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

Well, I finally decided to try AudioDoc's fallback position and simply reinstall XP... largely because I wanted to reclaim a lot of that drive for Win 8 data and programs.  Unfortunately, a bad floppy controller prevented me from creating that silly driver diskette!  So I had no choice but to reinstall with IDE mode, and do this all over again.  The good news is, I made notes this time.  So for anyone else out there, who has an AMD board and wants to convert XP to AHCI without reinstalling, here is the procedure that worked.  (Your own motherboard MAY have a better driver than the ones listed here,, check their website.  My other machine is running on an ASRock instead of an Asus, and their AHCI driver is called jmb36x.sys)

-- Copy driver files ahcix86.sys, amdsata.sys, amdxata.sys, amd_sata.sys and amd_xata.sys to system32\drivers.  These are all obtainable from AMD.  Also from them, download the Catalyst Install Manager packages for the southbridge chipset and for RAID

-- Go to Add New Hardware and Add a New Device, under "IDE/ATAPI Controllers", point it toward the second and third drivers.  This will give you an AMD SATA Controller, although it will be in "Native IDE Mode"

-- Run the Catalyst Install Manager twice, once with the southbridge drivers set ("13-1_xp32-64_sb.exe") and once with the raid set ("13-1_xp32-64_raid.exe")

-- Import this registry hack (saved as "ahcix86.reg"):

REGEDIT4

[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Control\CriticalDeviceDatabase\pci#ven_1002&cc_0106]

"Service"="ahcix86"

"ClassGUID"="{4D36E97B-E325-11CE-BFC1-08002BE10318}"

[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Services\ahcix86]

"Type"=dword:00000001

"Start"=dword:00000000

"ErrorControl"=dword:00000001

"Tag"=dword:00000021

"ImagePath"="system32\drivers\ahcix86.sys"

"Group"="SCSI Miniport"

"DisplayName"="AMD AHCI Compatible SATA Controller"

[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Services\ahcix86\Parameters\PnpInterface]

"5"=dword:00000001

-- Reboot, enter BIOS setup, set SATA mode to AHCI, and let Windows boot normally

Windows will find new hardware for you to install, called first simply "PCI device", then "SCSI Controller", then "AHCI Compatible RAID Controller".  This is the device that wants the ahcix86 driver, point it toward that and let it install.  It will ask for a reboot.

When Windows comes back up, you are in AHCI mode, although without Hot-Swapping capability.  But the BIOS can now be left alone, for dual-boot machines.

Hope this helps someone!

Hi,

None of what you say leads me to believe that you have tried my suggestion of running the executable that installs the AHCI drivers (the download executable I suggested is called drvSetup.exe). This suggestion is not chipset dependant. Download from

http://www.asrock.com/MB/overview.asp?cat=Download&os=XP&Model=990FX Extreme4

There is a difference between updating a driver and installing a driver. What I am suggesting that you do is install the AHCI driver (even though the hardware will not be detectable until you change the BIOS settings and reboot).

Whist the BIOS is set to IDE you will not be able to update a driver for a device that Windows cannot see, but you will hopefully be able to install a driver for a device to be enabled afterwards in BIOS. This is the same technique that some manufacturers document with regard to their PCI cards, which state that you should install the driver before inserting the card into an expansion slot. The BIOS switch from IDE to AHCI is the equivalent if installing a PCI expansion card.

Tricky

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

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

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.