Windows 7 installation help

so i just got done building my own system, i might as well be a noob at this since ive not done it in nearly 10 years and the first time on my own buck but anyways.

so my MMO guild was helping me some and they suggested that i use AHCI, i already had sucessfully installed windows but since i hadn't really added anything i figured i would do a fresh install with my settings in AHCI (was under the impression i needed to install in ADHI to gain its full benefit... (btw my mother board is an EVGA X58 3x SLI Classified)

anyways when i set my sata ports that contained my boot drive to AHCI on the windows screen it gives me this message:


when i revert my settings back to IDE everything is fine, any thoughts? do i even need to install in AHCI? if not how do go about getting it working after the fact.

It's likely that the AHCI driver for your board is not included in the Windows install disk you're using. This is pretty odd, but you might be able to install it using the AHCI controller by using the Load driver link on the screenshot you posted and loading the AHCI drivers saved on a thumb drive/CD.

Since it installed fine with your SATA operation set to IDE, you won't really be able to go back to AHCI unless you do another clean install.

i already formated the drive, this is me attempting a fresh install /sigh well ill try poping in my mother board disc at this portion see if itll allow me to load both my raid and my AHCI drivers since i dont really have a thumb drive or any blank cd's atm (i know at least my raid drivers are there.)

Win7 natively supports both the Intel ICH10R controller and AHCI, so there's no need to install AHCI drivers via a thumb drive. Just make sure the HDD is connected to one of the black ICH10R controller ports, and not one of the two red ports which are controlled via the JMicron JMB363 chip.

it is, yet windows could not recognize it (as a bootable drive rather see above picture) when i tried to install with that chip set to ahci, also post installation wont boot if i change the chip set to ahci.

If the drive isn't a SSD then set the controller to IDE Mode.

i agree ide if perfectly fine

redduc900 said:

If the drive isn't a SSD then set the controller to IDE Mode.

Click to expand...

Warning, "IDE" mode may cause the HDDs to operate in UDMA 133!

Hi KaitouNala! First things first, welcome to the OC community!


I noticed that you're attempting to install to disk 2. What's the other HD in your system? If it's for something other than your OS, then try swapping the SATA port connection to the HDs so that it's listed as disk 1. (it = the HD you want to install W7 on).

Random, but you may also try a different install media source. If using a DVD, for example, re-burn a new one if you can. Sounds odd, but I've gotten weird W7 install errors due to partially faulty media.

If all else fails, go back to IDE mode.

is your drive ide or sata?

redduc900 said:

If the drive isn't a SSD then set the controller to IDE Mode.

Click to expand...

i agree

To resolve this issue, enable ahci in the registry BEFORE you change the SATA mode of the boot drive. To do this, follow these steps:

1. Exit all Windows-based programs.
2. Click Start, type regedit in the Start Search box, and then press ENTER.
3. If you receive the User Account Control dialog box, click Continue.
4. Locate and then click the following registry subkey:

hkey/local machine/system/currentcontrolset/services/msahci
5. In the right pane, right-click Start in the Name column, and then click Modify.
6. In the Value data box, type 0, and then click OK.
7. On the File menu, click Exit to close Registry Editor.

After this you’ll have to restart your computer, go to BIOS and enable AHCI. When you log in to Windows again, you’ll notice the installation of drivers for AHCI. Another restart will be required to finish the driver installation.enable ahci in Windows 7

I’ve simplified the steps by Microsoft by exporting the registry key. Just download the following file and run it. You’ll still need to go through the steps of restarting your computer and enabling AHCI in the BIOS.
http://www.ithinkdiff.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/05/ahci.reg
SOURCE
http://www.ithinkdiff.com/how-to-enable-ahci-in-windows-7-rc-after-installation/

The OP was trying to perform a clean install of Windows w/ the controller set to AHCI, not changing the SATA mode w/ an OS already installed.

Per MS:
During the Windows 7 or Windows Vista installation process, any unused storage drivers are disabled. This behavior speeds up the operating system's startup process. When you change the boot drive to a driver that has been disabled, you must enable the new driver before you change the hardware configuration.

Apparently this is a common problem with 7 and how to enable a reg key pre-install WOULD be a good trick IF the driver was on the disk and IF you knew how to change the entry that doesn't exist yet.
Just install and THEN enable it. MS has a fixit for this as well.
http://go.microsoft.com/?linkid=9741862

I did not realize he was trying to use ahci drivers on a new installation. I just read the part about how it was installed. oops