IDE mode to AHCI mode - can I change it on an OS drive?

[ABC190]

Hello,

I have bought a new SSD which I plan on using as a program drive, though not as OS drive (will reinstall Windows in the next few months). Currently I am running Windows 7 Pro 64bit.

My OS is installed on a Western Digital 2TB drive. It is set to run in IDE Mode currently. My motherboard, an MSI Z87-G43, only has one SATA controller.

I have recently acquired a Crucial M500 240GB SSD. I have it plugged into a SATA 3 slot with a SATA 3 cable. When I booted into the BIOS first, it changed my motherboard to AHCI, so I manually changed it to IDE mode as my OS HDD ran in IDE.

I then booted into Windows, formatted the SSD, and copied some files to it. It appears to be working.

Essentially, I am running on an HDD with my Windows 7 install in IDE mode as well as an SSD running in IDE mode.

I am wondering if it is possible to change from IDE mode to AHCI without reinstalling or corrupting Windows 7 install or any data on either my HDD or SSD?

The tutorial here seems straight forward, though I just wanted to ensure such a process would work in my exact hardware/software configuration:
http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/61869-ahci-enable-windows-7-vista.html

If my hardware/software does not have any issues then I will go ahead and do the registry edits.

Thanks in advance for any help.

 

[Brink]

Hello ABC190,

If the older Western Digital 2TB drive is a SATA drive, then you shouldn't have any issues changing to use AHCI as per the tutorial.