How to enable AHCI/RAID mode without reinstalling windows (P35/ICH9/ICH9R)

[gLk*zaP]

If you have installed Windows when your mainboard SATA controller was set to native IDE mode,
you usually cannot switch later to AHCI or RAID mode, without completly reinstalling windows.
But there is a way...

A very interesting article about the features and possible benefits of AHCI mode, including comparisons
of different drives, and if it might be faster or even slower for you:
http://www.behardware.com/art/imprimer/624/


I recommend making a disk image of your current windows partition before you
continue and make any changes to things like registry and drivers.
Use programs like Norton Ghost or Acronis True Image, there should be free trial versions available.


Activating AHCI/RAID mode for mainboards with ICH9(R) southbridge

If you are using a 32-bit Windows XP AND want to use RAID on ICH9(R), please scroll further down.
Everyone else, either AHCI or RAID mode and for all other Windows versions, read on.


What you need:

- Intel Storage Manager Software (Version 7.5.0.1017 iata75_cd.exe)
http://downloadcenter.intel.com/down...stems&lang=eng

- Registry fix for ICH9(R): http://www.jzelectronic.de/jz2/Download2/ICH9R-AHCI.reg

Follow this step by step:

1. Go to Start, Run, iata75_cd.exe -a -a
This will appear to run as normal setup, but will actually just extract the needed files to \Program Files\Intel\Intel Matrix Storage Manager\Driver
Note: For 64-bit Windows versions, chose the iaStor.sys from \Driver64\ instead of \Driver\.
Copy the iaStor.sys from there to \Windows\System32\Drivers\

2. Double-click the downloaded ICH9R-AHCI.reg file. A safety question should pop up, answer yes.

3. Now reboot your system. Go directly into the BIOS menu, change SATA controller mode from IDE to AHCI or RAID. Exit & save changes.

4. Boot into windows. It will detect new hardware now, cancel that wizard.
Instead start the downloaded Intel Storage Manager Software (iata75_cd.exe), this time without any paramaters.
When it is done installing, reboot once again.

5. Now in your device manager Intel (R) ICH9 SATA AHCI Controller (or RAID) should show up.

6. Enjoy.


Activating RAID mode with 32-bit Windows XP on mainboards with ICH9(R) southbridge:

NOTE: NOT CONFIRMED WORKING YET

What you need:

- Intel Storage Manager Software (Version 7.0.01020 iata70_cd.exe)
http://downloadcenter.intel.com/down...stems&lang=eng

- Intel Storage Manager Software (Version 7.5.0.1017 iata75_cd.exe)
http://downloadcenter.intel.com/down...stems&lang=eng

- Registry fix for ICH8R: http://www.jzelectronic.de/jz2/Download2/ICH8R-AHCI.reg
- Registry fix for ICH9R: http://www.jzelectronic.de/jz2/Download2/ICH9R-AHCI.reg

1. Go to Start, Run, iata70_cd.exe -a -a
This will appear to run as normal setup, but will actually just extract the needed files to \Program Files\Intel\Intel Matrix Storage Manager\Driver
Copy the iaStor.sys from there to \Windows\System32\Drivers\

2. Now i am not sure which registry fix you are supposed to use for Raid mode and 32-bit XP.
Either the old ICH8R or the ICH9R. I have to rely on feedback from other users here.
Double-click the file, a safety question should pop up, answer yes.

3. Now reboot your system. Go directly into the BIOS menu, change SATA controller mode from IDE to RAID. Exit & save changes.

4. Boot into windows. It will detect new hardware now, cancel that wizard.
Now, start the installation of the new version of the Intel Storage Manager Software (iata75_cd.exe).
This will replace the old iaStor.sys with the actual ICH9R version. When it is done installing, reboot once again.

5. Now in your device manager something like Intel (R) ICH9 SATA RAID Controller should show up.

6. Enjoy.

Notes: It has been mentioned that hard drives that have been partitioned using tools such as Acronis Disk Director,
might be unable to work with RAID mode as boot drives. I can confirm this myself, Windows does not even start loading,
you get an error like 'Inaccessible Boot Device'. You need to partition this drive again using just Windows Disk Management Tools.
I am using 32-bit XP myself, and so far couldnt get RAID mode working. I keep getting the reboot loop.


Activating AHCI/RAID mode on mainboards with ICH8(R) southbridge

What you need:

- Intel Storage Manager Software (iata621.exe)
http://downloadcenter.intel.com/deta...ition&lang=eng

- Registry fix for ICH8(R): http://www.jzelectronic.de/jz2/Download2/ICH8R-RAID.reg

1. Go to Start, Run, iata621.exe -a -a
This will appear to run as normal setup, but will actually just extract the needed files to \Program Files\Intel\Intel Matrix Storage Manager\Driver
Note: For x64 Operating systems, chose the iaStor.sys from \Driver64\ instead of \Driver\.
Copy the iaStor.sys from there to \Windows\System32\Drivers\

2. Double-click the downloaded ICH8R-AHCI.reg file. A safety question should pop up, answer yes.

3. Now reboot your system. Go directly into the BIOS menu, change SATA controller mode from IDE to AHCI or RAID. Exit & save changes.

4. Boot into windows. It will detect new hardware now, cancel that wizard.
Instead start the downloaded Intel Storage Manager Software (iata621.exe), this time without any paramaters.
When it is done installing, reboot once again.

5. Now in your device manager something like Intel (R) ICH8 SATA AHCI Controller (or RAID) should show up.

6. Enjoy.

Thanks a lot to Supershanks for finding it, and JZ at the german Gigabyte forum for working this out.
I have merely done the translation from german to english.
Original threads on german Gigabyte forum:
http://forum.gigabyte.de/cgi-bin/sbb...2647&start=0#1
http://62.109.81.232/cgi-bin/sbb/sbb...=449&start=0#1

[Supershanks]

Thanks a lot gLk*zaP. I'm sure that will help a lot of people who take the default ide, install xp & then decide to play with raid or ahci.

