Enable AHCI in Windows 8 and Windows 10 after Installation

bostoncommon · 25 Sep 2021

Thanks, I guess I'll have to buy an empty CD-ROM disk... since I tried using rufus so I can copy the iso to my USB flash drive, but it says something about a checksum not matching. Agreed, I'll probably need to post in the BIOS section, thank you!

Here is what's under my storage controller:

itsme1 said:

edit: if under ide ata / atapi controllers you have ata channel 0 and ata channel 1, you choose ata channel 0 and / or ata channel 1 then you update the driver to standart sata ahci controller

I tried those as well too. I tried 0, then 1 ... just doesn't do anything, I mean it says it was installed, but nothing changed in the device manager (even after a reboot).

Thanks, again! I'll most likely try updating 8.1 to 10 and post my results here. Although I hate ruining what seems to be working well now for 8.1 , I'm still very curious if this will work. I'll just have to do it 😅

edit (added ata cotrollers screenshot- which btw, I tried upgrading each one, but didn't do anything):

Kbird · 25 Sep 2021

bostoncommon said:

I also tried uninstalling the drivers, same deal. Also tried upgrading the drivers and letting me choose it, but what's weird is that it does have the standard AHCI controller driver, but it just supposedly isn't "compatible with my hardware":

But every time I choose that, after a warning, WIN 10 will say it successfully updated the drivers. But it still shows the old IDE drivers (even after a reboot - obviously on SATA mode since AHCI doesn't work).

I'm at my wits end with Win 10! The only option I haven't tried yet is just to upgrade my working AHCI Win 8.1 to Win 10. Just to summarize:
- Win 10 install/setup does not see my SSD when on AHCI mode, only on SATA mode
- After Win 10 is installed (BIOS on SATA mode), the safe mode and registry trick do not work once restarted and switching to AHCI mode. It refuses to even load the Win 10 Boot menu. Error is INACCESSIBLE BOOT DRIVE
-After switching back to SATA mode, and booting up to WIN 10 successfully, I changed in msconfig the default boot to WIN 8.1. This allows me to have the WIN 8.1 Boot menu boot up instead of win 10 boot menu, since on AHCI mode, only WIN 8.1 Boot up menu displays (allowing me to choose 8.1 if I wish to do so on AHCI mode) and Win 10 boot up menu won't display on AHCI mode

Well, that's it for me for now but thank you for taking the time to help and troubleshoot Win 10 with me!!

Win10 will "protect itself" so DATA is not corrupted and give you the INACCESSIBLE BOOT DRIVE error if it doesn't have the correct Driver,
Win 8.1 may have had the correct Drivers built in so it boots okay, ( and may give a hint as to what is needed).
Win10 may not, which makes me suspect the MB maybe using the Nvidia Chipset since I think is an old Athlon Board.

you may find more info here if it has the Nvidia Chipset (NForce) here

Forum - Recommended AHCI/RAID and NVMe Drivers

OR

Forum - Specific: NVIDIA nForce Chipset Drivers (incl. AHCI/RAID)

KB

itsme1 · 25 Sep 2021

ok come back give news of the update windows 8 to 10, but first see what kbird says.

Do not forget to do all the driver updates of windows update and those optional too.

If nothing really works, maybe your windows 10 was slow because it came from a windows 7 update and a clean install and sata mode it will be fast, fine.

bostoncommon · 25 Sep 2021

Yes, you are right! I have an old AMD Athlon 64 x2 Dual Core Processor. Thank you so much, KB, these are good information- will definitely read up on them!

- - - Updated - - -

itsme1 said:

ok come back give news of the update windows 8 to 10, but first see what kbird says.

Do not forget to do all the driver updates of windows update and those optional too.

If nothing really works, maybe your windows 10 was slow because it came from a windows 7 update and a clean install and sata mode it will be fast, fine.

Thanks, itsme, will do! Yes, WIN10 definitely performs slightly better now (no more freezing), even if it's in SATA mode. But I still want to get that AHCI mode working properly in WIN 10 lol

Kbird · 25 Sep 2021

bostoncommon said:

Yes, you are right! I have an old AMD Athlon 64 x2 Dual Core Processor. Thank you so much, KB, these are good information- will definitely read up on them!

If you have the MB Manual it should have the info needed then you can ask a few questions on WinRaid.

You can also try a Clean install of win10 ( make USB Key with MediaCreator App) with just the SSD plugged

Do you really need XP and 8.1 if Win10 will work.?......

KB

itsme1 · 25 Sep 2021

The manual: Xfx GeForce 8200 (MI-A78S-8209) Manuals | ManualsLib

Kbird · 25 Sep 2021

itsme1 said:

The manual: Xfx GeForce 8200 (MI-A78S-8209) Manuals | ManualsLib

It does appear to be Nforce Chipset as I thought , the Drivers are still available at Nvidia , no win10 , but I'd be surprised if the Win7x64 ( or x32) don't work....

GeForce 8000-series chipsets - Wikipedia

NVIDIA DRIVERS nForce Driver Version 15.56 WHQL

Enable AHCI in Windows 8 and Windows 10 after Installation-image.png

MaloK · 25 Sep 2021

Put these drivers in a directory on you USB Windows install media.
Start windows 10 installation. Your Bios in AHCI Mode.

At the dialog to choose installation destination. there is a button to load additional drivers. Try to see if you can load your chipset there. If succesfull Your drive will appear in the installation destination and Windows will have your AHCI driver installed at once.

itsme1 · 25 Sep 2021

Kbird said:

It does appear to be Nforce Chipset as I thought , the Drivers are still available at Nvidia , no win10 , but I'd be surprised if the Win7x64 ( or x32) don't work....

Kbird said:

GeForce 8000-series chipsets - Wikipedia

NVIDIA DRIVERS nForce Driver Version 15.56 WHQL

Yes you are right, I also just found the nforce 15.56 driver I was going to post it. I also found that his motherboard is sata 300, not sata 600. So if the nforce sata drivers do not work, he can test with crystaldiskmark and atto disk benchmark the speed of the ssd in ahci mode under windows 8 and in sata mode (ide) under windows 10. The speed can be equal, lower (a little) or higher (I saw an article, the ide mode can offer a higher speed).

I found the modded nforce driver package from the win-raid forum. I don't believe this packtage is for the nforce 730a.

Forum - NVIDIA: Optimized nForce Driverpacks for Win7-10

@bostoncommon in device manager under controllers, see if you have nvidia corporation and its ata ide and raid drivers. I have these 2 drivers but not sata ahci, if it's like me try raid.

Kbird · 25 Sep 2021

itsme1 said:

Yes you are right, I also just found the nforce 15.56 driver I was going to post it. I also found that his motherboard is sata 300, not sata 600. So if the nforce sata drivers do not work, he can test with crystaldiskmark and atto disk benchmark the speed of the ssd in ahci mode under windows 8 and in sata mode (ide) under windows 10. The speed can be equal, lower (a little) or higher (I saw an article, the ide mode can offer a higher speed).
I found the modded nforce driver package from the win-raid forum. I don't believe this packtage is for the nforce 730a.
Forum - NVIDIA: Optimized nForce Driverpacks for Win7-10
@bostoncommon in device manager under controllers, see if you have nvidia corporation and its ata ide and raid drivers. I have these 2 drivers but not sata ahci, if it's like me try raid.

I would suggest asking questions on Winraid , I have not run a NForce chipset for years and even then it was Intel not AMD .

the Raid driver can be used even with a single Drive with no problem and includes AHCI ..... AFAIK

KB