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ACHI vs IDE

Post Date: 2013-05-06
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Steveski View Drop Down
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Posts: 104 		  Quote Steveski Quote  Post ReplyReply bullet Topic: ACHI vs IDE
    Posted: 06 May 2013 at 8:03am
My 4 year old Digital Storm computer was beginning to run a little slow and buggy so I decided to reformat and reinstall Windows. My operating system was Windows XP but I wanted to upgrade to Windows 7. After several tries with the Windows install getting to about 70% and then just sitting there, I googled for a solution. Two items came up immediately. 1) try unplugging every USB device attached to your computer as soon as the Windows 7 install gets underway and 2) in BIOS change drive controller to AHCI. Mine was set to IDE as I have two older drives (WDC 500GB and a 160GB drive). Doing both of these things allowed me to install Windows 7.

I then tried running my computer leaving the BIOS on AHCI. It did not like that at all. So what gives? Why did it need that to install Windows 7 but can't be set to that afterwards? What exactly is AHCI and should I be set to that or is the original IDE setting where I need to be? Seems AHCI is needed for SSDs but is also faster for other drives. Thats about all I could understand from googling it. That and its a chore to run older drives under AHCI even if its faster. Do I understand all this correctly?

Thanks,
Steve
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Alex View Drop Down
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Posts: 16314 		  Quote Alex Quote  Post ReplyReply bullet Posted: 06 May 2013 at 10:18am
AHCI won't work with older hardware and operating systems. To get AHCI to work, you will need to do a fresh install of Windows with AHCI on and if it does not see your hard drive/SSD, you will need to install the latest controller driver from your chipset drivers which would be from your motherboard CD or the motherboard manufacture's website.
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Steveski View Drop Down
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Posts: 104 		  Quote Steveski Quote  Post ReplyReply bullet Posted: 07 May 2013 at 7:43am
Thanks Alex. Still confused as to why the Win 7 install forced me to set BIOS to AHCI and then I had to set it back. If I go to the trouble to install the latest controller driver will I significantly improve the WDC 500GB's preformance speed wise?

Edited by Steveski - 07 May 2013 at 7:44am
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bprat22 View Drop Down
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Posts: 20391 		  Quote bprat22 Quote  Post ReplyReply bullet Posted: 07 May 2013 at 8:59am
I'm taking a guess here, but do you have access to another pc where you can reformat your primary drive?  If so, reformat in another pc, remove both drives from your 4 yr old rig, install the newly reformated drive and boot to the Win 7 disc and Install.  Leave your Bios in Default(F5)  and let Win 7 install the way it wants. 
 
Not sure this will work but its what I might try.   Good luck. 
 
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Alex View Drop Down
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Posts: 16314 		  Quote Alex Quote  Post ReplyReply bullet Posted: 07 May 2013 at 12:03pm
Honestly I'm not sure myself. You won't really see a big performance difference with that WDC 500GB between the two.
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