Slow AMD Sata driver on AMD based HP G7-1328dx

[zack2]

We have two HP Pavillion laptops:

1) HP G6-1328dx with Intel i3 and Intel chipset and Intel Sata controller that runs a Samsung 840 SSD very well with the expected high random read/write times.

and

2) HP G7-1328x with AMD A6-3420M Llano procvessor with an intergrated AMD chipset and an AMD Sata controller that runs a Samsung 850 EVO SSD at much slower random read/write times - way below the Samsung expected random read/write times.  50-60% slower.

Both the G6 and G7 laptops have Sata 3 for the hard drives, AHCI is enabled on both, and both are running Windows 7 SP1 64 bit OS.

So the problem is why is the Samsung 850 EVO running slower on the G7 than the base model Samsung 840 runs on the G6 laptop?

Is there an AMD Sata Controller driver update that will solve this problem or some other solution that will do so?

Configurations as to the settings and software for both laptops are almost identical in all other respects.

[Tardis40]

Hi there @zack2,

Welcome to the HP Support Forums! It is a great place to find the help you need, from other users, HP experts, and other support personnel. I understand you are having an issue with slow performacne . I will be glad to help you.

Here are some documents to help.

Resolving Slow System Performance (Windows 7)

Improving the Performance of an Advanced Format Hard Drive

Testing a Hard Disk from the BIOS

Please keep me informed of how things went. 

If you require further assistance, let me know and I will gladly do all I can to help you.

Please let me know if this resolves the issue by marking this post as "Accept as Solution".
To simply say thanks, click the Thumbs up below! 

Thanks.

[zack2]

thank you for the reply and for the suggestions. one of the suggestions was to download and install the Intel RST tool, driver, or whatever. I have that on another HP Laptop with an Intel Processor and with another Samsung 840 SSD. The Intel RST works fine on that Intel based HP Laptop. My problem is that our second, newer HP laptop is an AMD based computer. It has an AMD processor, an AMD chipset, AMD graphics, and an AMD Sata Controller. That laptop's Samsung 850 SSD has significantly slower random reads and writes than the 840 Samsung SSD in the older G6 HP laptop. The difference in performance is narrowed down to be likely to be the AMD Sata Controller. I've applied the latest AMD driver update (2015) but that showed little or no improvement. So, is the AMD Sata AHCI controller simply that much (30-60%) slower than the Intel Sata AHCI Controller, or is there something we can do to bring those SSD random read and write times up to the expected level on the HP AMD-based G7 laptop. It's a model 1328dx, buy the way. That they same model as our G6 Intel based 1328dx HP laptop with the Samsung 840 SSD that is running right where it is supposed to. As to all the other suggestions, some will run on our laptops, some won't I've tried all that was suggested other than attempting to install Intel's RST on our HP AMD-based G7-1328dx laptop. All to no avail. The HP G7 AMD based 1328dx still has those slower than expected random read and write times. So what now? Should we really try installing the INTEL RST drivers on that AMD laptop?

[zack2]

Hi again. I posted that last post with formatting and paragraphs and proper punctuation, but it came out as one long unreadable post. Sorry. Don't know how that happened. That was not my intention. Please see what you can do to read the original reply and hopefully to continue to help us. The main question in the reply is should we follow the suggestion to attempt to install Intel's RST driver onto our AMD-based HP G7 1328dx laptop?

[Tardis40]

Hi @zack2,

Thanks for getting back to me.

No I would not install the Intel RST driver on an AMD- based.

Please use the following http://www.hp.com/contacthp and create a case for your issue and contact HP. If you live outside the US/Canada, please click the link below to get the contact information for your region.
http://www8.hp.com/us/en/contact-hp/ww-phone-assist.html

[zack2]

I believe our G7 is out of warranty and will drop the issue of slow SSD performance on our HP AMD based laptop.

Can't afford to be charged for support assistance.

Net time we'll stick with Intel based computer products.  Salesman said AMD would be better, but with hindsight, IMO, he was incorrect as far as our needs go.

Other than the slower than expected random read/write times on the SSD, the G7 is working okay, and the SSD otherwise is likely okay.

[Huffer]

You can try to install the latest AMD chipset drivers which include the ahci driver:

http://support.amd.com/en-us/download/desktop/legacy?product=legacy4&os=Windows%207%20-%2064

You might have to do a force install to get them to actualy apply.

[zack2]

Hey, Thank you.

Good to have the direct link to the AMD drivers.  I will try them today and will post back later with results.

Zack

[zack2 · Accepted solution]

Sorry for the delay.  After trying everything with the AMD Sata Driverss and the AMD Catalyst Drivers from HP and direct from AMD regret to advise that the results are about the same. 

Also went online and found a user with a comparable AMD based motherboard running a comparable SSD.  Asked him to compare how fast his SSDs run with mine and compared both with how fast the SSD manufacturers say the random read/write times should be.

The bottom line is the user I found had the same experience I did.  Both of us are seeing random read/write times on our SSDs that are far slower than what we get on Intel based motherboards with Intel chipsets and Intel AHCI Sata controllers.

Guess that is just the way it is. 

That's my opinion only. Someone else may have different results.

[GiMeSpace]

Try enabling DirectGMA with maximum GPU Aperture in Amd catalyst control center. It does not only make the graphics card faster but allowed me to get up to the maximum 560mb/s read speed for my ssd!