AHCI-mode on Marvell 9128 controller in Windows 7 Ultimate x64  

I am having trouble installing Win 7 Ultimate x64 on my new Intel 510 SSD drive connected to the Marvell 9128 controller (on my Asus board) in AHCI mode.
Mind you, Windows installed fine on the 510 when Marvell was in IDE mode.
I am usually able to get to the HDD selection-screen, and here I see the Intel 510 drive just fine. Then, I load the Marvell 912x Controller Driver V1.0.0.1036 (downloaded from asus.com - where I made sure to select Win 7 64-bit). I also tried the 1.0.0.1051 version - downloaded from some other place.

During the subsequent installation, the setup crashes/hangs at various times. And nothing more happens.
One time I managed to get into Windows after the installation but after one more reboot, that was the last I saw of the Desktop.

I read a guide on how to switch to AHCI controller-mode after having done the installation in IDE mode.
The guide (How to enable AHCI in Windows 7 RC after installation | iThinkDifferent), along with several other guides, talks about modifying the "msahci" entry to value "0" under
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\System\CurrentControlSet\Services\

This results in the same hang-situation during boot-up - after the switch to AHCI has been done in the BIOS.

Side-notes: Have run Memtest on the RAM for over 12 hours with no errors (also, the system has run stable as heck the past six months on a regular HDD on the exact same Marvell port).

I sooo need your suggestions! I find it so frustrating that I cannot enjoy my new and blazing fast hardware with the optimal settings.

Why are you the marvell controller port?
Connect it to the normal Intel controller ports.

pooch said:

Hello Kingmortz, welcome to the forum,

You have been in the BIOS enabled the Marvel ports, selected AHCI and proceeded to install windows and you get as far as the partitioning screen where you choose which drive to install to and you can see your SSD, maybe I am reading this wrong but why are you loading a driver? If you can see your SSD you should be good to install windows.
Correct me if I am wrong

That is what I would think.

pooch said:

Hello Kingmortz, welcome to the forum,

You have been in the BIOS enabled the Marvel ports, selected AHCI and proceeded to install windows and you get as far as the partitioning screen where you choose which drive to install to and you can see your SSD, maybe I am reading this wrong but why are you loading a driver? If you can see your SSD you should be good to install windows.
Correct me if I am wrong

Thank you pooch.

I see that I wasn't too clear on that one. To begin with, I didn't even expect Windows to need any additional drivers, so yes, I have also tried simply switching to AHCI and then install Windows with no added drivers. I always see the drive in the partitioning sceen, which is also why I initially didn't think that any extra drivers were needed.

Shootist> The reason why I am not using the Intel ports is, of course, that I want the 6 Gbit/s bandwidth of the Marvell ports (well, disappointingly, 5 Gbit/s - according to the Marvell BIOS during boot-up) for my 6 Gbit/s SSD-drive. Quite a significant difference in read/write speeds from Sata II.

[QUOTE=pooch;1353554]

kingmortz said:

But??
Have you tried the drivers on the CD that came with the motherboard?
Is your DVD ROM/writer connected to the Marvel controller? If so move it to the Intel controller

Have you tried updating the BIOS? there are several stability fixes included
ASUSTeK Computer Inc. -Support- Technical Documents P6X58D-E

Let us know how you get on

Thanks for a quick and good response.

The drivers on the CD (V1.0.0.1036) are the exact same as the latest you can find on Asus' website for my mobo. However, I have ripped the CD to a different harddrive (connected to the Intel controller) from which I always load the drivers in the partition screen. And again, I have also tried the entire installation in AHCI mode without any added drivers.
The BIOS (v0502, hence my System Specs info) is the latest available.

kingmortz said:

And again, I have also tried the entire installation in AHCI mode without any added drivers.

As pooch showed in his last post with the diagram you're going to have to install the AHCI/SATA drivers during the installation of Windows. I'm fairly sure Windows doesn't have the Marvell drivers for the board. So since you're using the Marvell controller you need to install the drivers.

Also, as noted, make sure the controller is in AHCI mode through the BIOS.

Thank you so much for your patience guys - especially you, pooch. I must admit, I actually haven't tried the other Marvell port . Also pooch, I forgot the old (but very true) saying: RTFM... Very good paste of the manual. Will try all of it out straight away and get back to you.