Windows 7 64 Installation Issue

[idata]

Hello,

I just purchased an Intel 335 SSD and I am having issues installing Windows 7 onto the drive in AHCI mode.

The motherboard I am using is an Asus Crosshair III with the latest BIOS update 2003.

After setting the SATA ports to AHCI mode, the BIOS sees the drive just fine. The Windows 7 installation sees the drive and the partition, but I receive, "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 am able to install the OS using IDE mode with no issues. As a test I tried installing to a regular HDD under AHCI mode and it worked just fine. I tried installing the mobos' AHCI drivers during installation but receive the same message. It seems AHCI cannot properly handle the SSD under AHCI mode, only IDE. I have tried different SATA ports with no luck. I have contacted the Motherboard manufacturer and they were stumped as to why the SSD would not install Windows 7 in AHCI mode.

Can anyone possible help or offer solutions to my issue?

Thank you

[idata]

You should have no problem at all installing any SSD with the SATA mode set to AHCI, I've done that many times.

But, I use Intel chipset boards, and AMD is different. Try the following:

Clear the CMOS/BIOS before you start. Use default BIOS settings, but check the SATA settings for AHCI mode.

Only have the SSD connected to the board during the Win 7 installation, no other drives except the DVD drive, if you use that for an installation disk. This is very important.

Find the AMD port 0 or 1, the first AMD SATA port on the board. That matters. Set the SATA mode to AHCI on that port before you start the installation. AMD's SATA settings are over complex and confusing IMO, double check them. It sounds like you may have had the 335 connected to a secondary SATA controller on the board, like a Marvell. Do not use those for installing Windows! You must identify the correct SATA port to use.

If you created a partition on the 335 before the installation, delete it and let Windows format it during the installation. You must format the SSD if it has a Windows installation on it before you try again.

You should not need to install an AHCI driver during the installation of Windows 7, but installing the AMD AHCI driver when that option is available may help. You'll need the AMD "F6" AHCI driver, copied to a USB flash drive connected to a USB 2.0 port on the boards I/O panel. Do not remove the flash drive unitl Windows reboots the first time during the installation.