system (it does have SATA)? The store only has a 7 day return/exchange policy so I need to be sure it is working right away. I'm not looking to use it with my XP system, just confirm it works.

 

Thanks.

[Synbios]

You plug it in and make sure that it's detected by the BIOS. Then go to disk management in XP and make sure it showed up. If you plan on using it as a system drive in your next build, then I would not format the drive (just leave it unallocated).

 

Unless you want to do a benchmark on it and see what speeds you're getting. But XP doesn't support TRIM so I would highly suggest that if you do that or use the drive to any extent on the XP system, you secure erase before putting it in your new build.

 

Also, i would update the firmware to 2.0 while it is in your XP system. Might as well get that over with so that it has the latest firmware once you put it in the new system.

[DevonK]

Would doing what you suggest (especially the firmware upgrade) require that I have ACHI mode on? I see that mode is not offered by my BIOS - I just have (when the Promise controller is enabled) 2 options: RAID mode and IDE mode. Will the BIOS even find the drive in one of these modes?

[Synbios]

If your computer has a SATA port it has to have AHCI by definition.

[DevonK]

Great, thanks. In reading some more I see that it's recommended that AHCI rather than IDE or legacy modes be selected in BIOS for a firmware upgrade so I think that will wait to do that until I have the new build running (I will just be sure not to activate the system's sleep mode until I have done the flash).