Windows 7: How to Enable AHCI - No option in BIOS.

Hey All,

I'm purchasing a new SSD next week. I've been reading up on it and it looks like I need to enable AHCI in my BIOS. I can't find any option for AHCI though.

I currently have my System setup as RAID0. This was how it was set up in the factory and I haven't changed it.

The only option I have is under SATA operation and I can either set it to "RAID Autodetect/ATA" or "RAID ON".

Is there anyway I can check to see whether AHCI is already enabled? If not will one of the above options enable it?

Some motherboards incorporate AHCI SATA automatically. In the early days of SATA there was a lot of confusion in terminology. "RAID" - "AHCI" - all the same thing.

For your motherboard it looks like you want to choose "RAID Autodetect/ATA" to use a non-RAID setup with AHCI.

Thanks TVeblen,

I've read on a few other sites though which say the opposite and say it should be set to "RAID ON" for AHCI, so I'm not sure what to think!

I'd like to have the two spinners still set up as RAID 0 for my data while having my O/S on my SSD. Maybe that isn't possible?

If you want to set up a RAID array then you definitely want to use the RAID ON setting. And you will get AHCI by default (if it is hard coded in your motherboard's BIOS - meaning the board is not so old that it does not do AHCI).

I thought you were trying to set up the SSD without an additional RAID array.

It is not entirely clear whether that 9200 system is "too old":
AHCI support for Dimension 9200 with 2.5.0 BIOS - Desktop General Hardware Forum - Desktop - Dell Community

Sorry TVeblen, I should have been a bit clearer on my inititial post.

Eventually I will replace the two spinners with a larger capacity 2TB single drive.

I hope not otherwise I won't be buying an SSD!

Reply from Dell Support:

"Hi Lee, just confirmed that there is no AHCI option for this model"

Now I'm not sure whether I'm able to use an SSD?

Like I said - hard to say.

Keep in mind he said that there was no AHCI option in the BIOS.

• That could mean: "there is no AHCI capability on this system"
• or: "AHCI is automatic in RAID mode and there is no option to change it"

I can't help with the SSD question. I have not played with one yet .
But I suggest starting a new thread and ask the question directly: "Will a SSD run properly in legacy IDE mode?" Someone here will know.

Oh-oh. Related???
Cannot access bios after SSD upgrade