Change drive mode from IDE to AHCI?

[bizzybody]

When I wiped my OEM install of Home Basic on my laptop, I booted with an XP CD to repartition the drive and had to switch the mode in BIOS to IDE. I forgot to switch it back to AHCI before installing Vista Ultimate from a vLite'd unattended disc.

Is there a way to change it without having to reinstall Vista?

[fizban2]

you will have to reformat the disk to get it changed back

[Tripredacus]

Correction. If you change your drive setting back to IDE you can get back into the OS. If you want Vista to run on AHCI, you are going to have to do a reinstall and put the AHCI HDDC driver in your new ISO.

[Kindovic]

is there any performance difference between IDE and AHCI mode??

Edited December 21, 2007 by Kindovic

[Tripredacus]

I have no idea. We only receive orders for single drives (IDE) or RAID and not for AHCI yet.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Advanced_Host...oller_Interface

[bizzybody]

I found this linked off the AHCI article on Wikipedia. Might want to post it as a Sticky topic.

http://support.microsoft.com/kb/922976

Error message when you start a Windows Vista-based computer after you change the SATA mode of the boot drive: "STOP 0x0000007B INACCESSABLE_BOOT_DEVICE"

SYMPTOMS

Consider the following scenario. In the BIOS setup of a Microsoft Windows Vista-based computer, you change the Serial Advanced Technology Attachment (SATA) mode of the boot drive to use the Advanced Host Controller Interface (AHCI) specification. You then restart the computer. In this scenario, you receive the following error message:

STOP 0x0000007B INACCESSABLE_BOOT_DEVICE

CAUSE

This issue occurs if the AHCI driver (Msahci.sys) in Windows Vista is disabled. This driver must be enabled before you change the SATA mode of the boot drive.

RESOLUTION

Warning Serious problems might occur if you modify the registry incorrectly by using Registry Editor or by using another method. These problems might require that you reinstall your operating system. Microsoft cannot guarantee that these problems can be solved. Modify the registry at your own risk.To resolve this issue, enable the AHCI driver in the registry before you change the SATA mode of the boot drive. To do this, follow these steps:

1. Exit all Windows-based programs.

2. Click Start, type regedit in the Start Search box, and then press ENTER.

3. If you receive the User Account Control dialog box, click Continue.

4. Locate and then click the following registry subkey:

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\System\CurrentControlSet\Services\Msahci

5. In the right pane, right-click Start in the Name column, and then click Modify.

6. In the Value data box, type 0, and then click OK.

7. On the File menu, click Exit to close Registry Editor.

MORE INFORMATION

During the Windows Vista installation process, any unused storage drivers are disabled. This behavior speeds up the operating system's startup process. When you change the boot drive to a driver that has been disabled, you must enable the new driver before you change the hardware configuration.

For example, assume that you install Windows Vista on a computer that contains a controller that uses the Pciide.sys driver. Later, you change the SATA mode to AHCI. Therefore, the drive must now load the Msahci.sys driver. However, you must enable the Msahci.sys driver before you make this change.

This issue affects only the boot drive. If the drive that you change is not the boot drive, you do not experience this issue.

AHCI provides several features for SATA devices. These include hot plug functionality and power management functionality. For more information about the AHCI specification, visit the following Intel Web site:

http://www.intel.com/technology/serialata/ahci.htm

Microsoft provides third-party contact information to help you find technical support. This contact information may change without notice. Microsoft does not guarantee the accuracy of this third-party contact information. The third-party products that this article discusses are manufactured by companies that are independent of Microsoft. Microsoft makes no warranty, implied or otherwise, regarding the performance or reliability of these products.

Edit: Just did this and it works on my Acer Aspire 5315-2153 laptop with Vista Ultimate installed.

Edited December 29, 2007 by bizzybody

[cicchis0]

When I wiped my OEM install of Home Basic on my laptop, I booted with an XP CD to repartition the drive and had to switch the mode in BIOS to IDE. I forgot to switch it back to AHCI before installing Vista Ultimate from a vLite'd unattended disc.

Is there a way to change it without having to reinstall Vista?

