SSD Won't Work w/AHCI

[Phil3]

I built a new system and was positive I switched the "PCH SATA Control Mode" on my Gigabyte GA-Z68-UD3-BS motherboard to ACHI. And all worked fine and Windows boots quick. I then added a second mechanical hard drive and it did not show in Windows. Explored the BIOS and found that the "PCH SATA Control Mode" was at IDE. I switched it to AHCI and Windows will not load. For some reason the boot order was all wrong, so fixed that. Disconnected the 2nd drive. PCH SATA Control Mode" offers three options. IDE works. AHCI and RAID get you to a black screen where it says "Loading Operating System", but nothing else happens. What is wrong? Everyone says to use AHCI but my system will have none of it. The Marvell controller (not used) is set at IDE.

- Phil

 

[Seero]

I built a new system and was positive I switched the "PCH SATA Control Mode" on my Gigabyte GA-Z68-UD3-BS motherboard to ACHI. And all worked fine and Windows boots quick. I then added a second mechanical hard drive and it did not show in Windows. Explored the BIOS and found that the "PCH SATA Control Mode" was at IDE. I switched it to AHCI and Windows will not load. For some reason the boot order was all wrong, so fixed that. Disconnected the 2nd drive. PCH SATA Control Mode" offers three options. IDE works. AHCI and RAID get you to a black screen where it says "Loading Operating System", but nothing else happens. What is wrong? Everyone says to use AHCI but my system will have none of it. The Marvell controller (not used) is set at IDE.

- Phil

Although it will work on both IDE or ACHI, but you can't switch it. First you need to make a register fix(google it), then you need to reset bios to default and then change it to AHCI or your SSD may have problems later on.

 

[Phil3]

I changed HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINES\System\CurrentControlSet\services\msachi in the Registry. I changed the "start" value from 3 to 0, per instructions I found on the Internet. Rebooted and changed the BIOS to AHCI and let it reboot with the change. Still same problem. Says "Loading Operating System" forever. Changed BIOS back to IDE, but still with registry change, and Windows is fine. Are you saying I will have problems with the SSD if it is left as IDE?

- Phil

 

[Seero]

I changed HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINES\System\CurrentControlSet\services\msachi in the Registry. I changed the "start" value from 3 to 0, per instructions I found on the Internet. Rebooted and changed the BIOS to AHCI and let it reboot with the change. Still same problem. Says "Loading Operating System" forever. Changed BIOS back to IDE, but still with registry change, and Windows is fine. Are you saying I will have problems with the SSD if it is left as IDE?

- Phil

No, I said it is problematic to switch between IDE and AHCI after OS installation and SSD. They are 2 different problems, and you have seen the OS one. The other one has something to do with DMI. I don't fully understand the implication but the idea is this, switch modes without resetting the bios will cause conflict in DMI. This can be resolved by discharging BIOS completely(Remove the battery) or reset it back to factory setting.

As to your fail to boot problem, it is simply due to the lack of AHCI driver. Try this
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/922976

 

[Phil3]

This modifies the registry, which I already did. That has not worked. I do not what else can be done, except to change the BIOS to AHCI and reinstall Windows? Will this just overwrite the existing Windows 7 and data, or...? I am fuzzy on "reinstalls".

- Phil

As to your fail to boot problem, it is simply due to the lack of AHCI driver. Try this
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/922976

 

[dmoney1980]

what brand SSD are you using?

 

[Phil3]

It is a Crucial M4 64GB SSD. - Phil

 

[Burner27]

Connect the SSD to SATA Port 0, the HDD to SATA Port 1 and then connect whatever else you have that needs a SATA port.

Go into BIOS, disable the marvell controller unless you are using it. Set the controller mode to AHCI, set the boot order to boot to your SSD first and your DVD Rom drive 2nd. If you have the options in your BIOS under BOOT to choose which HDD to boot from first, ensure that your SSD is first (It's like boot order only for your HDDs)

Save, exit, reboot. See if that works.

Your SSD works fine with AHCI as you said in your first few sentences of your first post. It's when you added the HDD that this started happening. Is there anything on that HDD? Did it ever have an OS loaded on it and you never formatted it before putting it in your current system?

 

[Phil3]

Thank you. I am at work now, but will perform your steps when I get home. I did try disconnecting the 2nd HDD, but SSD was on SATA_1, which is a SATA3 connector. The SSD is also SATA3. I do not believe the Marvell controller was disabled, so will do that. I can make the other BIOS changes you mentioned. Will try this.

