Corsair Force GS 360, installed, but what does this message mean please?

Feb 12, 2003
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I installed my new SSD today, set everything in my bios settings to AHCI.

Everything to my knowledge is working fine however after the bios screen and just before it starts to load Windows 7 i get the following message displaying for a few seconds:

Serial ATA AHCI BIOS, Version iSrc 1.20E
Copyright (c) 2003-2008 Intel Corporation
**This version supports only Hard Disk and CDROM
Please wait. This will take few seconds:

Controller Bus#00, Device#1F, Function#02: 06 Port
AHCI BIOS not installed

So that is basically the message, what does this mean? I'm just concerned i'm not using my SSD to it's full potential if something isn't supporting it properly but like i said everything seems to be working fine.
 

rgallant

Golden Member
Apr 14, 2007
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06 Port ??????????????
-you need to list your hardware ,and os
ssd will run on anything with sata.
-newer intel chipsets should have the os on sata port '0' .
 
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Feb 12, 2003
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My hardware and os:

Windows 7
Gigabyte P67A-UD7 Motherboard
Cosair Force GS 360GB SSD
Cosair Vengence 8GB Memory
INTEL i7 2600K Processor
Geforce GTX680 4GB
Soundblaster X-Fi Titanium Soundcard

Think that's about everything.

I'm only running the SSD no other hard drives. Before i did the fresh install of Windows 7 i charged everything in the bios to AHCI, basically anything that gave me the option.

Could it be just an error message but without an actual error as the system is running perfectly?

Would be nice to get rid of the message are for it to say AHCI Bios installed
 
Feb 12, 2003
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ExtremeHD was disabled as default in my bios settings and as I didn't know what this setting did I left it alone but after I kept seeing the message ACIH bios not installed I then enabled the XHD setting and it said RAID etc but when I rebooted the same message came up anyway and although everything was still working fine I went back to the bios settings and disabled it. I'm really lost as to what to do. Could it be something to do with the intel drivers. It not being the latest ones perhaps as im using my motherboard driver CD and how could I check this? Or if you have any other ideas that would be much appreciated. Also guess I should have asked already but what does the XHD setting do and should I have this setting enabled in my bios?

I was considering doing a format and fresh install but to be fair that's what I did yesterday anyway although as already mentioned I didn't have the XHD setting enabled.
 

Cerb

Elite Member
Aug 26, 2000
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It has nothing to do with drivers. This is all going on before the OS gets involved.
 
Feb 12, 2003
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Right donuts to do with the motherboard in that case right. Do you hav any idea why it's not detecting the AHCI Bios? Or what I can try to get it resolved please? Would this message indicate that my SSD isn't working to its full potential?
 
Feb 12, 2003
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I've never tried updating the motherboard bios/firmware bcos I was always told that unless you have a problem with something not working on your motherboard that you shouldn't update it I.e. if its not broken dont fix it. Should I try updating the motherboard bios?
 

Cerb

Elite Member
Aug 26, 2000
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It's detecting things fine, it looks like, but not installing itself. Normally, that happens with mobo RAID, which typically uses AHCI under the hood, these days.

If XHD is turned on, what other controller options do you have than RAID? While it would be strange, at least to me, maybe XHD with some "native" or "auto" controller option would do the trick.
 
Feb 12, 2003
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Hi Cerb

Currently i don't have XtremeHD enabled, as i mentioned it wasn't enabled initially so i left it as disabled but turned every other setting i could find in the bios to AHCI. Should i have EXtreme Hard Drive enabled and what does it do?

Here are my bios settings at the moment under Integrated Periphaerals:

eXtreme Hard Drive: disabled
PHC SATA Control Mode: AHCI
Sata Port 0-3 Native Mode: enabled
USB Controllers: enabled
USB Legacy Function: enabled
USE Storage Function: enabled
Azalia Codec: disabled
Onboard H/W 1394: enabled
Onboard H/W Lan1: enabled
Onboard H/W Lan2: enabled
Smart Lan1: (press enter)
Smart Lan2: (press enter)
Onboard Lan1 Boot ROM: disabled
Onboard Lan2 Boot ROM: disabled
Onboard USB3.0 Controller: enabled
USB3.0 Turbo: enabled
Onboard USB3.0 Controller2: enabled
GSATA3 Controller: enabled
GSATA3 Ctrl Mode: AHCI
GSATA3 Transaction Mode: (Fw Mode)
GSATA3 RAID Configuration (press enter)
eSATA3 Controller (enabled)
eSATA3 Ctrl Mode: (AHCI)
eSATA3 Transaction Mode: (Fw Mode)
eSATA3 RAID Configuaration (press enter)
SATA3 Fireware Selection (Auto)
 
Feb 12, 2003
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When i enable the option extreme Hard Drive it comes up below:

x PCH SATA Control Mode RAID (XHD)

If i then go down to the option:

GSATA3 RAID Configuaration (press enter)

and then press enter it then goes into the Marvell BIOS Setup, the screen is like this:

Topology

HBA 0: Marvell 0
Virtual Disks
Free Physical Disks
PD 0: Corsair Force G
DVD_CD 8: TSSTcorp DV

If i hit enter when i've got highlight 'PD 0: Corsair Force G' it asks me if i want to 'Erase RAID Config Data), i've left this alone because to be honest i have no idea what it will do, i'm not that advanced when it comes to the BIOS so i'm scared to change anything.

