Can't install Windows 7 on SSD with AHCI enabled

[Ice009]

Hey guys, Need some assistance here please.

I just got a Kingston SNV425-S2 SSD which is my first SSD.

I went to enable AHCI in the BIOS and then when I went to install Windows 7 it wouldn't let me. I got to the screen where it lets you choose which HDD to install Windows on and every time I select the SSD it won't let me. I can install it on a regular HDD, but for some reason it won't let me install on the SSD. Windows 7 install says this on the where do you want to install Windows screen "Windows cannot be installed onto this Disk. This computer's hardware may not support booting to this disk. Ensure that the disk's controller is enabled in the Computer's BIOS menu" How exactly do I enable AHCI so I can install Windows 7? When I enabled it, it seemed to enable it for all hard drives. I have three other regular 7200rpm HDDs in the system.

MB is a DFI T3EH8 with 11/05 BIOS.

For now I changed the SSD back to IDE mode and installed it like that. What am I losing installing it with IDE mode compared to AHCI?

[dctokyo]

Not sure if this will help, but a good read.....
AHCI provides several features for SATA devices. These include hot plug functionality and power management functionality

http://support.microsoft.com/kb/922976

also how about just having the SSD drive connected for the installtion with AHCI enabled and then later adding the other drives if they are for storage only.

[RacingTurtle]

Dont worry about it - AHCI wont benefit you at all if you're not doing anything with RAID or hot-swapping devices.
Its only supported in Vista and Windows 7, XP doesnt support it at all.
Just leave it at IDE/compatibility mode.

[Ao1]

Weird. Did you have any removable usb drives plugged in when you tried to install in AHCI mode? If so remove all other drives and try again as Win 7 seems to get confused when removable drives are connected during an install.

The other option is to modify the registry on your existing installation to enable AHCI. If you do this and then switch to AHCI in the BIOS you should be able to boot up in AHCI mode.

http://www.recipester.org/Recipe:Ena...ows_7_26944413

It is worth the effort as Intel drives work much better in AHCI mode.

[Computurd]

i install win7 from removable drives in achi mode all the time. i dont think that is yer issue. who knows?
make sure that you are not on a sata port that is on a different controller. most motherboards have at least two sata controllers. i would make sure the correct controller is activated to achi, and that you are connected to the correct port.

[Ao1]

Sorry I should have clarified external usb hard drive. I can install from a usb thumb drive but I can’t install Win 7 if I have any external usb hard drives connected.

[Computurd]

oic

[Ice009]

I am using a USB thumb drive to install Windows 7. I'm also using the main SATA ports of the DFI T3EH8. There is 6 green ports and 2 yellow, so I have the SSD plugged into one of the green ones. I have three DVD drives connected and also three SATA hard drives - Smasung 1TB, Samsung 500GB, WD 640GB. The Samsung 500GB and WD are on the two yellow ports in IDE mode, whereas the rest is on the main green ports. Even though I have all those devices it should still work shouldn't it?

I just remembered I also have an eSATA port on the front of my HAF 932 which is plugged into a green port.

[Ao1]

Have you tried modifying the registry to switch to AHCI mode? This should work (although back up just in case).

If you want to try a fresh install why not disconnect all hard drives apart from the one you want to install to? Once the OS is installed you can simply connect the drives and they should automatically install.

[SoulsCollective]

I have had this issue in the past - the problem was that the manufacturer of the SSD (Corsair) and the manufacturer of the thumb drive (Corsair) were the same, which apparently confused the Win7 installer. Different thumb drive = no problems, same thumb drive with different SSD also = no problems.

It's worth a shot, anyhow.

[Ice009]

Have you tried modifying the registry to switch to AHCI mode? This should work (although back up just in case).

If you want to try a fresh install why not disconnect all hard drives apart from the one you want to install to? Once the OS is installed you can simply connect the drives and they should automatically install.

