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

I'm struggling with a similar problem,  trying to change XP SP3 32 bit from IDE to AHCI mode on an old Foxconn AMD system using 790GX and SB700 chips.

I found this thread: http://reboot.pro/topic/16452-switch-xp-on-amd-from-ide-to-ahci/  which had someone who reported success.  So, I placed the files as suggested in Post #2 and made a bat file per Post #14.   The batch file created the registry structures as expected.

I rebooted without enabling AHCI and it went normally so the registry wasn't destroyed.  I then rebooted and enabled AHCI in BIOS.  This boots with a short pause while  the BIOS says "AHCI Drive Init..."  and then XP booted normally.  It said it found new hardware and asked for the files so I pointed it at the ahcix86 files from Foxconn.  It refused to load  this driver, saying it isn't for my hardware.  On subsequent boots XP doesn't find new hardware.

While my system continues to work, it seems to be using the old IDE driver even though BIOS is enabling AHCI mode.  I have only a shaky understanding of drivers and how they get loaded so I expected NTLDR to load ahcix86.sys because it is mentioned in CriticalDeviceDatabase.  I can't tell if this happened since AHCI is apparently enabled but Device Manager says the old IDE driver is in use.

Any thoughts on what is actually going on and how I can get the driver to load properly?

John

Hello Again Kelly,

TechGeek is correct that you could, if you feel capable and want to, create a slipstreamed installation CD incorporating textmode AHCI drivers and SP3 and other things too. This would be an investment for the future but given that XP is a dead product in April 2014 how much of an investment would depend on whether you think it likely another installation would be necessary.

However, if it's not too late, here is a plan that I thought of whilst trying (unsuccessfully!) to get to sleep last night, that stands a fair chance of working...

1. If you haven't already done so, install the Marvell drivers
2. Move the disk onto a Marvell SATA port and check it boots OK
3. Switch to AHCI for the SB850 chip in BIOS and reboot
4. Hopefully, new hardware will be detected for which you have already installed the drivers, but if drivers are not found install the all in 1 again
5. Switch the drive back to a SB850 SATA port after successful driver installation

Tricky

I think you are stuck with having to do a (clean) re-installation using the F6 driver diskette to solve your problem.

Is there a particular reason you wouldn't slipstream Sp3, the sata drivers and the product key code into the disc? It sure would save a lot of time and aggravation in my experience.  It takes less than 15 minutes to create the new disc with all the drivers and key code. Should the OP so choose, the region, user account name and other settings can also be integrated. All of which saves a ton of time and trouble. This is especially true with sp3. At any given time you can look here on MS Answers and see a list of post where people are having issues installing sp3 after the fact. JMO of course.

Karyonix: http://reboot.pro/index.php?showtopic=11729  Still correct me if I'm wrong, he seems to be talking about editing a registry key, which in my case, I don't believe to be there. So it would mean creating a new entry. I'm not qualified to be fooling around like that in the registry.

Yes, registry editing is involved. If you don't feel comfortable editing the registry, the safest thing is don't. Especially bearing in mind that I am not convinced of the quality of the instructions. I think you are stuck with having to do a (clean) re-installation using the F6 driver diskette to solve your problem.

Tricky

Hello Kelly,

I have now slipstreamed SP3 and Intel AHCI drivers onto a new installation CD and done an upgrade installation on a (almost) clean SP2 installation. Sadly from your perspective, the result was negative.

Tricky