Windows 7 - Driver for AHCI Gigabyte EP45-UD3P

nate42nd · 06-16-2009

I have been reading for days and don't understand this. When I get a system built using all SATA drives...is the best setting in the bios AHCI?

I know the RAID setting requires drivers and IDE does not but how about AHCI?

Should I even use this setting? Does it require drivers or does Windows 7 have "generic" ones?

Thanks to anyone who knows.

woebetide · 06-16-2009

Windows 7 has generic driver
Before changing the bios to AHCI, be sure this key in the registry is AHCI enabled

Code:

Windows Registry Editor Version 5.00

[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Services\msahci]
"Group"="SCSI Miniport"
"ImagePath"=hex(2):5c,00,53,00,79,00,73,00,74,00,65,00,6d,00,52,00,6f,00,6f,00,\
  74,00,5c,00,73,00,79,00,73,00,74,00,65,00,6d,00,33,00,32,00,5c,00,64,00,72,\
  00,69,00,76,00,65,00,72,00,73,00,5c,00,6d,00,73,00,61,00,68,00,63,00,69,00,\
  2e,00,73,00,79,00,73,00,00,00
"ErrorControl"=dword:00000003
"Start"=dword:00000000
"Type"=dword:00000001

"Start"=dword:00000004, then is disabled!

herzeleid · 06-16-2009

I have EP45-DS3R, similar p45+ICH10R mobo. Windows 7 has generic drivers they are installed in the normal setup process. Later you can update p45 chipset drivers and they are updated too. Windows 7 has no problems with the installation since 7057b.
I don't know if it makes any difference AHCI or normal, I used both in different installations. I did not notice anything in performance. A benchmark should be more accurate.
I should try that reg edit and take a look.

nate42nd · 06-16-2009

Quote: Originally Posted by woebetide

Windows 7 has generic driver
Before changing the bios to AHCI, be sure this key in the registry is AHCI enabled

Code:

Windows Registry Editor Version 5.00

[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Services\msahci]
"Group"="SCSI Miniport"
"ImagePath"=hex(2):5c,00,53,00,79,00,73,00,74,00,65,00,6d,00,52,00,6f,00,6f,00,\
  74,00,5c,00,73,00,79,00,73,00,74,00,65,00,6d,00,33,00,32,00,5c,00,64,00,72,\
  00,69,00,76,00,65,00,72,00,73,00,5c,00,6d,00,73,00,61,00,68,00,63,00,69,00,\
  2e,00,73,00,79,00,73,00,00,00
"ErrorControl"=dword:00000003
"Start"=dword:00000000
"Type"=dword:00000001

"Start"=dword:00000004, then is disabled!

woebetide, Thanks for the tip. I read a similar workaround in necessary when you don't install the right drivers at install. I wonder if that's what you're talking about????

Quote: Originally Posted by herzeleid

I have EP45-DS3R, similar p45+ICH10R mobo. Windows 7 has generic drivers they are installed in the normal setup process. Later you can update p45 chipset drivers and they are updated too. Windows 7 has no problems with the installation since 7057b.
I don't know if it makes any difference AHCI or normal, I used both in different installations. I did not notice anything in performance. A benchmark should be more accurate.
I should try that reg edit and take a look.

herzeleid, Thanks very much. I will try the AHCI mode since that's what the computers I have now are set to in the BIOS. I would like to get it done right the 1st time.

nate42nd · 06-16-2009

I just need to know if I need to install the drivers during Windows 7 setup to use AHCI mode.....to make it simple.

I am reading stuff that says yes, and other stuff that says no ? ? ?

herzeleid · 06-16-2009

Quote: Originally Posted by nate42nd

I just need to know if I need to install the drivers during Windows 7 setup to use AHCI mode.....to make it simple.

I am reading stuff that says yes, and other stuff that says no ? ? ?

You don't need to install any drivers during setup if you are going to install anything newer than 7057 build. Before that I have no idea...

Btw, I tested AHCI and IDE mode using HD Tune. Benchmark results are almost same, in AHCI I can't see the s.m.a.r.t details for hdd.

nate42nd · 06-16-2009

Thanks for the help. I will try just installing with the SATA dvd drive and HDD and see how it goes.

Qdos · 10-28-2009

Quote: Originally Posted by herzeleid

You don't need to install any drivers during setup if you are going to install anything newer than 7057 build. Before that I have no idea...

Btw, I tested AHCI and IDE mode using HD Tune. Benchmark results are almost same, in AHCI I can't see the s.m.a.r.t details for hdd.

It's not so on Gigabyte P45 boards. You can load the x64 drivers at Setup/F6, and allow Windows to install, however your BIOS must be set to IDE mode to do this.

If you allow installation to complete and go back into the BIOS when you reboot and select AHCI mode - the result is a board which won't boot.

Any test programs like HD Tune which report virtually no difference in the drive(s) performance in IDE v AHCI mode can't be a very good benchmark test as you don't have NCQ working (or hotswap) in IDE mode, therefore your drive(s) cannot conceivably perform as well.

And if you want to use RAID, well you can't...

mmgood · 01-02-2010

i have been screwing around trying to get my other drives to run in AHCI (unknowingly i never set it up when i first installed Win 7) and got the BSOD whenever i changed my Bios to AHCI so kinda gave up until i read this post last night and i just wanna say thank you for the registry work around...set start to 0 and it booted up real nice all my drives are working now...so thanks again woebetide

Windows 7 - Driver for AHCI Gigabyte EP45-UD3P

Driver for AHCI Gigabyte EP45-UD3P problems?