Just heard about AHCI mode and wondered if my barracuda 7200.10 320gb sata 2 drive was functioning as well as it could, as it did benchmark slower than it did in reviews. Then I checked in my bios, and sure enough my sata is running in "Native, then IDE" mode. Although I do have the option to switch to "AHCI".
I chose AHCI and, as I suspected from reading up on this, I could not boot when I did this.
Then just yesterday, I got a bios upgrade that just came out for my Intel DG965ry board (ICH8).
Ironically, this update just happened to have information for me on just this topic.
When I restarted with my new bios, then highlighted that "IDE/AHCI" option, I then had a note along the right side saying.....
"AHCI mode is only avaliable for the Vista OS".
What? Why only the vista OS? Anybody else get this bios update? There must be something to this.
Even when I tried to re-install windows anyhow in AHCI mode, my HD simply wasn't detected. So I can't even do the "add the sata drivers during install" thing that is often talked about.
But why would this chipset/bios only allow AHCI in vista and not XP?
In device manager under IDE ATA/ATAPI controllers, my first 2 entries are titled...
Intel(r) ICH8 2 Port Serial ATA Controller - 2825
then....
Intel(r) ICH8 4 Port Serial ATA Controller - 2820
Not sure why there are 2 entries, and I'm not sure what the "2 Port" and "4 Port" means, nor the different numbers at the end.
But they do say "Serial ATA Controller", which is maybe a good indication that my drive is recieving proper support. I don't know.
In closing, I guess I just want to know if all my features, such as NCQ and "Hot Plug" are enabled and functioning.
And why would AHCI only be avaliable for Vista? Is there something different with my mobo/chipset that I don't need AHCI?
I have run a few benchmark/detect type progs, and I get frustrated because my drive is always detected as IDE or ATA, ect. But make no mistake, I definitely have a Sata II drive, with proper Sata cables, and my mobo has full Sata II support, I did remove the jumper, ect.
Very confusing.....
I chose AHCI and, as I suspected from reading up on this, I could not boot when I did this.
Then just yesterday, I got a bios upgrade that just came out for my Intel DG965ry board (ICH8).
Ironically, this update just happened to have information for me on just this topic.
When I restarted with my new bios, then highlighted that "IDE/AHCI" option, I then had a note along the right side saying.....
"AHCI mode is only avaliable for the Vista OS".
What? Why only the vista OS? Anybody else get this bios update? There must be something to this.
Even when I tried to re-install windows anyhow in AHCI mode, my HD simply wasn't detected. So I can't even do the "add the sata drivers during install" thing that is often talked about.
But why would this chipset/bios only allow AHCI in vista and not XP?
In device manager under IDE ATA/ATAPI controllers, my first 2 entries are titled...
Intel(r) ICH8 2 Port Serial ATA Controller - 2825
then....
Intel(r) ICH8 4 Port Serial ATA Controller - 2820
Not sure why there are 2 entries, and I'm not sure what the "2 Port" and "4 Port" means, nor the different numbers at the end.
But they do say "Serial ATA Controller", which is maybe a good indication that my drive is recieving proper support. I don't know.
In closing, I guess I just want to know if all my features, such as NCQ and "Hot Plug" are enabled and functioning.
And why would AHCI only be avaliable for Vista? Is there something different with my mobo/chipset that I don't need AHCI?
I have run a few benchmark/detect type progs, and I get frustrated because my drive is always detected as IDE or ATA, ect. But make no mistake, I definitely have a Sata II drive, with proper Sata cables, and my mobo has full Sata II support, I did remove the jumper, ect.
Very confusing.....