I think I'll try that as a last resort. I install Windows quite often and just to unplug all the drives would mean I'd have to take out both my 5870s just to get to the SATA ports. That would be really be annoying.

How about the DVD drives? Should they be unplugged too?

I have had this issue in the past - the problem was that the manufacturer of the SSD (Corsair) and the manufacturer of the thumb drive (Corsair) were the same, which apparently confused the Win7 installer. Different thumb drive = no problems, same thumb drive with different SSD also = no problems.

It's worth a shot, anyhow.

This sounds like it's a possibility, but my Flash drive is a Corsair Voyager and SSD is a Kingston.

Should I try updating the BIOS on my MB?

[SteveRo]

Can you disconnect the drives at the drive end - sounds like the w7 installer is getting confused.

[zanzabar]

did u install the ahci diver on the drive select screen

[Ice009]

Can you disconnect the drives at the drive end - sounds like the w7 installer is getting confused.

Yes I can do that. Is it OK though to leave the cables plugged into the MB though? I didn't think it was otherwise I would have tried that. I thought having a cable plugged in might still be detected by the Motherboard. How about the power cables? Can I leave them plugged in if I just take out the sata cable from the back of the HDDs?

If that's OK should I also unplug all the DVD drives too?

did u install the ahci diver on the drive select screen

No I haven't. Which driver is this? I was thinking I might need to install a driver there at the drive select screen, but from what I read no one said one was necessary.

[SteveRo]

Yes I can do that. Is it OK though to leave the cables plugged into the MB though? I didn't think it was otherwise I would have tried that. I thought having a cable plugged in might still be detected by the Motherboard. How about the power cables? Can I leave them plugged in if I just take out the sata cable from the back of the HDDs?

If that's OK should I also unplug all the DVD drives too?



No I haven't. Which driver is this? I was thinking I might need to install a driver there at the drive select screen, but from what I read no one said one was necessary.

ice - based on all the mobo's I have ever used you can disconnect the drive from either end of the cable. The port should appear to the mobo unused/open either way and you should be able to leave the power plugged in for dubug and benching. On some SSDs this might be additionally beneficial - so to allow garbage collection w/o the os interferring.

[zanzabar]

download the ahci driver, its an exe that extracts. go into the extraction and find the x64 diver folder then copy it to a usb drive. then when u get to the screen on the windows install were u select the drive click on advanced then load driver and load.
http://game.amd.com/us-en/drivers_ca...ista32-chipset

it will also be on the disk that came with the MB but i like this way better

[Ice009]

ice - based on all the mobo's I have ever used you can disconnect the drive from either end of the cable. The port should appear to the mobo unused/open either way and you should be able to leave the power plugged in for dubug and benching. On some SSDs this might be additionally beneficial - so to allow garbage collection w/o the os interferring.

Alright, I will try this a bit later. I'll unplug all the SATA plugs from the back of all the Hard Drives and I'll leave the power cables plugged in. I was thinking of doing this yesterday, but wasn't sure if it's OK to do it like this as I didn't want anything damaged.

download the ahci driver, its an exe that extracts. go into the extraction and find the x64 diver folder then copy it to a usb drive. then when u get to the screen on the windows install were u select the drive click on advanced then load driver and load.
http://game.amd.com/us-en/drivers_ca...ista32-chipset

it will also be on the disk that came with the MB but i like this way better

I just went to the page and that driver says for use with AMD Motherboards only? My Motherboard is a DFI T3EH8 X58 Intel board. Are these OK to use?

Earlier today I downloaded the Intel Rapid Storage drivers and got the 64 bit F6 install version http://downloadcenter.intel.com/Deta...18861&lang=eng Would this be the same thing?

[Ao1]

Have you tried the registry mod? This should be all you need to switch to AHCI. You do not need to F6 drivers for AHCI. Win 7 will install default AHCI drivers as long as you have set the bios to AHCI. If you want to use Intel drives you can F6 as suggested above or you could update from the default Win 7 AHCI driver after installation.