What should i do next? I enabled the eXtreme Hard Drive and rebooted but the message still comes up unfortuntely, i'd really like to get it to detect my ahci BIOS.
 
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Feb 12, 2003
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Found something strange and not sure if it's related but in my device manager (windows 7) i have 2 other devices, both unknown devices. When i look at 'devices and printers' it shows:

Unspecifed (2)

Marvell 91XX Config ATA Device (twice)
 

Cerb

Elite Member
Aug 26, 2000
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OK, that's more potentially useful info.

Connect the SSD to one of the ports that is an Intel. From what I can see, it looks like any black port will do. See how that works with everything set for AHCI. Intel ports 0 and 1 should be 6Gbps, and 2-5 3Gbps. In fact, it wouldn't hurt, since you don't have many devices, to just disable the internal Marvell controller entirely, for now (GSATA3?).

i'd really like to get it to detect my ahci BIOS
It's not a matter of detecting an AHCI BIOS. AHCI is detecting disks, but not installing itself. BIOS allows things like drive controllrs to, for lack of a better term, "inject themselves," into your BIOS. So the AHCI init routine is running, detecting the drive, but then not configuring AHCI for the forthcoming OS loader to use.
 
Feb 12, 2003
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Hi Cerb

When you say connect my SSD to of the ports that is an Intel do you mean unplugging the SATA cable from my motherboard and then plugging the cable into another port on the motherboard? Currently my cable is in a black port on the motherboard, it has next to it:

SATA3

GSATA3 3_7
GSATA3 3_6

Both my SSD and DVD Rom are plugged into the two black slots. Next to the 2 black slots there are 2 white slots and one is free, should i plug the SSD into that one? Also do i then need to change any setting in the BIOS?

Should i first try just disabling the GSATA3 Controller first is that what you are asking me to do? What will that do?

Sorry for all the questions as you can probably tell i'm really not very technically minded,but your help is very much appreciated.
 

Cerb

Elite Member
Aug 26, 2000
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Should i first try just disabling the GSATA3 Controller first is that what you are asking me to do? What will that do?
If I am reading correctly, it should disable that Marvell controller (note: PCH = [Intel] Platform Controller Hub), so if your drive is connected to a Marvell port, it won't show up. At the least, you'll then know for sure if it is in an Intel port, because the board manual and reviews are confusing, wrt the top set of black/white pairs. If the silk-screening shows port numbers, try to put the drive in port 0 or 1.

Sorry for all the questions as you can probably tell i'm really not very technically minded,but your help is very much appreciated.
The greater problem is getting a high-end mobo with so many options, and a little bad luck. Usually, you can just flip everything on, and it works out. Apparently that isn't working as expected, in your case, and each SATA controller option could very well have an interaction with other SATA controller options.

Also, if you use Intel RST, you might be able to get NCQ in RAID mode with no RAID, as well (I know, another vague option for you :)). The thing you generally want most from AHCI, for internal drives, is Native Command Queuing. AHCI allows Windows' included AHCI driver to go ahead and use it, but that might not end up being the path of least resistance, in this situation.
 
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Feb 12, 2003
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Ok so i set the GSATA3 Controller option to disabled and then rebooted. I then got a black screen with this writing:

Loading Operating System ...
DISK BOOT FAILURE, INSERT SYSTEM DISK AND PRESS ENTER

i'M SO LOST
 

Zxian

Senior member
May 26, 2011
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Plug your SATA cable into one of the white ports on your board. Between the white ports and the square heatsink, you should bee able to see text printed on the board itself that says "SATA3_0" and "SATA3_1". Those are the SATA 6Gbps ports connected to the Intel controller. The top two black ports are the GSATA3 ports, while the bottom four black ports are the 3Gbps ports connected to the Intel controller.

The situation you've run into is a result of a non-UEFI BIOS (i.e. the older way of making a BIOS). For some reason, Gigabyte decided not to implement UEFI on it's P67/Z68 boards. I ran into the exact same issue with my RAID card that I use in my server. For your situation, the fix is simply a matter of plugging your drive into a different port. For my situation, I had to replace the board.

Edit - Also, make sure that you unplug ALL devices that you had plugged into those top two GSATA3 ports.
 

Cerb

Elite Member
Aug 26, 2000
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And no mention of the disk in the POST routine?

i'M SO LOST
:p

OK, when you press the power button, the PC turns on, and the hardware performs a basic power good/bad test. Then, the processor gets involved, and it goes through what we call POST, or Power On Self Test. It checks the RAM, and detects and configures devices. This is what's going on up trough the point where the AHCI BIOS initialization that you see runs.

