[SOLVED] Windows 10 won't boot on AHCI without first switching to IDE on BIOS, then back to AHCI

[villannelle]

Please I need someone to save me because this is making me go insane. (I'm using Windows 10 Pro 21H1)

I'm no computer expert but recently a friend suggested I buy an SSD and install my OS on it to improve my PC's performance. He works in tech so he helped me set everything up by sending me the instructions.

I installed the SSD, installed Win10 Pro on it, kept my HDD as storage and everything was fine and dandy. I turned off my computer and the first time I went to turn it on after installing Win10, it wouldn't boot. As in my BIOS logo would appear, and then my monitor would say it had no input so it entered power saving mode.

After messing around in BIOS many times, this is what worked (and please stay with me through this mess):

First I have to turn on the PC and access the BIOS. I go to the Storage configuration and change the mode to IDE.

I then wait for my computer to rboot and let it go to a Windows error screen that says INNACCESIBLE BOOT DEVICE.

When it reboots again I ONCE AGAIN access my BIOS and switch the mode to AHCI again. Now my computer boots Win10 succesfully.

Let me also clarify a couple things:

This issue doesn't come up when rebooting the computer, only after turning it off and then on again.
When I first access the BIOS after turning it on, it's in AHCI mode, and my SSD is recognized as AHCI. But when I go back to BIOS to change from IDE back to AHCI again, my SSD is recognized as SATA.

I have updated my BIOS, every single driver in my computer (including Intel Sata chipset), and nothing seems to fix this.

Thank you in advance!

PS: I have tried doing the registry change thing from 3 to 0, and booting into safe mode then rebooting with AHCI enabled and nothing has worked.

 

[ruggb]

it is possible BIOS was set to IDE when Windows was installed. If so, you may have to reinstall windows with it set to AHCI.

 

[villannelle]

it is possible BIOS was set to IDE when Windows was installed. If so, you may have to reinstall windows with it set to AHCI.

Hmm I see! So do I insert the USB that I use to install Windows into my PC, and then access BIOS before entering the Windows installation screen and change it to AHCI?
Let me also take this chance to ask you a question that will prove what an extreme noob I am when it comes to this; do I have to do anything to my HDD when reinstalling windows, or can I use it normally with all the data in it since I will be installing it in the SSD?

Thank you so much!

 

[Bob.B]

Hmm I see! So do I insert the USB that I use to install Windows into my PC, and then access BIOS before entering the Windows installation screen and change it to AHCI?
Let me also take this chance to ask you a question that will prove what an extreme noob I am when it comes to this; do I have to do anything to my HDD when reinstalling windows, or can I use it normally with all the data in it since I will be installing it in the SSD?

Thank you so much!

Unplug the hdd.
Set the bios to ahci.
Install windows on the ssd.
Boot from the ssd.
Connect the hdd.
You will need to reinstall apps.

 

[villannelle]

Okay so something else fixed my issue, I'm sharing it here in case someone comes by the same issue, since it's a pretty easy fix.

I did two things, so I'm not sure which one fixed the problem, but here it goes in case you want to troubleshoot!

1. Open a command prompt with administrator privileges (run as administrator). Run the following command: Code: powercfg -h

Apparently When you do a reboot from Windows 10, Windows Fast Startup (which is different than BIOS Fast Boot) is bypassed. When you shutdown the computer from Windows 10, fast startup is used, if it is enabled. Disabling Windows Fast Startup (easy way is to disable hibernation) causes the shutdown and power on cycle to be exactly the same as the reboot cycle

2. Turn off the PC, remove the coin battery, unplug the AC, try to turn the PC on a few times to remove residual discharge, then put the battery in, then AC, then go into BIOS and make sure the time/date go reset since we're trying to reset the BIOS and set everything in the BIOS the way you need including date and time.

So there you go! Hope that helps someone out there with a similar issue