IP35 Pro, Can't Get Into BIOS Setup When AHCI Enabled

[delsvr]

Does anyone else have this problem? If AHCI is enabled, the POST screen finishes way too quickly, and the AHCI bios pops up before POST has a chance to recognize I've hit the delete key. The only way I can get back into the BIOS is if I clear the CMOS, disabling AHCI. I have the latest stable bios version of this board. Any ideas? Thanks.

 

[NoelS]

May be that your ACHI drivers aren't installed correctly. If you installed Windows and used the F6 prompt to install the drivers, you missed one step - selecting ACHI in the BIOS BEFORE installing Windows.

Try a repair install - at the second R in the install process (not Recovery Console). But first, select ACHI in the BIOS, shut down and put the Windows install CD in the tray, then start up and do the repair install. At the F6 prompt use the drivers with your floppy to get them installed.

Good luck, Noel

 

[delsvr]

What does this have to do with my Windows installation? I'm talking about the startup, before Windows starts, at the POST screen.

 

[NoelS]

If the AHCI drivers are not installed, or improperly installed, and AHCI is selected in the BIOS, strange things happen. With my ASUS mobos, Windows attempts to start and then blue screens immediately, will not start Windows. Could be maybe your mobo (you didn't say what kind) acts somewhat differently?

My question to you, did you install the AHCI drivers, and if so when and how did you do it? If you did not install the drivers, AHCI is objecting and not allowing you to post. because you enabled it. As you said yourself, you have to disable ACHI to get into the BIOS.

So, if you didn't install the drivers, you can't use AHCI. Period! If you installed the drivers incorrectly, go back and install them correctly, that's all I'm suggesting...

Noel

 

[delsvr]

The motherboard is an abit IP35 Pro, as stated in the title.

I misspoke when I said I couldn't get into the BIOS. I can't get into the BIOS Setup. The computer itself boots and runs fine. Vista recognizes my AHCI devices. Everything is okay. The POST screen just finishes too fast, and it doesn't recognize that I've pressed the Delete key to enter the BIOS setup. Even if I anticipate and start pressing Delete before the computer starts, it doesn't recognize that I want to enter the setup and just boots the OS.

I've set the keyboard to be handled by the BIOS instead of the OS, a setting on IP35 pro motherboards that allows the keyboard to be recognized before the OS loads.

Also, I installed the AHCI drivers in Vista using Intel's AHCI/RAID/Matrix Storage installer.

 

[NoelS]

OK, I see your dilemma now... When you clear the CMOS, do you remove the battery AND move the clear jumper to enable and back to disable? If you just remove the battery, or the jumper, maybe try both, see if that changes anything...

That BIOS of yours is crazy 🙂 You could also try to re-flash the BIOS (to same version, or even an older one, if you can get it), see if that changes anything.

Could be you have a bad BIOS chip on the mobo. Have you talked to Abit tech support? Maybe they'll send you a new chip...

Noel

 

[Old Hippie]

There's an option in the BIOS for somekinda "Fast Boot" that comes enabled by default. You could try disabling that option.

 

[VirtualLarry]

Sounds like there is a problem with the BIOS recognizing your USB keyboard. I'm not sure what that has to do with AHCI, unless the BIOS bypasses the USB initialization sequence when AHCI is enabled in the BIOS. That would be a strange thing indeed.