How do I change Windows XP to use AHCI disk mode rather than IDE mode for Dual boot?

I have a duaI boot Win 7/XP setup, Win 7 on an SSD, XP on a regular SATA drive, and another common SATA HDD for data.  ASUS M5A97 R2.0 motherboard, (AMD CPU).

I had everything working as IDE, including an SSD and finally decided to fix that.  It was easy to change with Win 7, but then XP would not boot. After some messing about I solved the problem as follows:

On both my ASUS/AMD systems you can configure the first 4 SATA ports as AHCI and the rest as IDE. 

1. Connect your XP system drive to one of the ports that can be set as IDE- the number varies.  On my board it is 5 & 6.
2. Go into the BIOS, set the first ports (e.g. 1-4) as AHCI and the rest as IDE.
3. Reboot and insert the motherboard driver disk (you may also need to plug the DVD drive into an IDE port), or alternatively download the installation program from the manufacturer.

4.  Boot into XP.  The AHCI drives will not be visible

5.  Reinstall the chipset drivers and reboot.  Check that all drives are visible (on a dual-boot system the Win 7 system partition  should not be visible, or XP may delete restore points, but that is another issue).

6 Once it is working, go back to the BIOS and set all SATA ports to AHCI.

Dave

No problem Kelly,

Check back with 'Answers' any time you have a problem.

Tricky

I agree.  This was all because I just didn't want to re-install XP.  Eventually I may decide to do that, if I choose to keep XP to dual-boot into.  But until then, it was just frustrating not to be able to solve the dilemma, not totally.  Doesn't make me angry with Microsoft.  Look at the ground XP has broken, and how sturdy an OS it has been, for so long.  We can't expect it to be capable of dodging every future bullet imaginable... or saving us from our own stubbornness!

Hi Tricky,

Well, I wasn't saying I believed them, just the response I got from them. And yes, XP predates AHCI and the the hardware guys don't count on people like me making a silly mistake such as installing in IDE mode and then wanting to change midstream to AHCI. Ultimately it was my own fault -- just frustrating not being able to fix the mistake!  And, I must say, I really appreciate all your (and others in this thread) time and efforts in trying to help me. Thank you again!

Regards,

Kelly

The hardware manufactures put the blame squarely on Microsoft for this issue. They have the driver support, but XP simply won't do what we are trying to to with AMD hardware.

They (the hardware manufacturers) are being disingenuous. XP was designed and released before AHCI became a marketed disk controller solution. Its mechansims for installation of non-native disk controller drivers should have been known and catered for by hardware manufacturers. If they weren't then they did not carry out due diligence before releasing their products.

Believe what you want. IMO it is not Microsoft's fault.

Tricky