Yes, and it's quite straightforward: you just need to edit one registry setting before switching back to AHCI in BIOS.

Run regedit (type 'regedit' into the start menu search bar)

Find HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\System\CurrentControlSet\Services\Msahci

Modify the Start key and change its value to 0.

Exit the Registry Editor, restart your PC and make the BIOS change. Vista should automatically install new drivers and will prompt to restart.

I found this information at http://www.itwriting.com/blog/?p=288

[SerenityRee]

First, I am very new builder, and am not extremely experienced.

However, yesterday I attempted the instructions in that KB article and my system would not boot. I received the black screen. I went back in and reset the SATA mode to IDE, booted, received a error report, and then booted normally.

My situation is that after building the system, and upon installing Vista Ultimate I failed to use the "add additional drivers" to load the SATA driver(s) needed to enable AHCI Mode. (I didn't know I was suppose to. ) Vista installed without issue, recognizing the HDD, and I had no idea it was in IDE Mode until I went into the bios. I refrained from changing the Mode to AHCI until I researched the setting (It is not explained in the ASUS manual), and found out if I had done so my system would not have booted.

I read the XP Thread on changing this without the need of reinstallation, but have not found any such instructions for Vista. The XP thread does say that Vista handles SATA natively, but I am unsure what that means. If it means it automatically loads SATA drivers, then it didn't in my system. Here is the thread I read.

If anyone has any suggestions if I did something wrong I would appreciate hearing from them. I did follow the instructions to the letter, or so I believe. I am very new to system building.

Serenity

[cicchis0]

First, I am very new builder, and am not extremely experienced.

However, yesterday I attempted the instructions in that KB article and my system would not boot. I received the black screen. I went back in and reset the SATA mode to IDE, booted, received a error report, and then booted normally.

My situation is that after building the system, and upon installing Vista Ultimate I failed to use the "add additional drivers" to load the SATA driver(s) needed to enable AHCI Mode. (I didn't know I was suppose to. ) Vista installed without issue, recognizing the HDD, and I had no idea it was in IDE Mode until I went into the bios. I refrained from changing the Mode to AHCI until I researched the setting (It is not explained in the ASUS manual), and found out if I had done so my system would not have booted.

I read the XP Thread on changing this without the need of reinstallation, but have not found any such instructions for Vista. The XP thread does say that Vista handles SATA natively, but I am unsure what that means. If it means it automatically loads SATA drivers, then it didn't in my system. Here is the thread I read.

If anyone has any suggestions if I did something wrong I would appreciate hearing from them. I did follow the instructions to the letter, or so I believe. I am very new to system building.

Serenity

I'm not sure if this is too basic, but you need to be using a SATA HDD and cable. Check the manual for your HDD to make sure it supports SATA (shouldn't be a problem if you connected it using a SATA cable) and there are no jumpers that you need to alter.

[Tripredacus]

First, I am very new builder, and am not extremely experienced.

However, yesterday I attempted the instructions in that KB article and my system would not boot. I received the black screen. I went back in and reset the SATA mode to IDE, booted, received a error report, and then booted normally.

My situation is that after building the system, and upon installing Vista Ultimate I failed to use the "add additional drivers" to load the SATA driver(s) needed to enable AHCI Mode. (I didn't know I was suppose to. ) Vista installed without issue, recognizing the HDD, and I had no idea it was in IDE Mode until I went into the bios. I refrained from changing the Mode to AHCI until I researched the setting (It is not explained in the ASUS manual), and found out if I had done so my system would not have booted.

I read the XP Thread on changing this without the need of reinstallation, but have not found any such instructions for Vista. The XP thread does say that Vista handles SATA natively, but I am unsure what that means. If it means it automatically loads SATA drivers, then it didn't in my system. Here is the thread I read.

If anyone has any suggestions if I did something wrong I would appreciate hearing from them. I did follow the instructions to the letter, or so I believe. I am very new to system building.

Serenity

Im not sure about converting a Vista, but it should work if you create a generalized sysprep image of it, then inject the driver?

But is there a specific reason you want to use AHCI instead of IDE?