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

Anonymous
2012-11-24T16:14:09+00:00

Original Title: How do I change Widows XP from IDE  mode to AHCI mode so that I can dual boot to Widows 8

I have XP is installed in IDE mode on one SSD, and Win 8 is installed in AHCI mode on a second SSD . How do I  switch my  XP install to boot in AHCI mode so that I can dual boot?  My motherboard is an ASRock 990FX Extreme4.  The bios can be swiched from one mode to the other, but can't be set for each drive individually. I've found plenty of guides on switching the device driver in the XP device manager, but none have worked for me. I have AHCI SATA drivers from ASRock and from AMD, but I always get the message to the effect that the driver applicable to my hardware.  Can't find any info on this here (in these forums).  In the XP device manager there are 9 devices listed. Three primary channel, three secondary channel and three dual channel. 

Regards,

Kelly

Windows for home | Previous Windows versions | Devices and drivers

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  1. Anonymous
    2012-11-27T14:45:24+00:00

    Hello Kelly,

    I have just downloaded and looked at the all in 1 driver for your mainboard (from the link already posted). I suspect that, when BIOS is set to IDE, the standard installer does not install AHCI drivers, however, it looks like the AHCI drivers are part of the downloaded zip file...

    <whatever>\Allin1_XP64_XP(8.70a_WHQL)\Packages\Drivers\SBDrv\SB7xx\AHCI\LH

    ...run the amdsata.msi installer from the above location, reboot to BIOS, change to AHCI and reboot to Windows.

    Tricky

    Hi Tricky,

    Just tried that. I get the message "This package is not compatible with the platform of Microsoft Widows you are operating! This application will now abort. Just for grins, I tried it with all the amdsata.msi's in that package and in the ASRock driver package.Al gave the same message.

    Thanks very much!

    Regards,

    Kelly

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  2. Anonymous
    2012-11-27T14:37:12+00:00

    Exactly the drivers, Which you dont need if IDE is enabled in the BIOS. And you dont need them for Vista/Win7 or 8, if AHCI is enabled in the BIOS

    It sounds like one hdd is fine (because AHCI is enabled, and windows installed the drivers.

    Whereas XP (which is on the other hdd),  since theyre on the same system, the OP would have to disable AHCI everytime he wants to boot into XP??

    And thats what that reg file should do in XP. Allow AHCI to be enabled for XP. Thats if XP loads the SATA drivers after

    But the SATA drivers wont be the reason (If dual booting isnt working). 

    The op (probably) disconnected the XP or WIn8 hdd, when they installed one of the OS's. If both dont appear in the boot menu

    Yes, Just to clarify, I'm just working with the SDD with XP trying to get it switched for booting to XP in AHCI mode. The other SDD is discontented, until I get this XP issue fixed. I'll use EasyBCD to dual boot once this is fixed.

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  3. Anonymous
    2012-11-27T14:28:38+00:00

    Get the reg file here, then dbl click on it in XP

    Then reboot, then  enable AHCI. Then see if anything else appears under IDE. If something else appears in device manager add the drivers for it. Or it may load them

    Thanks Taupo!

    That looks promising. Opening regedit in XP, I the instructions say to find two key entries. I find the pcide entry but no msahci entry. what then? try it anyway? don't have much experience playing with the registry.

    Regards,

    Kelly

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  4. Anonymous
    2012-11-27T09:45:12+00:00

    Hello Kelly,

    I have just downloaded and looked at the all in 1 driver for your mainboard (from the link already posted). I suspect that, when BIOS is set to IDE, the standard installer does not install AHCI drivers, however, it looks like the AHCI drivers are part of the downloaded zip file...

    <whatever>\Allin1_XP64_XP(8.70a_WHQL)\Packages\Drivers\SBDrv\SB7xx\AHCI\LH

    ...run the amdsata.msi installer from the above location, reboot to BIOS, change to AHCI and reboot to Windows.

    Tricky

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  5. Anonymous
    2012-11-27T02:14:25+00:00

    Exactly the drivers, Which you dont need if IDE is enabled in the BIOS. And you dont need them for Vista/Win7 or 8, if AHCI is enabled in the BIOS

    It sounds like one hdd is fine (because AHCI is enabled, and windows installed the drivers.

    Whereas XP (which is on the other hdd),  since theyre on the same system, the OP would have to disable AHCI everytime he wants to boot into XP??

    And thats what that reg file should do in XP. Allow AHCI to be enabled for XP. Thats if XP loads the SATA drivers after

    But the SATA drivers wont be the reason (If dual booting isnt working). 

    The op (probably) disconnected the XP or WIn8 hdd, when they installed one of the OS's. If both dont appear in the boot menu

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