SSD & AHCI Headache

On my freshly built system with Gigabyte GA-Z68X-UD3-B3 motherboard, I loaded Windows 64bit Home on a Crucial 64GB SSD. I could have sworn I had the BIOS set to AHCI prior to the install, but later on, noticed it was at IDE. ??? Changing it to AHCI causes the system to get to a black screen saying "Loading Operating System (always says that), but it never loads.

I understand Windows 7 has an AHCI driver. ??? Does Windows know to set up the SSD as an AHCI device on install if the BIOS says AHCI? I want to run AHCI, and tried a hack where one changes a start value in a registry entry from 3 to 0. This does not work. Am I stuck with having to reinstall Windows 7? Can I try loading a driver from Gigabyte now and will that permit AHCI to work?

- Phil

I did the steps shown already to no avail. Changing that registry setting causes the system boot to stop at "Loading Operating System" which never happens. I'll try again when I get home.

Thanks for the welcome. My first time with Windows 7 and this forum is quite helpful.

- Phil

The thing is that Windows will not restart if the BIOS is set to AHCI, no matter what is done in the registry. This is what happens.

1. System is in IDE mode and Registry has standard value of "3". Windows operational. This is the original configuration.
2. Shut down system. Change BIOS to AHCI. System gets to "Loading Operating System", but goes no further.
3. Shut down system. Change BIOS to IDE. Boot Windows. Change Registry setting start value to "0". Windows operational.
4. Change BIOS to AHCI. Systems gets to "Loading Operating System", but goes no further.

Does not appear that changing the Registry does anything.

I appreciate your assistance. Thank you.

- Phil

Bare Foot Kid said:

Hello again Phil.


After you change the registry value, and restart the PC are you entering the PC BIOS to set the "Storage Controller" from IDE to AHCI so that Windows will detect that and install the appropriate drivers when Windows restarts?

No, will try when I get home. How do you get into SAFE Mode when trying to boot? Sorry, first time with Win7.

- Phil

Bare Foot Kid said:

fseal said:

What I did to change from IDE to AHCI on the fly was to shut down, boot into BIOS, change to AHCI, reboot into safe mode. Let safe mode boot, finish detecting changes etc. Then restart in normal mode.

This worked fine for me and my hardware YMMV...

Have you had a go at this method?

Gave the above approach a try and no success. It is not possible to boot into Safe Mode. In short, selection of AHCI in the BIOS prohibits loading of Windows, in any mode.

- Phil