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

Hi Kelly,

My theory is that Start=0 causes NTLDR to load the AHCI driver so my system boots in AHCI mode.  However, there may be something wrong with the Registry structure such that XP doesn't recognize that it can load the AHCI driver.  Device Manager continues to show the MS default driver dated 2001, well before AHCI was defined.

I'd like to install Win8 to try it out so my goal was to simplify going back and forth into XP by having both systems boot with AHCI enabled without tweaking BIOS each time.  I've accomplished that, sort of, but would still like to see AHCI working properly in XP.  I'm watching for a good deal on a 120gb ssd to install Win8 onto so I'm poking at AHCI for XP in the mean time.

Regards,  John

Hi John,

Yes, no doubt some registry issue!  Can you try any of the methods linked to in previous posts here to see if it will update the driver without giving the the error message about the hardware doesn't support this driver?

Your intent is exactly the same as what I have just gone through -- see my previous post. I purchased both my SSDs on sale from Newegg.  The OCZ Vertex 2 120Gb was less then $50 after rebate -- though this one is only Sata II, but still very quick-- probably enough for Win XP 32bit.  Win 8 is installed on a 128Gb Samsung 830 that was only $79. My first choice probably would have been the Crucial M4 128Gb.

Haven't had much time to play with Win 8, but you are probably aware, that if you plan on using much of your existing hardware, at least some of it won't be supported properly in Win 8. For example, no drivers for my two Sony monitors. Sony doesn't even list Vista or Win 7 drivers on their download page. Win 8 identifies my CPD -200ES, but I can't set the fresh rate for anything other than 60Hz, so of course I have lots of fliker!  For my Sony SDM-HS94P/S LCD there is no driver, only a standard windows driver and I can't set the resolution as high as the display is capable, SilverFast has no Win 8 driver for my Minolta 5400 II film scanner. There's more too. This is why I'm in no hurry to move full time to Win 8. I guess Win XP will still be my main choice for some time to come.

Regards,

Kelly

If you know how to use Nlite and RyanVM Integrator(which is used for the file below), you can slipstream the cd / SP1-SP3, And the files here

This file includes everything. IE8, all the net framework files, WMP 11 and its updates. Well. All the updates up to now. This file gets updated monthly ( a few days after the monthly updates come out).

There is also a file (that you can use to remove files (from above file on the above site) Since some of the files (you don't need). Before you create / burn the ISO in Nlite or RyanVM)

But, if you do use Nlite, be aware that if you're slipstreaming XP, you should slipstream it in XP. Or whatever version of Windows you're slipstreaming

Not in another OS (ie: 2000/64 bit). As this can cause probs, AFTER you've slipstreamed whatever, created an ISO then burned it / installed it.

It can create probs, when you go to install XP

If you want to install another OS after installing XP, (if it's on another hdd, you SHOULD leave the XP hdd connected / dont disconnect it).

Otherwise thats what will happen. You wont get a boot menu with the option to select either OS

The 2nd OS you install (it doesnt matter if its Vista, Win 7 or WIn8 - if you leave the XP hdd connected) it SHOULD pick up the XP install. And add its boot info to the 2nd OS's boot.ini file. Then you SHOULD have the option of booting into either OS

If you do it this way, you dont / wont have to install EasyBCD

I had the same prob with WIn7 / 8. Only diff, Win7 and 8 here were installed on different partitions on the same hdd, not on separate hdd's.

After Installing WIn8, and rebooting, I got an Inaccessible drive error (like wtf lol).

And what I had installed on Win8. After I had pressed the reset button a few times,, it restored itself - it removed EVERYTHING I had installed. And reverted back to the standard WIn8 (like I had refreshed it)

So, in the end I decided to wipe Win7 altogether, and install WIn8 by itself. It's been fine since

Somehow, I dont think WIn8 plays nice with some OS's (if you try to dual or triple boot)

Ok, so here is the scene as it stands!

I gave up!  It was a good fight though. But to be make sure I had a copy of the first XP install I cloned it using Acronis to a spare WD 500Gb drive that had seen little use. I verified that that drive would boot in IDE mode (did not try AHCI foolishly).

I installed Windows XP on my OCZ SDD. Installed my device drivers and updated XP. One note, that everyone probably already knows -- Win  Update wouldn't work with IE 6! (XP SP2) Another reason to  slipstream with SP3!  Need IE 7 or IE8 (with a couple updates first)

Next came the huge time consuming job of intsalling all my software, updating that software, and setting them all up the way I like them. I should note, my computer is my digital darkroom. So that included installing my Spyder Elite 3 calibration utility and calibrating my dual monitors. Setting up Silverfast Archive Suite and creative profiles for color positive and Kodachrome. Lots of other  tools and software that I use, and have to set up, such as Dislpay fusion, X-rite color checker, PSE and Lighroom  Onone Perfect Suite 6.  All tolled, at least 6 hours or more involved. More aggravation -- some of my software said I had installed on more than the allowed computers, which required contacting the manufacturer.

Anyway Ok, Win XP working great in AHCI mode. Now. Hooked up the Win 8 drive. Boots fine into Win 8. However, no option to boot to XP!  Yeah, I didn't consider that EasyBCD wrote the MBR to the old install of XP. Hooked up the WD 500 clone and there is the dual boot record. Only I still can't boot to XP -- get a NTLR problem error. Went back to EasyBCD and set it too write the dual boot record to the new install of Win XP and still no go. Tried a few other thinks which resulted in my not being able to boot to Win 8 anymore. Nuff of that, I re-installed Win8 with drives hooked up as I intended to have them, and re-installed Win 8. No problem with doing that as I really had not done much with it yet.

Now Since Win 8 was installed after XP (though on the second SDD), I am able to dual boot as one would expect without using EasyBCD. However something unexpected happened!  I can now boot to the cloned original XP install on the WD 500 HDD and I'm in AHCI mode!  What! What?  What happened?  Could this be somehow related to one of the offered procedures in John's link?

Regards,

Kelly

Hi Kelly,

My theory is that Start=0 causes NTLDR to load the AHCI driver so my system boots in AHCI mode.  However, there may be something wrong with the Registry structure such that XP doesn't recognize that it can load the AHCI driver.  Device Manager continues to show the MS default driver dated 2001, well before AHCI was defined.

I'd like to install Win8 to try it out so my goal was to simplify going back and forth into XP by having both systems boot with AHCI enabled without tweaking BIOS each time.  I've accomplished that, sort of, but would still like to see AHCI working properly in XP.  I'm watching for a good deal on a 120gb ssd to install Win8 onto so I'm poking at AHCI for XP in the mean time.

Regards,  John

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

Hi John,

Thanks for the link -- there is some interesting info there. I had not seen that one before.

As for the device manager: The Sata or AHCI device will never show up as anything other that Dual Channel IDE ATAPI ...... controller. So your computer should be booting in AHCI mode!  I think you are good to go, but quite obviously, I am no expert! :-)

Regards,

Kelly