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

Hi,

Thank you for posting your question in Microsoft Community.

From your issue description, I understand that **you are unable to change Windows XP to use AHCI disk mode rather than IDE mode for Dual boot.**Please let me know if this is not the issue that you are facing.

Before proceed with troubleshooting, I need some information.

What is the make and model number of the computer?

Try the steps below and then check:

Step 1: Update the driver:

a)      Plug SSD drive.

b)      Click Start button, click Run.

c)      In the Run window, type devmgmt.msc and then click “Ok”.

d)      In the Device Manager, expand “IDE ATA/ATAPI controller”.

e)      Under the list, check if any listed hardware is titled as “Standard Dual Channel PCI IDE Controller or SATA IDE Controller”. If the device is listed as the same, right click on it and select “Update Driver”. Follow the onscreen instructions to update the driver.

f)       Note: If you find other than the list provided as above, please post your reply with the name of drives listed under “Intel ICH9 SATA IDE controller”.

Step 2: Edit the BIOS and then modify the settings:

BIOS Disclaimer: Modifying Basic Input Output system (BIOS)/ complementary metal oxide semiconductor (CMOS) settings incorrectly can cause serious problems that may prevent your computer from booting properly. Microsoft cannot guarantee that any problems resulting from the configuring of BIOS/CMOS settings can be solved. Modifications of the settings are at your own risk. 

Note: You can also contact the manufacturer of the system for the same.

If the issue persists, please feel free to reply to us with the results and questions asked as above. We are happy to assist you further!

Hope it helps.

Hi Praveen,

Thanks for your reply. First, this computer is my own build. The above mentioned motherboard ASRock 990FX Extreme4 is an AMD chipped board, not Intel. The method you describe is exactly the method I have been using. The message I get is" "The specified location does not contain info about your device".  I have created a driver floppy from the ASRock driver CD as per ASRock's user manual. The driver is named ahcix86.inf.  I have also tried other amdsata.inf files downloaded from AMD and ASRock's web site. The diskette does work running setup and F6 to load, but I want to know how to fix this problem with the current install.

As for AMD help/support. They replied to me that his is a Windows issue and I should contact Microsoft. Take about "passing the buck"! :-)

It would appear to me that I need to be able to load a new device in device manager and update the driver to the ahci sata driver and then reboot set the bios to ahci mode from ide mode. I find no way to loat a new dual channel device. Obviously with the driver I have windows won't let me update the driver.

Thanks for your help!

Regards,

Kelly

My understanding is that the IDE mode and AHCI mode are effectively different hardware. You could no more update the IDE device with AHCI drivers than you could, for example, update the graphics card with AHCI drivers.

However, you may be able to install AHCI drivers whilst in IDE mode, then switch to AHCI in BIOS and reboot to detect the new hardware and install AHCI drivers, as AndyWHall did in this thread...

http://answers.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/forum/windows_xp-windows_install/windows-xp-install-crashes-when-bios-is-set-to/f2ada1d6-637b-4a36-8ebd-46303c3b3657

...albeit on different hardware. You AHCI driver installation might be achieved via the download here. Choose the appropriate regional option for Marvell SATA3 driver ver:1.0.0.1036All\Marvell_SATA31.0.0.1036.

Then extract and run the setup. The setup may also be manually executable from your driver CD.

You may wish to set a system restore point first...

http://support.microsoft.com/kb/948247

...in case things get messed up and need to restore to it...

http://support.microsoft.com/kb/306084

And backup important data too.

Tricky

You'll have to do something like this first, otherwise it'll crash if you enable AHCI in the BIOS

I dont know if the fixit will do it, since it doesnt list XP

Changing XP to AHCI wont  let you dual boot. Unless you installed XP and Win8 the right way

Probably be easier if you use something like Easybcd.

Thanks, Tricky!

Yes I've seen those answers and threads. I've found many of them on my own. Most of them apply to Intel based computers, not AMD. My chipset is the RD990 and SB950.

I feel like I'm in a Ketch 22, going around and around!  I have to keep repeating what I've posted before! :-)

The first of the three devices ( **standard dual chanel PCI IDE controllers)**under IDE ATA/ATAPI controllers is for my SSD, and all three will give me "The specified location does not contain info aobut your hardware" using the driver from the ASRock driver floppy containing the driver ahcix86.inf which should be the correct driver (it works for installing using F6).

Many of the posts I've found using intel boards show a sata controller in the device manager, and in one of them they are creative a new dual channel controller for which they update the driver to the ahci one. This AMD board does not have that, so I'm stuck. Probably will just do a new install as I'm not having any luck. A bit frustrated with AMD passing the buck. Its their hardware and drivers that don't seem to work with Microsoft' OS. Or I'm dong something wrong with is very possible! :-)

Regards,

Kelly