How to set SATA configuration to AHCI

[blumesan]

I have just finished migrating my win7 o/s to a new SSD.
Everything works fine. No problem booting up.

As a next step I wished to enable AHCI. First I check the two registry entries as described in this tutorial
http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/61869-ahci-enable-windows-7-vista.html
(page 1) and ensured that both Start entries were 0.

Rebooted and entered BIOS setup program.
Changed the SATA configuration to AHCI.
Checked the Boot order next. It absolutely refused the option to select the SSD (with O/S) as the first boot drive. In fact it does not display that drive anywhere in the boot list.
Only when I go back and change SATA configuration to IDE can I then select the proper boot drive.

Bottom line, no AHCI

Any suggestions?

PS I had first posted this question in the tutorial thread cited above; that is an older thread and got no response. Therefore please forgive this double posting.

 

[pbcopter]

Which SATA port is the SSD connect to?

 

[blumesan]

Which SATA port is the SSD connect to?

According to BIOS, SATA 2

 

[gregrocker]

Please post back a screenshot of Disk Management - Post a Screen Capture Image

What is the BIOS Boot Priority order now, as you didn't say?

 

[blumesan]

The boot priority now is the SSD (C:\ system files), otherwise I couldn't boot or be on-line.

Disk Management:

 

[gregrocker]

Have you tried plugging the SSD into SATA1?

 

[blumesan]

Have you tried plugging the SSD into SATA1?

No, haven't tried that. What makes you think it will make a difference?

 

[Berton]

No, haven't tried that. What makes you think it will make a difference?

Sometimes when things don't work as expected it helps to get back to basics. I've noticed with my builds that it works best for the BIOS to see the HDD/SSD on the first connection [SATA 1] for booting then add other drives to ports 2 through 4, 6 or 8. Sometimes the Optical drive has to be on SATA port 2. Check the motherboard manual as some SATA ports are colored different from others, usually a reason for that.

 

[AddRAM]

Put the SSD on sata port 0 or 1, whichever your motherboard starts first with, it is labeled in small letters.

If the 1st 2 ports are 6 Gbps and the rest are only 3 Gbps, then yes it makes a difference.

Check the motherboard manual or find the motherboard specs online.

 

[blumesan]

Have tried the various suggestions, so far no luck.
Any other ideas?

 

[AddRAM]

Not having re read the thread again, but windows has to be installed in AHCI mode. You can`t install in IDE then switch it, or copy over an image that was from a system set to IDE, that`s why the drive doesn`t boot after you switched it.

You`ll have to do a clean install, but first having AHCI enabled in the bios.

 

[blumesan]

AddRam
Thanks for your reply. Perhaps you missed it; 7Forums has a tutorial dedicated to the problem:
AHCI : Enable in Windows 7 after OS install
found here: http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/61869-ahci-enable-windows-7-vista.html

I have carefully followed this tutorial, but still no luck.

 

[gregrocker]

Is this a UEFI BIOS? If so then you'll need Windows Boot Manager listed first to boot.

What happened when SSD is plugged into SATA1 with all other drives unplugged? Was waiting to hear.

 

[AddRAM]

Point is AHCI has to be enabled in the bios, first, before an install.

Regardless of what that says.

Or you are not doing it correctly.

 

[blumesan]

Is this a UEFI BIOS? If so then you'll need Windows Boot Manager listed first to boot.

What happened when SSD is plugged into SATA1 with all other drives unplugged? Was waiting to hear.

UEFI BIOS: don't know what that is.
With SSD plugged into SATA1: Unable to see the SSD in the boot order. Unable to boot. Asks me to insert disk in optical drive.

 

[blumesan]

Point is AHCI has to be enabled in the bios, first, before an install.

Regardless of what that says.

Or you are not doing it correctly.

Not sure what you mean. Is the tutorial I cited incorrect? Or am I not following it correctly?
The tutorial spells it out very clearly, and I followed all the steps.

 

[AddRAM]

I keep telling you, you enable AHCI in the bios but when you do the switch from IDE to AHCI, that`s why windows won`t boot. or the drive isn` seen etc.

Windows has to be installed in AHCI in order to run in AHCI.

You migrated a system that was installed in IDE mode, now you are trying to switch it AHCI, not gonna work.

 

[gregrocker]

I don't see UEFI in the specs for your Motherboard - P6TD Deluxe - ASUS.
More importantly there is no EFI System partition in your Disk Mgmt screenshot so that rules it out.

Your BIOS may require that you set the SSD as the Primary hard drive first before it will be the first HD to boot in BIOS setup. Is it listed as first to boot in Boot Order when plugged into another port?

I also notice there is a System file moved to another hard drive. Possibly if you turn off the paging file and then turn it back on for C following Change Virtual Memory Paging File this may stop whatever is blocking AHCI : Enable in Windows 7 / Vista as I can't remember it not working before. But having a system file on another drive does catch my attention as possible interference for making such a significant change without reinstall.

 

[blumesan]

I keep telling you, you enable AHCI in the bios but when you do the switch from IDE to AHCI, that`s why windows won`t boot. or the drive isn` seen etc.

Windows has to be installed in AHCI in order to run in AHCI.

You migrated a system that was installed in IDE mode, now you are trying to switch it AHCI, not gonna work.

In other words, the tutorial I cited (AHCI : Enable in Windows 7 after OS install) is just plain wrong???

 

[blumesan]

I don't see UEFI in the specs for your Motherboard - P6TD Deluxe - ASUS.
More importantly there is no EFI System partition in your Disk Mgmt screenshot so that rules it out.

Your BIOS may require that you set the SSD as the Primary hard drive first before it will be the first HD to boot in BIOS setup. Is it listed as first to boot in Boot Order when plugged into another port?

I also notice there is a System file moved to another hard drive. Possibly if you turn off the paging file and then turn it back on for C this may stop whatever is blocking AHCI : Enable in Windows 7 / Vista
as I can't remember it not working before. But having a system file on another drive does catch my attention as possible interference for making such a significant change without reinstall.

The SSD is listed in BIOS as first to boot in Boot Order--because I set it that way. Thereafter, when I switch to AHCI in the BIOS, the SSD does not appear at all in the Boot Order.

I assume you refer to "User" files (Pictures, Music, Videos) which I have moved to the E:\ drive after migrating the OS. This was the recommended procedure to make more room on the SSD.

How do I turn off the page file on C:\?