Maximum PC

Windows is funny like that... once you install it under IDE mode, it won't work in AHCI mode & vice-versa.

You would need to be in AHCI mode for the firmware to update and for SSD to opperate at maximum potential. IDE was designed for the Parallel ATA interface, while AHCI was designed to take full advantage of the Serial ATA interface. Controller inside your SSD is designed to work through AHCI mode, and while you can use SSD's in IDE mode, they need to be under AHCI mode in order to update the firmware.

Although I haven't heard of anyone running into your issues while running their SSD under IDE mode, the combination of old drivers, old firmware, & IDE mode may have been working in harmony to give your system it's headaches of late.

Glad things seem to be 'back to normal' for ya!

Well ya know, sometimes you make really good points.... and other times you should hold your tongue or rather fingers

Eh, bad habit of mine.

Windows on the non-SSD now does NOT hang anymore and runs fine. Know why? Cause I forgot to do the regedit that is required to switch to AHCI.

Can't remember the location but I had to change a 3 to a 0 and reboot. Got the instructions off the net. I just forgot to do it to the other hard drive and once I did, Win 7 booted up perfectly.

Now I just assumed one of the many firmware proggys I used just finally took cause non of my downloads were corrupted anymore yet, OCZ Toolbox was still showing 2.15. Maybe now with AHCI really working properly, maybe I should try again.....the firmware update?????