AHCI Port1 Device Error

[Jake_Robs]

I wasn't sure where to post this.

When I start my pc I get this error everytime and have to press F1 to continue.

What is this and how do I fix it?

Furthermore, recently my pc gets stuck on a black screen with a flashing white line after I press f1. Which proceeds to load a text 'Reboot and Select proper Boot device or Insert Boot Media in selected Boot Device and press a key'

But sometimes it gets stuck on the flashing white line then loads normally, without the text loading.

Now even more recently, when the pc does start up without the text, I get a blue screen error. Maybe 1 in 5 boots my pc works normally.

Here are some more crappy pictures.

 

[little_me]

Either the sata port 1 is going down the drain (aka broken) or hard disk is failing. (less fun prospect due to possibly lost data)
One of the easiest things to try would be to change the sata port your hard disk is connected to, this might help if it is only the single port having issues.
If it is the actual SATA controller (all ports 1 to 4) then it might work on port 6 (usually separate SATA controller for ports 5 and 6)

but in any case, you would need to possibly change the boot order in BIOS so that the main disk is booting before the 2nd disk in sata port 5

Now.. the less pleasant part is.. what if it is hard disk related? I hope you have good backups since it might die for good at any point.
If it is the hard disk, your best choice would be to unplug the ailing disk (and the 2nd one at port 5) get new disk, install windows on that and after all works fine, shutdown, connect the problematic disk back and... boot back up to copy important things over from the failing disk.
After that is done, connect spare disk back to port 5 and take out the problematic disk and... live happily ever after.

How to fix it if it is sata port related? swap motherboard.
How to fix it if it's disk related? get a new hard disk.
If changing sata port fixes it, it is possible that 2nd port can also develop problems since 1st one is already broken and in this case I would suggest considering more permanent fix. (new motherboard which pretty much means new CPU/RAM too)

 

[Jake_Robs]

Okay so I'll try changing the ports first, how do I change the boot order in the bios?

Edit: What if I move the drive in Port five to port six and then put the drive in Port one into port five? Then I wouldn't have to change the order right?

 

[little_me]

Well, I don't have AMI bios on my computer myself so not completely sure but boot order should usually be either on first or one of the last pages of BIOS.

in it, there is usually a list of devices in order computer tries to boot from, take a photo or write it down so that in worst case, you can reset it back to it's original state if testing doesn't go as planned or doesn't improve things.

Edit: in reply to your edit, that might possibly work, there is no guarantee of it though.

 

[Jake_Robs]

Okay I moved the drive from Port 1 to port 5 and moved the drive from port 5 to port 6. Now I get AHCI Port5 Device Error. So I take it my harddrive is failing/dead. Where do you recommend I go from here?

 

[little_me]

buy new hard drive
Disconnect both old drives. (unless you want to install windows on the 2nd one)
install windows
check that all is working
connect failing drive
Boot/try until you get it to work and copy important things first (thus not whole C drive)

 

[Jake_Robs]

Alright will this be an okay replacement https://uk.pcpartpicker.com/product/KXkwrH/crucial-mx300-275gb-m2-2280-solid-state-drive-ct275mx300ssd4 or do I have to check if it's compatible?

 

[little_me]

since that is M2 SSD, it might not be compatible since older motherboards don't always have M.2 slot to put it on.

Past that, you could get SATA based SSD drive (usually 2.5") which might need addon brackets to mount it in 3.5" hard disk slot.
That is because unless you know that your case has 2.5" mounting places for SSD's, it likely wont have them.
https://uk.pcpartpicker.com/product/TqYXsY/kingston-internal-hard-drive-shfs37a240g
https://www.amazon.com/Corsair-Mounting-Bracket-drive-CSSD-BRKT1/dp/B0090UG55A (doesn't matter if it's corsair, screw placement is standard)

alternately you can just get another new 3.5" hard disk, their benefit is more space for the money while their speed is bit slower than SSD's.
https://uk.pcpartpicker.com/product/KyCwrH/seagate-internal-hard-drive-st2000dm001

 

[Jake_Robs]

I'd prefer to get an ssd, as I plan on reusing it in a new build in the future. My current motherboard is: h57h-am2 v3.0 -does this have the slot required? If not I'll just get another hdd to replace it. Furthermore, where's the best place to get a boot disk?

 

[little_me]

I would say that no, that motherboard does not have M.2 slot.
Boot disk.. well.. windows 7 dvd should be bootable but according to BIOS bootup screen, you don't have dvd drive and as such, cannot really boot from it.
Leaving "create bootable USB stick installer for windows 7" and "use USB dvd-drive" as alternatives.
Since I have never done bootable win7 usb installer myself, I sadly cannot tell how to do it for certain.
Following link seems to have basic steps on how to do it if you decide to go that route.
https://www.howtogeek.com/howto/9585/how-to-setup-a-usb-flash-drive-to-install-windows-7/

Edit if you mean "boot disk" as in Acer didn't supply you with bootable dvd or recovery media, then I cannot really help. Microsoft policy back in windows 7 days was still "We wont give media away"(unlike now with windows 10, where it's just go here and download latest version) and as such your only legal choices would be to contact Acer for recovery media or... buy new license.

 

[Jake_Robs]

Okay well thanks for all your help, it has been beneficial.