I just registered so that I can thank Jack the Newbie for this most useful thread and to thank DJ Ramses and straddy for their suggestion to use an "alterlative method" that doesn't involve tinkering with the registry (thank god!). I personally ran into this problem when downgrading to Windows XP SP3 on an Acer Aspire 5735-6649 laptop. The Cd I used had the latest Intel SATA AHCI textmode drivers slipstreamed correctly into it, and yet still I would get that dreaded BSOD when I switched to AHCI mode in the BIOS when I tried to install Windows XP, so I had to use IDE mode. I tried the registry method after the install, but I guess since this laptop uses ICH9M, it didn't work.
Here are the instructions again so that others who keep getting the BSOD can get AHCI working on their computer running Windows XP (SP3 hopefully!):
* Extract the SATA AHCI drivers from IATAxxENU.exe by doing the following (xx is whatever the current version of that file is now. Mine was 89):
- copy IATAxxENU.exe to C:\
- go to Start > Run
- type the following in the box that appears then press enter:
cmd
- now type this then press enter:
cd..
- now type the following then press enter:
IATAxxENU.exe -a -a
- Relax! nothing is getting installed! eventhough it looks like it. All that is happening is that the driver files are being copied to C:\Program Files\Intel\IntelStor or something similar
- remember this location as you will be needing it later
* Go to Device Manager > IDE ATA/ATAPI Controllers
* Right click on the first "Intel (some number like ICH9M) SATA IDE Controller" you find (the one that can't be disabled), then click "Update Driver..."
* Make a note of that ICHxx number as you will be needing it later. For example, like "ICH9M" mentioned above
* Now cancel the "search on the web" window, then select "Install from a list or specific location (Advanced)" then click next
* Now select the bottom choice "Don't Search. I will choose the driver to install" then click next
* Now uncheck the "Show compatible hardware" box, then click the "Have Disk..." button
* Now click browse and locate the folder with the drivers made earlier, find "iaAHCI" then click Open, then OK
* Now select the driver that most closely matches your controller number, in this example we will be using the one that has ICH9M then click ok
* You will be given a strong warning .... ignore it and click ok and continue
* Once windows is done it will ask you to reboot. So do that. BUT be ready to enter your computer's bios as soon as you reboot!
* Go to your BIOS and change your controller from IDE mode to AHCI. Save and exit.
* WOW! Windows didn't crash! Once windows finishes installing the correct controller it will ask for a restart and you reboot, you will be running AHCI in Windows XP! YEEEEEEEEEEEAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHH!!!
And this is how I got AHCI working on an Acer Asperi 5735-6694 laptop. I know that this forum is for MSI motherboards, but my search for help on this subject on Google brought me to this thread so I hope that others who run into this problem will be able to benefit from it in the future .... well, at least until Windows XP becomes obsolete! hehehe. Again, many thanks to Jack the Newbie for this making this thread and to DJ Ramses and straddy for discovering the best method to solve this problem!