As you say i'm running with the Version 7.5.0.1017 . I haven't had any issues touch wood.

[gLk*zaP]

Thanks a lot gLk*zaP. I'm sure that will help a lot of people who take the default ide, install xp & then decide to play with raid or ahci.

As you say i'm running with the Version 7.5.0.1017 . I haven't had any issues touch wood.

Does it work for you? 32-bit XP + ICH9R.reg + v7.5.0.1017? I think it doesnt work for me because of the drive been partitioned with Acronis Disk Director once.

[Supershanks]

I'll test it tommorow, sorry later today

[gLk*zaP]

Yeah sure, close to 2am now. Should get some sleep too.

I wasnt able so far to get it working as RAID mode with XP x86. Not even with a completly different
drive which has been freshly partitioned (so the Disk Director error is out of the question now, i hope).
But i might have ruined it now by having the 7.5 driver installed too early.
People in the other forum have mentioned to use the old 7.0 driver first, then when Windows boots, switch to the actual 7.5.
But right now, i am not able to get the old 7.0 installed anymore.
I will try tomorrow again, by recovering from a backup image, then 7.0 directly, maybe it works that way.

AHCI on the other hand works flawlessly tho

[danzig]

hello

do these instructions work with 64 bit VISTA?

When I installed Vista i had SATA as PETE/IDE in my BIOS.

Now i want to switch to SATA, i have been playing around a bit not sure if i am having any success.

I have switched the BIOS to "SATA as AHCI" and Vista runs fine, the first time i did this it installed a few drivers.

This is what my Device Manager now looks like

*IDE ATA/ATAPI
-ATA Channel 0
-ATA Channel 0
-ATA Channel 1
-ATA Channel 1
-ATA Channel 4
-ATA Channel 5
-Standard AHCI1.0 Serial ATA Controller (why SATA 1 not 2?)
-Standard Dual Channel PCI IDE Controller

*Storage Controllers
-JMicron jmb36x controller
-Microsoft iSCSI Initiator (no mention of SATA/AHCI here)

Also in device manager my HDD is listed as WDC WD5000AAKS-00TMA0 ATA Device

I have a P5K, ich9 chipset

Cheers

[this_is_gav]

If you've changed it in the BIOS and Vista still works, then yeah, you're using AHCI. WinXP would normally just enter a rebooting loop if you did this

[gLk*zaP]

hello

do these instructions work with 64 bit VISTA?

When I installed Vista i had SATA as PETE/IDE in my BIOS.

Now i want to switch to SATA, i have been playing around a bit not sure if i am having any success.

I have switched the BIOS to "SATA as AHCI" and Vista runs fine, the first time i did this it installed a few drivers.

This is what my Device Manager now looks like

*IDE ATA/ATAPI
-ATA Channel 0
-ATA Channel 0
-ATA Channel 1
-ATA Channel 1
-ATA Channel 4
-ATA Channel 5
-Standard AHCI1.0 Serial ATA Controller (why SATA 1 not 2?)
-Standard Dual Channel PCI IDE Controller

*Storage Controllers
-JMicron jmb36x controller
-Microsoft iSCSI Initiator (no mention of SATA/AHCI here)

Also in device manager my HDD is listed as WDC WD5000AAKS-00TMA0 ATA Device

I have a P5K, ich9 chipset

Cheers

It seems that you are using AHCI mode succesfully then. AHCI 1.0 does not mean SATA I.
And the name 'Standard AHCI Controller' suggests that Vista is using its own generic drivers for it.
You should try installing the Intel Storage Manager Software now, it should change the name into
Intel Controller in device managar. Then you can start the software, and check there if your drive
is actually using SATAI or SATAII mode.

[behappier]

Could it be made to work with ICH8R and Vista 64 ?
I had to reinstall Vista a week ago because of this:-(

[danzig]

Thanks.

I will try installing the Intel Storage Manager Software again.

[gLk*zaP]

Could it be made to work with ICH8R and Vista 64 ?
I had to reinstall Vista a week ago because of this:-(

It should work too. There are other registry files needed tho. I will update the first post in a while for ICH8(R) too. Have to get RAID mode working here before.

Edit. Updated for ICH8R too. But i cant test it myself for Vista/Vistax64.

[behappier]

It should work too. There are other registry files needed tho. I will update the first post in a while for ICH8(R) too. Have to get RAID mode working here before.

Edit. Updated for ICH8R too. But i cant test it myself for Vista/Vistax64.

Thanks, will probably give it a try at the week end.

[Supershanks]

I was hoping to test the raid method from an ide install, but didn't get chance. Hope to fit it in

[gLk*zaP]

I was hoping to test the raid method from an ide install, but didn't get chance. Hope to fit it in

No hurry I have even noticed in some quick benchmarks that on my Samsung hard drives, AHCI mode
is slower than IDE. Not much, but it is. Depends on each setup tho. I suggest everyone to do some before & after benchmarks before just using AHCI because its newer (or of course if someone needs hotplugging etc).

[Supershanks]

I think to be honest AHCI gives relatively little on these boards, fine on a server you get the full features but not here. Raid mode gives you the same options ncq etc., & can be used with single drives.

[IAmATeaf]

The way I did it on my DS3P was to initially connect my drives to the GigaRAID controller which was set in IDE mode, install the OS as norm. Once the OS was up and running, then enable AHCI on the ICH8R controller, boot and install the drivers as requested by the OS, then shutdown and move the drives over onto the ICH8R controller. This was for drives in non RAID config but I also tested this for running the ICH8R in RAID mode and it worked fine.