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    IDE drives

    Discussion in 'Hardware Components and Aftermarket Upgrades' started by nl4m, Sep 10, 2008.

  1. nl4m

    nl4m Notebook Enthusiast

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    I am running Vista Home OS, if it helps.
    I bought this game thats said to put your PC in PIO mode. Just in case I go to check the IDE/SATA section in the device manager to see if everything is ok. There I can't find the Primery IDE channel. I even clicked on "Show hidden".

    In IDE/SATA section these are the only things I see:
    1. ATA CHANNEL 0
    2. ATA CHANNEL 0
    3. ATA CHANNEL 1
    4. INTEL ICH8M SATA ACHI CONTROLLER - 2829
    5. INTEL ICH8M ULTRA ATA STORAGE CONTROLLERS - 2850
    I go to the ATA channel 0, advence tab. Here I see "ATAPI CDROM" as the "device type", and next to it, in "Current mode", I see "ULTRA DMA MODE 2". Below under "device properties" I see a check in the box next to "ENABLE DMA". You can't touch anything on this tab, excluding the "Enable DMA" box. If it wont let me pick a mode, how could I change it if it were to switch to PIO mode???

    I thought that ATA channel 1 was the main channel. I go to it, click advance tab, and everything is blank!!! Nothing under "Target Id", nothing under "Device manager", and nothing under the "current mode". It's all blank. There isn't even a box that lets you "Enable DMA", nothing. I don't even see "device 0". I don't know what that is, I just saw it in a forum. Should be something important.

    If I can't see anything how can I get my PC out of PIO mode?
     
    nl4m, Sep 10, 2008
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  2. Andy

    Andy Notebook Prophet

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    I don't understand ?!

    Why would you want to switch to PIO ? There isn't any option in the UI, but you can probably perform a registry hack.

    I believe ATA Channel 1 is shown as empty because AHCI is enabled and the drive is not in IDE mode.
     
    Andy, Sep 10, 2008
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  3. nl4m

    nl4m Notebook Enthusiast

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    ^ ACHI enabled?


    No. The protection that came with the video game may turn my drive into PIO mode, I would never do it myself. If that should happen I just want to know how to fix it. And how do I switch to back to ACHI If the protection changes it to PIO?
     
    nl4m, Sep 10, 2008
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  4. Andy

    Andy Notebook Prophet

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    AHCI

    I don't think that a game would cause the optical drive to run in PIO mode....
     
    Andy, Sep 10, 2008
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  5. nl4m

    nl4m Notebook Enthusiast

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    All you have to do is type "Starforce" in google search. The Only resolt will be "get out of PIO mode." It's a way of crippling the drive to provent backing up games discs.


    If my PC is forcefully switched to PIO how do I get it back to my current settings?
     
    nl4m, Sep 10, 2008
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  6. Andy

    Andy Notebook Prophet

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    Sorry, can't help since its related to StarForce.
     
    Andy, Sep 10, 2008
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  7. nl4m

    nl4m Notebook Enthusiast

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    Why? Do you work for them?

    I just want to know how to get my PC out of PIO mode. It's nothing illegal. If you can help please do.
     
    nl4m, Sep 10, 2008
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