-> HOWTO: enable AHCI mode on M570RU after installing Windows(XP and Vista) <-

AHCI (Advanced Host Controller Interface) is present on newer Intel chipsets such as 975X (ICH7), P965 (ICH8), PM965(ICH8M), and P35 (ICH9). AHCI mode is enabled in the BIOS and 3 settings are commonly available: IDE, AHCI, and RAID. The last two (AHCI and RAID) require a driver floppy and the F6 method when installing Windows XP otherwise the hard disks won't be detected. On Vista, simply changing the BIOS setting to AHCI mode and rebooting, from a previous IDE(non-AHCI) instalation, will cause Windows to fail.


AHCI mode brings 3 main advantages:

Supports NCQ (Native Command Queuing) allowing SATA drives to accept more than one command at a time and dynamically reorder the commands for maximum efficiency.
Supports hot plugging of devices
Supports staggered spin ups of multiple hard drives at boot time

However, in the real world the performance difference isn't huge.

The problem is that if you installed Windows in IDE mode (ie you didn't use F6 and supply a driver disk), then simply changing the BIOS setting to AHCI mode and rebooting will cause Windows to fail and will require a repair install. Most people have been advising to reinstall Windows if you want AHCI enabled.


I managed to enable AHCI on Windows XP Professional(same on Vista) on the M570RU without needing to reinstall.

1-------------------------------------------------------------------------

Go to Intel's download centre and download the latest version of the Intel Matrix Storage Manager for your OS(download it to C:\):

http://downloadcenter.intel.com/dow...&OSFullName=Windows* XP Professional&lang=eng

Keep this file as you'll need it again in step 4.

2------------------------------------------------------------------------

Run the installer with the -a switch to extract the files(via Run). This will NOT install the software, just extract the files. Follow the prompts as if you were installing the software:

Code:

"C:\iata78_enu.exe" -a

The above should extract the files to C:\Program Files\Intel\Intel Matrix Storage Manager. There are two folders, \Drivers and \Drivers64 for 32-bit and 64-bit OS's, respectively.

Copy the file IaStor.sys from the Drivers folder to C:\Windows\System32\drivers\

3------------------------------------------------------------------------

Copy the following registry file to your desktop (copy and paste into notepad) and save as ahci.reg

Code:

Windows Registry Editor Version 5.00

[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\ControlSet001\Control\CriticalDeviceDatabase\pci#ven_8086&dev_2829&cc_0106]
"Service"="iaStor"
"ClassGUID"="{4D36E96A-E325-11CE-BFC1-08002BE10318}"

[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Services\iaStor]
"Type"=dword:00000001
"Start"=dword:00000000
"Group"="SCSI miniport"
"ErrorControl"=dword:00000001
"ImagePath"="system32\\drivers\\iaStor.sys"
"tag"=dword:00000019
"DisplayName"="Intel AHCI Controller"

[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Services\iaStor\Parameters]
"queuePriorityEnable"=dword:00000000

[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Services\iaStor\Enum]
"0"="PCI\\VEN_8086&DEV_2821&SUBSYS_B0051458&REV_02\\3&13c0b0c5&0&FA"
"Count"=dword:00000001
"NextInstance"=dword:00000001

You can download it from here too: http://audigyfiles.com.sapo.pt/ahci.reg

4-------------------------------------------------------------------------

Double check you've copied the IaStor.sys file as part of step 2. Now do the following:
Run the ahci.reg file to add the entries into the registry.
Reboot the computer and enter the BIOS - DO NOT allow it to start Windows yet.
Change the setting for the on board Intel controller to AHCI, save and exit BIOS.
Boot into Windows.

When Windows loads it will detect a new hard disk - cancel the wizard for installing the new hardware and run the Intel driver installer you downloaded in step 1.

Reboot the system again and you're good to go.

Now, under Device Manager > IDE ATA/ATAPI controllers you should see Intel(R) ICH8 SATA AHCI Controller listed:



This will work on any NB with an ICH8-M southbriedge.