I will leave the registry edit alone, as it seems everyone says that is necessary.

"Your SSD works fine with AHCI as you said in your first few sentences of your first post. It's when you added the HDD that this started happening. Is there anything on that HDD? Did it ever have an OS loaded on it and you never formatted it before putting it in your current system".

Well, I THOUGHT I had the BIOS set at AHCI when I installed Windows, but since I found it later at "IDE", I have to doubt myself. In short, I can not be sure the SSD ever was on AHCI. Is there any way the BIOS would change without me editing it? The second HDD is a brand new out of the box unit that never saw any use until I put it into this system. It is not even formatted.

- Phil

 

[dmoney1980]

you might have to do a fresh install of Win 7. the imprtant thing here is to ensure that your BIOS has AHCI enabled.

 

[Burner27]

Worst case scenario, you could reload the OS with AHCI enabled onto the SSD. In that case I would only have the SSD and the DVD Rom connect during install. When install is complete then you can reconnect the HDD.

 

[Phil3]

If all else fails, will do the fresh install of Win7. How can I be sure the AHCI driver on the Win7 disk is installed during the fresh install? By ensuring the BIOS is set to AHCI? Nothing more? I am so certain I did this to start with, but guess not since the BIOS now says IDE, unless the BIOS settings can be changed by something other than me.

What steps to a fresh install. CD in CD-ROM, boot from CD, and...? Anything I need to do with the disk (SSD) when I get to that point?

- Phil

 

[dmoney1980]

If all else fails, will do the fresh install of Win7. How can I be sure the AHCI driver on the Win7 disk is installed during the fresh install? By ensuring the BIOS is set to AHCI? Nothing more? I am so certain I did this to start with, but guess not since the BIOS now says IDE, unless the BIOS settings can be changed by something other than me.

What steps to a fresh install. CD in CD-ROM, boot from CD, and...? Anything I need to do with the disk (SSD) when I get to that point?

- Phil

thats about it. Set storage SATA mode to AHCI in BIOS, set cdrom as primary boot at first, install win 7, install latest intel drivers, set primary boot back to SSD in BIOS.

 

[Burner27]

Windows 7 has an AHCI driver built in it. As long as you ensure the BIOS setting is set to AHCI, you should be fine. Although I have not encountered a BIOS setting that changed on its own, it can happen.

Insert DVD Rom of Windows 7 in DVD rom drive, boot to DVD Rom drive, install to SSD.

 

[Phil3]

On a reinstall of Windows 7, do I need to delete SSD partitions (which I presume will wipe out existing Windows 7 and other apps), or...? I just want to be sure on what to do when I get to the drive section of the Windows install with Windows already on the machine.

- Phil

 

[Burner27]

Wipeout the partition. Start fresh.

 

[Seero]

This modifies the registry, which I already did. That has not worked. I do not what else can be done, except to change the BIOS to AHCI and reinstall Windows? Will this just overwrite the existing Windows 7 and data, or...? I am fuzzy on "reinstalls".

- Phil

The registry change signals the OS that there is a new drive (OS sees a different drive between IDE and AHCI although it is actually the same drive). However, you may not have the appropriate AHCI driver. You can found out whether or not you have the AHCI driver from device manager. expand the IDE ATA/ATAPI controller and if something about AHCI controller is listed, then you have the driver. This driver is needed before you can boot successfully, and the registry is to tell the OS to use it.

If it isn't there, then you have to get the appropriate driver for you controller. I don't know what controller you are using, but assuming it is Intel, then get the latest Intel Matrix storage driver.

I don't recommend the method I use, but I simply put in the windows installation disk and have it repair it until it goes boots, it may take more than 3 repairs. The window disk contains the driver needed to boot, but not the latest and greatest version. Of course I also assume that you are using vista/7, not xp.

 

[Phil3]

I had understood that Windows 7 does have a AHCI driver, eliminating any need for me to go out and try to find it. I also had understood that Windows will not load that driver unless the BIOS tells Windows AHCI is selected. When I get home, I will check as you said to see if the AHCI driver is there, and if it is, the computer should work with BIOS set to AHCI.

- Phil

 

[Seero]

I had understood that Windows 7 does have a AHCI driver, eliminating any need for me to go out and try to find it. I also had understood that Windows will not load that driver unless the BIOS tells Windows AHCI is selected. When I get home, I will check as you said to see if the AHCI driver is there, and if it is, the computer should work with BIOS set to AHCI.

- Phil

I personally have to manually install controller drivers upon installing win 7 that comes with the mobo or things doesn't believe properly.