[SteveRo]

+1 to audienceofone - all he said is right and should work for you - has worked for me

[Ice009]

ice - based on all the mobo's I have ever used you can disconnect the drive from either end of the cable. The port should appear to the mobo unused/open either way and you should be able to leave the power plugged in for dubug and benching. On some SSDs this might be additionally beneficial - so to allow garbage collection w/o the os interferring.

OK I just tried unplugged my 3 Sata Hard drives and now the only drive that comes up in Windows 7 Installation is the SSD and it still doesn't work. I also updated the BIOS on my DFI and that didn't make a difference either. This is getting ridiculous. I wonder if it is my Motherboard or this Kingston SSD?

Should I try unplugging the DVD-rom drives too?

download the ahci driver, its an exe that extracts. go into the extraction and find the x64 diver folder then copy it to a usb drive. then when u get to the screen on the windows install were u select the drive click on advanced then load driver and load.
http://game.amd.com/us-en/drivers_ca...ista32-chipset

it will also be on the disk that came with the MB but i like this way better

Any chance you could answer this zanzabar? That driver says it's for AMD. Does anyone have a link to the drives for 64 bit Windows 7. I am pretty sure I got the right ones though that I tried this morning that didn't do anything.

Have you tried the registry mod? This should be all you need to switch to AHCI. You do not need to F6 drivers for AHCI. Win 7 will install default AHCI drivers as long as you have set the bios to AHCI. If you want to use Intel drives you can F6 as suggested above or you could update from the default Win 7 AHCI driver after installation.

Have you got a link to the registry mod? I've never touched the registry before and have no idea what I am doing in there. If it's easy I will try it.

+1 to audienceofone - all he said is right and should work for you - has worked for me

No I haven't. I've never touched the registry before. Why did you do it this way? Did you have the same problem as me with it not installing when I changed to AHCI mode in the BIOS?

Just to clarify this is the message again on the where to install windows screen "Windows cannot be installed onto this Disk. This computer's hardware may not support booting to this disk. Ensure that the disk's controller is enabled in the Computer's BIOS menu"

I actually pressed next and it started the first part of the installation, but when it reboots for the first time it won't read the SSD or start the second part of the installation.

Also, since I can install Windows no problem on IDE mode that would rule out a faulty SATA cable right?

Thanks for the help so far guys. I really appreciate your input.

[Anvil]

Ice009

Are you able to install using AHCI on a SATA HDD?

[Ice009]

Ice009

Are you able to install using AHCI on a SATA HDD?

Good question. Yes I can do that. I installed Windows 7 Ultimate 64 on my Samsung 1TB HDD this morning to try it out.

What would that mean?

[Ao1]

Try as Anvil suggests. This way you will find out if it is the SSD that is causing the problem. I doubt it will be the ssd but if it is try a secure ease with hdderase and then try to install again.

Here is a guide to switch the reg to AHCI........but be careful. If this is a problem with your bios settings you may well not be able to boot back into windows.

http://www.ocztechnologyforum.com/fo...l=1#post442151

[Ao1]

Sorry cross post. Try the hdderase option to clear the drive back to a factory clean setting.

[Ice009]

Try as Anvil suggests. This way you will find out if it is the SSD that is causing the problem. I doubt it will be the ssd but if it is try a secure ease with hdderase and then try to install again.

Here is a guide to switch the reg to AHCI........but be careful. If this is a problem with your bios settings you may well not be able to boot back into windows.

http://www.ocztechnologyforum.com/fo...l=1#post442151

Not sure if you saw my reply to Anvil, but yes I was able to install Windows 7 in AHCI mode on my Samsung 1TB hard drive.

Have you got a link for the Hdderase thing? Also, can that be run in Windows or can you run it with out an OS installed? I just want to try to get it working properly. I'll do the registry edit thing last as it seems simple enough reading those instructions.