SSD & AHCI Headache

[Phil3]

On my freshly built system with Gigabyte GA-Z68X-UD3-B3 motherboard, I loaded Windows 64bit Home on a Crucial 64GB SSD. I could have sworn I had the BIOS set to AHCI prior to the install, but later on, noticed it was at IDE. ??? Changing it to AHCI causes the system to get to a black screen saying "Loading Operating System (always says that), but it never loads.

I understand Windows 7 has an AHCI driver. ??? Does Windows know to set up the SSD as an AHCI device on install if the BIOS says AHCI? I want to run AHCI, and tried a hack where one changes a start value in a registry entry from 3 to 0. This does not work. Am I stuck with having to reinstall Windows 7? Can I try loading a driver from Gigabyte now and will that permit AHCI to work?

- Phil

 

[Bare Foot Kid]

Hello Phil3, welcome to Seven Forums!


Start by having a look at the information in this tutorial at the link below and be sure to post back with any further questions you may have and to keep us informed.

AHCI : Enable in Windows 7 / Vista


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[Phil3]

I did the steps shown already to no avail. Changing that registry setting causes the system boot to stop at "Loading Operating System" which never happens. I'll try again when I get home.

Thanks for the welcome. My first time with Windows 7 and this forum is quite helpful.

- Phil

 

[Bare Foot Kid]

Hello again Phil.


After you change the registry value, and restart the PC are you entering the PC BIOS to set the "Storage Controller" from IDE to AHCI so that Windows will detect that and install the appropriate drivers when Windows restarts?

 

[fseal]

What I did to change from IDE to AHCI on the fly was to shut down, boot into BIOS, change to AHCI, reboot into safe mode. Let safe mode boot, finish detecting changes etc. Then restart in normal mode.

This worked fine for me and my hardware YMMV...

 

[Phil3]

The thing is that Windows will not restart if the BIOS is set to AHCI, no matter what is done in the registry. This is what happens.

1. System is in IDE mode and Registry has standard value of "3". Windows operational. This is the original configuration.
2. Shut down system. Change BIOS to AHCI. System gets to "Loading Operating System", but goes no further.
3. Shut down system. Change BIOS to IDE. Boot Windows. Change Registry setting start value to "0". Windows operational.
4. Change BIOS to AHCI. Systems gets to "Loading Operating System", but goes no further.

Does not appear that changing the Registry does anything.

I appreciate your assistance. Thank you.

- Phil

Hello again Phil.


After you change the registry value, and restart the PC are you entering the PC BIOS to set the "Storage Controller" from IDE to AHCI so that Windows will detect that and install the appropriate drivers when Windows restarts?

 

[Bare Foot Kid]

What I did to change from IDE to AHCI on the fly was to shut down, boot into BIOS, change to AHCI, reboot into safe mode. Let safe mode boot, finish detecting changes etc. Then restart in normal mode.

This worked fine for me and my hardware YMMV...

Have you had a go at this method?

 

[Phil3]

No, will try when I get home. How do you get into SAFE Mode when trying to boot? Sorry, first time with Win7.

- Phil

 

[Bare Foot Kid]

Here you go!

How to Start Windows 7 in Safe Mode

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[Phil3]

What I did to change from IDE to AHCI on the fly was to shut down, boot into BIOS, change to AHCI, reboot into safe mode. Let safe mode boot, finish detecting changes etc. Then restart in normal mode.

This worked fine for me and my hardware YMMV...

Have you had a go at this method?

Gave the above approach a try and no success. It is not possible to boot into Safe Mode. In short, selection of AHCI in the BIOS prohibits loading of Windows, in any mode.