After all that's done, it starts going through the list of bootable devices, to find something to start running. If it can't find anything, you either get a failure message like you see, or it will keep trying a network bootup, if supported and enabled.

Now, beyond that, there's your SATA configuration. The Intel chipset has 6 ports: 2 6Gbps (white?) and 4 3Gbps (black). Now, these should, "just work," in AHCI mode, with RAID disabled and AHCI turned on for the PCH (Intel's controller).

But then you also have a Marvell 9128 series chip giving you 2 more SATA 6Gbps ports (black?). This controller may have odd behavior interactions with the Intel one, for no apparent reasons. You also have a Marvell 9128 chip for eSATA, but it should be considered N/A for this situation. Set it to AHCI and leave it, so you can use eSATA hot-plug one day, if you need it.

In general, you want to avoid the Marvell controllers for anything important, if you can. They're OK drive controllers, but Intel's are faster, and Intel's get more and better testing, wrt BIOSes.

So, a disk boot failure may be a sign of progress, upon turning off the GSATA3, as it appeared that you had the drive in one of the Marvell ports (but with conflicting/vague information as to which were which, and not having a board of that series handy, I wasn't exactly sure which ones it should be in).

If the OS is installed on the SSD already, your goal should be Windows trying to start and instead leaving you with a BSOD. The end result you want is for the AHCI BIOS to initialize, detect the SSD, then install itself. Then, it boots from the SSD. Windows then loads MSAHCI or IaStorV, and then on you go, with hot-plug and NCQ support. If the AHCI BIOS installs, and then you get a BSOD, Windows settings can be changed to fix the BSOD.

The situation you've run into is a result of a non-UEFI BIOS (i.e. the older way of making a BIOS). For some reason, Gigabyte decided not to implement UEFI on it's P67/Z68 boards.
Hmm. Irony. I like it (my sig is from the bottom message).
 
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Feb 12, 2003
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ZXIAN from what i can see in my side panel window i have 2 black slots currently with my SSD and DVD drive and to the left of them 2 white slots, one is currently being used by a red cable, have no idea where it is coming from.

This means i only have 1 white port spare from what i can see without opening the case which means my DVD will have to remain in one of the black ports. Does this pose a serious problem? Anyway i'm going to open the case to get a better look.
 

Cerb

Elite Member
Aug 26, 2000
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Why do you need AHCI for ? Change to BIOS defaults and I bet you you won't get that message and it will boot right into winblows in 20 seconds
Mainly for NCQ. RAID mode could do it with RST/IaStor, but I'm not sure how much more into the weeds the OP's mind can go, with no prior introduction to any of this :).

ZXIAN from what i can see in my side panel window i have 2 black slots currently with my SSD and DVD drive and to the left of them 2 white slots, one is currently being used by a red cable, have no idea where it is coming from.

This means i only have 1 white port spare from what i can see without opening the case which means my DVD will have to remain in one of the black ports. Does this pose a serious problem? Anyway i'm going to open the case to get a better look.
Your DVD drive will work just fine on any of the four bottom black ports. You can swap all the cables around between ports, it's just that the Intel 6Gbps (white ports 0-1?) will let you get the most of of your SSD, and it would be more likely that everything would work as expected using only the Intels.
 
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Zxian

Senior member
May 26, 2011
579
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Not to derail too much, but BIOS as we knew it was, quite literally, running out of (address) space. While the actual implementation of EFI might be somewhat questionable, it allows us to avoid any limitation of device loading an initialization during boot.

Linus also usually has a raging hatred for anything that wasn't developed out of the *nix world. I always take his commentary with a grain of salt. ^_^

@SEIZETHEDAY4EVA - Unplug the drive that is presently in the white port and plug it into one of the block of four black ports. Take the second cable that's connected to GSATA3 and plug it into that same block of black ports. Then take the cable that is connected to your SSD and plug it into one of the white ports.
 
Feb 12, 2003
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Ok XIAN you were correct, there were 6 in total slots, 2x black then in the middle 2x white sata3_0 and sata3_1, and then another 2 black which i had my ssd and dvd in to the right. I've now moved the red one down to the black slot to the far left, then moved the ssd and dvd to the white slots, nothing in the GSATA3 ports anymore.

Now i'm going to start up the machine and pray everything goes according to plan. Do i need to change any setting in the BIOS now?
 
Feb 12, 2003
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ZXIAN it worked a treat.

I restarted it now it detects it. (AHCI BIOS INSTALLED)

Thanks so much for everyone's advice.

Just one thing, i installed both the SSD and DVD into the 2 white ports, is this a problem? Should i take the DVD cable and plug it into the black port to the left of the 2 white ones?

So happy to have got there in the end.

Do i need to change any settings in my BIOS now? Oh and what is eXtremeHD, i have this set to disabled because i don't know what it is, should it be enabled and if so why?

Again thank you ZXIAN and same goes to you Cerb.........LEGENDS!!!