Windows 7 - AHCI problems

So I changed my SATA operation mode to AHCI, and tried to install Windows on a new hard drive.
I got to the select installation location screen, and I was faced with this error: "Windows cannot be installed to this disk. The computer's hardware may not support booting to this disk. Ensure that the disk's controller is enabled in the computer's BIOS menu."
I then opened Diskpart, and marked the partition as active and formatted it with ntfs, and it still failed.
What does this mean? I know it has something to do with AHCI.

JK, are you sure the drive is NCQ capable? I saw the other thread you asked about AHCI, but I don't remember if this was discussed

I have no idea. How do I find out? I forgot to mention that I tried 2 drives, neither worked.

I think you have to check the specs. When I read the other thread yesterday I also started looking to see what mine was and I found out WD advertises on the specs the ones that are and simply doesn't say anything on the ones that aren't (brilliant sentence of mine, they obviously don't highlight what they don't have... ). Probalby you just have to check the specs at WD's and Hitachi's websites.

Now, I read a little further and I am on doubt if AHCI requires NCQ or enables NCQ. I am also in doubbt now

Jon, are you setting up redundant drives? AKA RAID?

Nope, each drive is separate.

hi i have been playing with ahci for the last week myself
once you turn on ahci do you see the hard drive listed in the boot screen as being part of the ahci boot screen it took me a bit of fiddling with the settings to get all 3 of my drives to show up in that part of the boot screen
and when i did enable ahci it kept changing the default boot drive in the bios

cheers brad

No, as soon as I change to AHCI, my drives are not listed. I am not using any IDE drives, so I cannot test that.

i changed my sata connections on the motherboard as well to get all 3 showing up

Good point, some motherboards have featues that won't work on all SATA connections (sometimes only SATA 0 to 2 for example). JK, have you checked that?