Question about restoring with Windows 7 Backup

[brkkab123]

My Windows 7 Professional x64 pc has 2 Western Digital Caviar Black 1.0 tb. hard drives. Part # WDC WD1001FALS-00J7B0. I didn't realize the drives were AHCI capable when I built my computer. I know to change them to AHCI in the bios that it's best to reformat both drives and do a clean install of Windows 7. I have a Iomega Professional 2.0 tb. that I've used Windows Backup with.
I'm also using a magicJack usb device with the computer.
If I reinstall Windows after setting my hard drives to AHCI and format both drives, will I have any issues restoring everything from my external drive, without having to reinstall my programs or reconfiguring all my Windows and program settings ? Also wikk the magicJack have to be reconfigured.
I also, before attempting any of this need to know how to delete a few downloads from the external drive for various programs I no longer use or plan on using.
I have Windows Backup setup to remove the old drive image when it makes it's weekly backup that creates a current image.

 

[Hadron]

You can easily switch to AHCI mode by making 1 registry edit prior to rebooting into your BIOS.

- Run Registry Editor
- Go to HKLM\System\CurrentControlSet\Services\Msahci
- Change the "Start" value to 0
- Reboot and go to BIOS immediately
- Set SATA controller to AHCI

The next time you load Windows, it will auto-detect the AHCI.

 

[Nibiru2012]

You also need to install the proper AHCI driver to get the best benefit from AHCI.

Your AMD motherboard chipset drivers should also have a separate AHCI driver. The ATI Chipset driver package has it in it's package

Windows AHCI drivers are... okay, but I know from experience that a dedicated chipset driver works much better. With my Intel chipset I use the Intel RST Driver set.

 

[brkkab123]

I knew about the registry tweak already. It was in CPU Magazine in fall of last year. I did the registry hack restarted into bios and did a clean install of Win 7. I reinstalled my already updated chipset drivers. A few hours after that clean install I went to watch a program I had WMC set to record. It wasn't in the Publlic > Recorded TV folder as far as I know, as every folder in the Public folder looked like weird gibberish. I therfore reformatted both my hard drives again and this time I went without any AHCI. After over 24 hours with 2 clean installs- I'm staying with how things were before. I still have another 3+ hours of more installs and configs. left and I need to take a few hours away from the pc, to eat, etc.

 

[Nibiru2012]

I always install the AHCI driver during the install in the screen that gives the "Load Drivers" option where it shows the hard drives and partitions.

The AHCI driver always must be installed during a fresh install of Windows 7 regardless of having set the BIOS to enable the AHCI setting.

Registry hacks are only necessary if one didn't install the AHCI driver as mentioned in the first line above.

It's best to do the driver install during the install of Windows 7, it works best that way.

 

[brkkab123]

Nibs ECS' drivers for my mobo aren't any different from what I have installed. Where on AMD's site can I get AHCI drivers for a AM2+ 790GX mobo ?

 

[Nibiru2012]

Go to the ECS website. I tried the AMD website but it's not wanting to work properly at the moment, maybe later.

What's listed on the ECS download page for your motherboard: http://www.ecs.com.tw/ECSWebSite/Pr...goryID=1&DetailName=Feature&MenuID=20&LanID=9

Driver Name: ATI Chipset Driver Package Version3.1.1540.127 Release Date2009/03/17

Update Description Including:
-AMD AHCI Compatible RAID Controller Driver
-AMD PCI SATA/IDE Controller Driver
-ATI PCI Express (3GIO) Filter Driver

 

[brkkab123]

Thanks Nibs. That's the one I've got installed. It leaves my User Account folder alone, but the Public folder gets a bunch of weird named folders and all usual folders there disappear. ie: App Data, etc. - become unfindable or accessible. I think, I'll leave it alone for now. I'm going to get either a Asus or MSI AM3 890FX board in a few months anyway, so I'll have to do a clean install then. At that time I know how to go about it. Reformat external hd and drag Contacts, Downloads, Documents, Movies, Music, Pictures, etc. to external hd and reformat internal hd's again. Then reinstall Windows and every thing else.