Solved Reinstalling Windows For AHCI Support

[Comicsnut]

Hi all!

So I have an OCZ Vertex 3 SSD and I have been using it without AHCI support.

I purchased Macrium and have created a backup image of my OS so that I can reinstall Windows.

Working in IT for years, I've installed Windows countless times and I've never seen an option for AHCI during the install process.

Do I need to boot to BIOS before installing Windows, change SATA configuration to AHCI and then reboot to disc and install Windows? Is that the process? Because I'm sure there's no option to set AHCI or IDE when simply installing Windows.

 

[pbcopter]

The option for IDE or AHCI is set in the BIOS, then Windows is installed and will apply the appropriate drivers and registry settings.

See this tutorial to change to AHCI if Windows is installed already.

http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/61869-ahci-enable-windows-7-vista.html

 

[Comicsnut]

The option for IDE or ACHI is set in the BIOS, then Windows is installed and will apply the appropriate drivers and registry settings.

See this tutorial to change to ACHI if Windows is installed already.

http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/61869-ahci-enable-windows-7-vista.html

Hey there, thanks for the quick reply!

I've tried everything to enable AHCI post-installation and it doesn't work. I have no problem reinstalling Windows with the Macrium image I just created.

My question is basically that I've never seen any options as to enabling AHCI when installing Windows. I've always just inserted the disc and Windows installs....so what I'm trying to get at is: Do I boot to the BIOS before installing Windows (while this install I'm currently running is already here), turn on AHCI then boot to DVD and install Windows?

 

[pbcopter]

Are you trying to use the image you created with Macrium?

If not and you are reinstalling Windows 7 from the DVD, first set the BIOS to AHCI then boot to the Windows 7 DVD and complete the installation.

 

[Comicsnut]

Are you trying to use the image you created with Macrium?

Yes, I created a Macrium image. All of the registry tweaks and whatnot to enable AHCI have been done in order to see if I could get it to work.

If not and you are reinstalling Windows 7 from the DVD, first set the BIOS to AHCI then boot to the Windows 7 DVD and complete the installation.

Not sure if I am being clear.

I created a backup of my OS.
I want to reinstall my OS.
Do I enable AHCI in the BIOS before the installation of the OS by simply booting to the BIOS, enabling AHCI, rebooting to DVD and installing Windows.

 

[Kaktussoft]

"I've tried everything to enable AHCI post-installation and it doesn't work"=>What have you tried and what were the results?

You have to enable AHCI in BIOS and install win7 afterwards.

Or AHCI : Enable in Windows 7 / Vista

But what if you restore a non AHCI image and bios is in ahci mode? Then first revert in BIOS to non-ahci mode. Then you can do AHCI : Enable in Windows 7 / Vista

 

[Comicsnut]

I have tried all the tutorials to enable AHCI after installation.

Let's just answer this....

To enable AHCI, does one boot to the BIOS, turn on AHCI, then boot to DVD and install Windows? Is that how it's done?

 

[Kaktussoft]

I have tried all the tutorials to enable AHCI after installation.

Let's just answer this....

To enable AHCI, does one boot to the BIOS, turn on AHCI, then boot to DVD and install Windows? Is that how it's done?

Yes

 

[Comicsnut]

Thank you!

 

[Comicsnut]

This is getting beyond frustrating.

I just wasted my night reinstalling Windows with AHCI enabled in the BIOS and restored my OS from a Macrium image.

I have followed every tutorial I can find in order to enable AHCI for my SSD yet it refuses to work. There has got to be something I'm missing. Every registry key has been modified accordingly, drivers installed yet all it does is hang after POST.

My motherboard, while not the best anymore, is a passable board that was built long after AHCI support was released...I mean, it's right there in the BIOS as proof.

What the heck does a guy gotta do to get the most from his OCZ Vertex 3? Upgrade the board? I've been thinking about upgrading it simply because my ASUS M4A77TD (not PRO) lacks 6Gb/s ports (and a minor annoyance of no USB 3.0 ports).

But, I just don't see how it can be the board! :banghead::banghead:

 

[Phone Man]

I just wasted my night reinstalling Windows with AHCI enabled in the BIOS and restored my OS from a Macrium image.

There is your problem. Your image is still set for IDE and overwrites everything you did in the registy.

Jim

 

[Comicsnut]

But my registry keys are set for AHCI...

 

[Comicsnut]

Am I being obtuse?

 

[Comicsnut]

Here are the registry entries...

 

[Comicsnut]

Here's my system...why in the world can't I get AHCI to work? Driving me nutty!

Proc
Board

As you can see above everything is configured in the registry for AHCI. My BIOS has the setting but when I change it, the computer doesn't boot. Just sits there...staring at me in defiance. Laughing at my read/write speeds.

What is the problem with this thing?

 

[Kaktussoft]

This is getting beyond frustrating.

I just wasted my night reinstalling Windows with AHCI enabled in the BIOS and restored my OS from a Macrium image.

reinstalling Windows with AHCI enabled in the BIOS=> should work. What error message on boot?

restored my OS from a Macrium image. =>Was AHCI enabled the moment you made the backup. What error message on boot?

 

[Comicsnut]

There is no error. Like I said...a black screen after POST.

AHCI is enabled in the BIOS and is not part of the image.

The process I explained was this:

Boot to BIOS, enable AHCI
Install Windows
Restore Macrium Image

Macrium does not image the BIOS, it images the file system.

 

[Kaktussoft]

There is no error. Like I said...a black screen after POST.
=> So F8 advanced boot menmu don't work... very strange.

After POST the bootmgr loads and reads the menu menu. Then it loads winload.exe to boot win7.
You can't even see adavanced boot options after pressing F8? safe mode show some output?

 

[Kaktussoft]

Anyway... try Make Windows 7 bootable after motherboard swap
(first set BIOS to AHCI)

 

[Comicsnut]

There is no error. Like I said...a black screen after POST.
=> So F8 advanced boot menmu don't work... very strange.

After POST the bootmgr loads and reads the menu menu. Then it loads winload.exe to boot win7.
You can't even see adavanced boot options after pressing F8? safe mode show some output?

I didn't think of that one, to try and get to safe mode. If I can get to safe mode, what steps should I take then?