Thanks to Ned Slider(from PCPerspective) for the desktop tutorial, wich I've made some changes to work with the ICH8-M mobile southbriedge of the M570RU.

 

Is it working properly? Cause most of the times , re-enabling AHCI after install will results in BSODs.
And , the most important question, do you "feel it" ?

 

i have done this when i first got my system. worked fine for me i had to figure this out on my own though lol.. i have no issues though. system works fine now as it did before (i just did a fresh install due to hdd failure but it worked fine up till that point).

 

Yes, it works flawlessly... tried it myself.

The all purpose of this is to avoid BSODs when you change it. The BSOD appears because you have not instaled previously the respective driver... so what we will do, is install the driver before the change.

Because it's not possible via normal ways, we will install it manually.

About the HDD performance increase, I've noted some, specially on boot(XP and Vista). I don't know if is an placebo effect, but the defragmentation appear to be faster now...

You will not lose anyting thats for sure


About the Native Command Queuing (NCQ):

 

I see. Well it might give it a try soon, a full system reinstall is overdue.

 

any real life benchmark?

 

Native Command Queuing is a technology designed to improve the performance of SATA hard drives by optimizing the execution order of read and write requests sent to them.

A standard SATA drive without NCQ technology will execute commands as they are received, but a SATA NCQ drive's internal command queue will be reordered for optimal performance on the fly. To optimize performance, NCQ technology reorders the commands in such a way that reduces the amount of seek time the drive needs to access data. In other words, the NCQ reordering algorithms utilize such information as the physical location of the data on the disk.

A common analogy for NCQ is the way an elevator works - it stops at near floors first rather than the order in which the buttons were pressed, thus reducing the total amount of time to meet all requests (drop everyone off at the floor they selected). Native Command Queuing has the most profound effect on performance in multi-tasking and applications with heavy asynchonous I/O loads.

An added benefit of NCQ is that it will probably increase the lifespan of drives that use it since the amount mechanical movement for seeking is reduced.

 

So I take it it translates into a better battery life too ?

 

Just did it and found that the system requires to reactivated...... (T_T)

 

yes it will kaltmod because its a high point value change for vista.. no biggie imo...almost all major changes like cpu, gpu, turbo mem, achi, etc require re-activation of vista.. maxes out the points requires a re-act

 

I might try this out when I grow some balls... how do you activate this during a wipe/install scenario?

 

I just tried this on my Compal IFL90 (Sager 2090) and it worked fine. I noticed a faster boot time, and everything loads a bit faster than it used to. One thing you should note is that you have to reactivate windows because it's a significant hardware change.

 

How do I know if I have this AHCI or not ? Is it worth reinstalling for ?

 

Just press F2 on POST to enter the BIOS menu. Then go to chipset advanced features and enable the Intel Robson, even if you don´t have any Robson module. That will enable the AHCI SATA controler on your southbriedge.

 

It's already enabled, and I don't have Turbo memory.

 

Nice!

To everyone else:
By default is disabled, so it´s better to confirm it on the BIOS menu or via the Device Manager...

 

Sir, help. I can't see why i don't have the option of "advanced chipset features in my bios.. it only displays:

Phoenixbios setup utility

then Diagnostics

> Primary hard disk self test
> Memory self test



i can't shoose to enable ahci mode in my bios cause i don't have d options displayed to do so

what setting do i have to go to enable it?

i have a hp dv6000t NB ..

please reply. thank you

 

Since you have an _HP, you might be better off asking on the _HP-specific forum.

 

I have iata82_enu.exe instead of iata78_enu.exe I think it's newer version because it works well..

 

I have tried to put my system back to AHCI now for 3 days. You method worked perfectly. On other forums many people told me to reinstall xp. Thank you so much.

 

d a m n , this didnt work for me. after following your guide, and then enabling intel robson, i got the famous bsod.

 

So I want to enable this on my system I just put WIN 7 on? does this work for Win7? Is there a better method, I saw something about just changing something in the registry that enables the driver. does this apply?
Currently AHCI is disabled.
Thanks.

 

would've been easier to enable it before installing 7...

But anyway, and vista method should work, google around and you'll find various methods.