AHCI problems

[Jonathan_King]

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.

 

[wallyinnc]

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

 

[Jonathan_King]

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.

 

[wallyinnc]

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

 

[Adrian]

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.

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

 

[Jonathan_King]

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.

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

Nope, each drive is separate.

 

[chinga69]

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

 

[Jonathan_King]

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.

 

[chinga69]

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

 

[wallyinnc]

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?

 

[Jonathan_King]

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?

What do I check? My MB is supposed to be fully SATAII compatible.

 

[wallyinnc]

Check your MB manual and see if they have different things supported in different SATA connectors.

 

[Jonathan_King]

I see now, looking through my MB manual, I need to create a driver diskette after enabling AHCI. Unfortunately, I do not have a floppy drive. More Google searching, I guess.

 

[ignatzatsonic]

NCQ is normally listed as part of the HD specifications as supplied by the manufacturer, but I don't know if the lack of it would mean that you could not implement AHCI.

 

[erica647]

The following is something I was able to do on an earlier Vista build and it seemed to work fine. Just install your sata drives with the bios set to ide mode and do the following:

1. Exit all Windows-based programs.
2. Click Start, type regedit in the Start Search box, and then press ENTER.
3. If you receive the User Account Control dialog box, click Continue.
4. Locate and then click the following registry subkey:
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\System\CurrentControlSet\Services\Msahci
5. In the right pane, right-click Start in the Name column, and then click Modify.
6. In the Value data box, type 0, and then click OK.
7. On the File menu, click Exit to close Registry Editor.

Then just reboot to your bios and change back to AHCI mode. Windows should come up and recognize the new mode which you can confirm in device manager.

 

[Jonathan_King]

The following is something I was able to do on an earlier Vista build and it seemed to work fine. Just install your sata drives with the bios set to ide mode and do the following:

1. Exit all Windows-based programs.
2. Click Start, type regedit in the Start Search box, and then press ENTER.
3. If you receive the User Account Control dialog box, click Continue.
4. Locate and then click the following registry subkey:
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\System\CurrentControlSet\Services\Msahci
5. In the right pane, right-click Start in the Name column, and then click Modify.
6. In the Value data box, type 0, and then click OK.
7. On the File menu, click Exit to close Registry Editor.

Then just reboot to your bios and change back to AHCI mode. Windows should come up and recognize the new mode which you can confirm in device manager.

Hmm... I will test it. Welcome to the Forums!

 

[gregrocker]

You may need to have the AHCI driver off the mobo CD or from their Support>Downloads page for your mobo model. This was true in a case here yesterday.

Put it into the installer from stick/CD on the Add Drivers link at Custom> Drive selection screen. Or tap F6 during driver loading to see if you can get it in earlier.

If you have WIn7 on the computer now, AHCI should be the SATA driver you are using if mobo is AHCI capable and set AHCI. Check the Device Manager.

The debate here recently on AHCI seemed to point to no real advantage.

 

[Jonathan_King]

I believe you need to have the AHCI driver off the mobo CD or from their Support>Downloads page for your mobo model.

Put it into the installer from stick/CD on the Add Drivers link at Custom> Drive selection screen. Or tap F6 during driver loading to see if you can get it in earlier.

If you have WIn7 on the computer now, it should be the SATA driver you are using if you're mobo is AHCI capable and set that way.

Somehow it is fixed. Could be I installed from a DVD instead of a thumb drive, or it could be I stuck the drivers on the thumb drive, and Setup found them when it installed.

 

[gregrocker]

Somehow it is fixed. Could be I installed from a DVD instead of a thumb drive, or it could be I stuck the drivers on the thumb drive, and Setup found them when it installed.

What is shown in the Device Manager under SATA controller?

 

[Jonathan_King]

I'm not sure. I will post back later when I boot from that HD again. I installed it just to see if it would work. Now I am using my main OS again.