Easy way to Enable AHCI on XP running in IDE mode

[idata]

When I bought my INTEL DX48BT2 motherboard I tried to enable AHCI but gave up after many wasted hours. The Internet was full of instructions for enabling AHCI without reinstalling XP but none of then worked for me. Months later when I purchased my INTEL X25-M I tried again but failed. Yesterday, I was determined to get it working and discovered why I had previously failed.

　

The DX48BT2 does not have a floppy connector so I was using a USB Floppy Drive. It works with the Windows Hardware Wizard, the Windows Repair Console, and everything else that I tried EXCEPT Window XP installation.

http://support.microsoft.com/kb/916196/en-us http://support.microsoft.com/kb/916196/en-us

explains that only three USB Floppy Drives will work with XP Installation. These drives were once cheap but now the only sources sell them for $78+. The other alternative given by MS is to slipstream the drivers into the XP Installation CD. My XP installation CD has XP3 already install and the instructions that I could find were for slipstreaming with SP 1 or SP 2 to SP3.

http://downloadcenter.intel.com/Detail_Desc.aspx?ProductID=2101&DwnldID=18860&lang=eng&iid=dc_rss http://downloadcenter.intel.com/Detail_Desc.aspx?ProductID=2101&DwnldID=18860&lang=eng&iid=dc_rsshttp://www.partition-tool.com/personal.htm http://www.partition-tool.com/personal.htmhttp://www.alex-is.de/PHP/fusion/news.php http://www.alex-is.de/PHP/fusion/news.php

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http://downloadcenter.intel.com/SearchResult.aspx?lang=eng&ProductFamily=Solid+State+Drives+and+Cach... http://downloadcenter.intel.com/SearchResult.aspx?lang=eng&ProductFamily=Solid+State+Drives+and+Cach...

　

Instructions to enable AHCI in Windows XP without reinstall:

1) Attach eSATA Docking Station to eSATA port(s) on you motherboard.

2) Clone you SSD. Skip this step and you may regret it very soon.

A) Put drive that you are using for the SSD boot drive clone into the eSATA Docking Station.

B) If you do not have software to copy a drive then download and install the free EASUS software.

C) Copy the SSD drive to the clone drive.

WARNING:

You select the Drive not the Partition to copy.

When you copy the Drive the MBR will also be copied.

IF YOU ONLY COPY THE PARTITION YOU WILL NOT BE ABLE

TO BOOT FROM THE PARTITION.

3) Shut down your computer AND power off your eSATA Docking Station.

4) Move the clone drive from step 2 to the SATA connection and power currently used by your SSD.

5) Put your SSD into the eSATA Docking Station.

6) Power on your eSATA Docking Station.

7) Power on your computer and enter your BIOS with the proper key. DEL in my case.

😎 Set the SATA Configuration to AHCI.

In my BIOS the path to this option is: Advanced / Drive Configuration / Configure SATA as then select AHCI.

9) Set the boot drive to your SSD.

10) Save BIOS setting and exit.

11) If you did the above correctly Windows XP will start and detect an unknown PCI device.

12) Point the Windows Hardware Wizard to the AHCI drivers folder or device that you created above.

13) Hardware Wizard will install the AHCI drivers.

14) Shut down your computer AND power off your eSATA Docking Station.

15) Move SSD back to internal SSD data and power cables.

16) Label, date, and store in a safe place you SSD clone drive. On a regular basis or when you make major hardware or software changes then repeat step 2.

17) Power on your computer and enter your BIOS with the proper key. DEL in my case.

18) Set the boot drive to boot your SSD first.

19) Reboot your computer.

20) Run Intel SSD Toolbox to trim your SSD.

21) Run AS SSD Benchmark.

22) Check the upper right box for iaStor to indicate that you are using AHCI. Pciide means you are using IDE.

23) Check that the alignment says OK if not consider aligning the partition. See my posts at

/thread/14108?tstart=0 http://commu...

[RGiff]

James can I install the Marvell drivers with having to reinstall windows 7 64 bit ??, I already have intel RST installed??

[idata]

Robert,

Yes. Remember to also download and run the STOR_AllOS_MRUSetup_1.2.0.7103_PV_Marvell.exe setup program. It will install the utility programs.

P.S. It was always a pain that Windows XP did not recognize eSATA drive hot swapping. When you install the MARVELL drivers and utilities they recognize the drives when you power on and you can safely remove them thru the tray icon. I only installed the MARVELL to answer someone's question about them. When I went back to IDE for the eSATA the drivers still allow hot swapping. So there is a benefit to installing the MARVELL drivers in XP even if you run IDE eSATA.

Added P.S.

[RGiff]

James I read your post on Paragon Alignment tool , Downloaded it and ran it , works good . My sys has been running very good I asummed that the partion was right because I had the 100MB reserve and has 150 gig left after format, But the tool made a 12% improvement , So windows did not do such a great job of alignment , We need to get the work out about this tool cause Intel doesen't have it , and windows don't do it as well. Thanks for the TIP. Bob

[RGiff]

I installed the Marvell drivers OK , But there is some kind of program conflict with MY ATI crossfire set up and the ATI software, Every time I would restart it would wpie out my graphics drivers, ?? Had to go to BIOS and turn Marvell off now sys is back to normal. The Intel down load said it was for windows 7 64 bit , But it don't like ATI ??