- Phil

 

[DustSailor]

How recently did you install windows? What I'm getting at is does your computer have stuff on it you want to keep, or that you don't want to be bothered by a reinstall? You could start from scratch and make sure it is set to ahci, but its up to you. It just sounded like you had just installed windows is all, if not then forget I said anything

 

[Phil3]

I installed Windows just a few days ago, so little on the SSD other than Windows. I set the BIOS to AHCI, reinstalled Windows, and a couple weird things happened. With the first install, the system would say "Loading Operating System" for a second or two and then Windows started. With the new install, it would say the same thing, but then little periods would appear in a horizontal line, about one per second for 15 to 20 seconds, and then Windows. I went back to the BIOS and disabled AHCI for the Marvell controller I was not using for SATA drives. I am using the Intel chipset for that. That restored the earlier performance. I checked the BIOS once and it still is AHCI.

The first time I loaded Windows, it asked me for a HomeGroup name and password. I was not asked that this time. ??? Was being connected to the Internet during the install the cause of this?


- Phil

 

[DustSailor]

no, internet has nothing to do with ahci. are you setting anything else in the bios? And homegroup is just something windows 7 automatically does with every new install (first time only).

If AHCI doesn't work inside the bios, try this: http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/61869-ahci-enable-windows-7-vista.html?filter

*added in edit*
I'd create a system restore point first as it mentions in the tutorial (and gives a link on how to)

 

[Phil3]

Did not mean to infer AHCI had anything to do with Internet connectivity. It just so happened I had no connectivity on this reinstall. Turns out it was due to a lack of a LAN driver for the MB. My fault, I forgot to install it.

On HomeGroup, I just wonder why I was nor prompted for HomeGroup on this reinstall, after I deleted the previous partitions containing Windows. There should have been no evidence of any previous Windows install to cause a skipping of HomeGroup. ???

The process for enabling AHCI after Windows was installed with something other than AHCI enabled (i.e., IDE) did not work for me. The system absolutely will not boot once AHCI is enabled in the BIOS, regardless of Registry changes, Safe Mode, combinations of, etc. This is why I just went with the reinstall, which did work.

Thanks for your help.

- Phil

no, internet has nothing to do with ahci. are you setting

anything else in the bios? And homegroup is just something windows 7 automatically does with every new install (first time only).

If AHCI doesn't work inside the bios, try this: http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/61869-ahci-enable-windows-7-vista.html?filter

*added in edit*
I'd create a system restore point first as it mentions in the tutorial (and gives a link on how to)

 

[DustSailor]

very interesting. don't know if it would help, but you could try installing all of the windows important-critical updates (scan multiple times to make sure everything is installed) and try enabling AHCI in windows again. Best of luck to you sir.

 

[seth500]

How recently did you install windows? What I'm getting at is does your computer have stuff on it you want to keep, or that you don't want to be bothered by a reinstall? You could start from scratch and make sure it is set to ahci, but its up to you. It just sounded like you had just installed windows is all, if not then forget I said anything

Thats what I had to do with my wifes computer when we first brought it home it was set to IDE and it was AHCI capable. When I set it to AHCI it wouldn't boot after everything I tried I just did as DustSailor said and started from scratch. If you decided to run from scratch and don't forget to secure erase the drive and ssd align the drive as well or your have performance issues.

https://ata.wiki.kernel.org/index.php/ATA_Secure_Erase

http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/113967-ssd-alignment.html

 

[gregrocker]

The lack of the LAN driver which you noted is likely why you were not prompted for HomeGroup during setup.

AHCI failure to engage after install could be caused by the dual SATA controller configuration of your mobo as we see it cause many other problems as well.

 

[Phil3]

But I can only add the driver AFTER Windows is installed and AFTER the opportunity for HomeGroup has passed.
No need for the Marvell controller so just leaving it disabled.

- Phil

 

[gregrocker]

As I recall the HomeGroup option shows up during install when ethernet or wireless is plugged in and has loaded its driver during install.

 

[ha1o2surfer]

it is always good practice to have drivers for the chipset on hand on a USB stick and let windows use them for the install. Set mode to AHCI and when you install windows you add the drive for your chipset when it is on the drive selection screen.