IDE vs. ACHI?

AHCI mode because you have access to NCQ which is like a free 5% performance boost without dropping a dime on hardware.

Also some SATA controllers are absolute crap on IDE mode (like the Jmicron 363) and you're looking at a 30% performance drop or more in IDE mode.
 
Does AHCI cause BSOD? Also, can you just switch from IDE to AHCI in the BIOS after you already have a drive running in IDE?
 
In my experience no, you cannot just switch IDE to AHCI mode if windows is installed. If you do so you will like crash during windows boot. You can remove the drivers and reboot and switch or reinstall windows.
 
There are ways to install AHCI if not previously installed, very tricky for XP, not so hard for Vista.
AHCI will net you a small performance boost but at the expense of higher CPU usage.
 
AHCI also allows for a few things like e-SATA hot-swapping which often doesn't work properly in IDE mode.
 
IDE mode will usually work with older operating systems without the need to install any extra drivers. If you're trying to guide your aunt through a hard drive replacement procedure on her old Compaq or something and/or are using some outdated old OS, IDE mode is the way to go.

ACHI is better, but you'll likely have to install specific drivers for your controller during OS install.
 
AHCI is the way to go. Vista also already has native support for it. Unless you have some strange controller that wants to be different.
 
Wow. Thanks guys.

/facepalm

I've been running the setup in my sig in IDE mode. I'm assuming I'll have to check the ASUS site for AHCI drivers? I'm about to install XP on a 20GB drive I have laying around to see if it will work in AHCI mode on its own or if it requires me to feed it drivers manually.
 
You will need the driver for XP and it must be installed while you are installing the OS.
 
Enable the AHCI driver 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, Run, type regedit in the 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.

Note this only works on Vista and Win7
 
I made a ICH10R AHCI/RAID driver disk for XP and booted up into XP setup disc. I loaded the correct driver from the floppy, but when I tried to select the hard-drive to setup the new installation on, it said "Drive not accessible," and then hit me with the BSOD. I'm confused. I'm trying to do a fresh install and I've loaded the AHCI drivers properly. Why won't it let me format the drive and continue with the setup? Do I need to format the drive before I run the setup to avoid the BSOD? I'm going to pop in a GParted LiveCD and format the drive myself and retry the XP setup.
 
Old Hippie said:
Enabling AHCI in a system BIOS will cause a 0×7B Blue Screen of Death STOP error (INACCESSIBLE_BOOT_DEVICE) on installations of Windows XP where AHCI/RAID drivers for that system’s chipset are not installed..

You probably didn't get the drivers right but that link is a geat AHCI read.



You also may be interested in this article How to enable AHCI : Windows XP.


Good Luck!
Click to expand...

Hippie,

The method in that second link is strangely simple compared to the more common one described here:
http://www.msfn.org/board/The-compiled-FAQ-and-guide-thread-t121503.html&p=785969#entry785969

Will the simple method work?
 
Specific combinations of Vista/XP and and ICH9/ICH9R take different methods.

Your link describes a hack to get AHCI enabled on an XP/ICH9 combo because there is no offical support for AHCI on the ICH9 chipset, only the ICH9R.
 
Old Hippie said:
Specific combinations of Vista/XP and and ICH9/ICH9R take different methods.

Your link describes a hack to get AHCI enabled on an XP/ICH9 combo because there is no offical support for AHCI on the ICH9 chipset, only the ICH9R.
Click to expand...

Thank you.
 
Can someone explain how to setup AHCI, exactly? I am building a new computer with GIGABYTE GA-MA790XT-UD4P mobo and installing W7. I thought all I needed to do was switch to it in the BIOS before installing, but there's more?
 
Azureth said:
I thought all I needed to do was switch to it in the BIOS before installing, but there's more?
Click to expand...

That's all you have to do with that board as far as I know.

The last few posts are about "upgrading" a non-AHCI installation to AHCI. That can cause alll kinds of problems.
 
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