Hello everyone, today we’ll look at how you can enable loading Windows 10 per protocol AHCI without reinstallation operating system. How to turn it on AHCI mode in Windows 10 after installing the system, if for some reason reinstallation with the AHCI mode previously enabled in the BIOS or UEFI is not possible, and the system was installed in IDE mode. I note that for almost everyone modern computers with a preinstalled OS, this mode is already enabled, and the change itself is especially relevant for SSD drives and laptops, since the AHCI mode allows you to increase SSD performance and, at the same time (albeit slightly) reduce power consumption.

On my PC, like many users, the Windows 10 operating system is installed on an SSD, and all files are stored on an HDD hard drive. When installing from a flash drive cut from the official Windows image 10 with update Creators Update, for some reason it was not possible to install it right away in AHCI mode and had to be installed using a standard IDE. As a result, the speed of the SSD in the test is 100 units lower than stated, the HDD with files buzzes annoyingly.

Immediately after switching, the benefits are noticeable:

• HDD is noticeably quieter;
• The SSD gives full speed, if with IDE it gave 425 and 445, then with AHCI it gives full speed 514 and 548.

Now a little what it is...

(AHCI)

Advanced Host Controller Interface (AHCI) - a mechanism used to connect storage devices using the Serial ATA protocol, allowing for advanced features such as built-in command queuing (NCQ) and hot swapping.

Designed to replace the outdated classic ATA controller, which maintains top-down compatibility with the original IBM PC/AT, and supports direct memory access only as an addition. The main real problems of this controller are the lack of hot swap support (despite the fact that eSATA hardware supports it) and command queues on one channel (in the case of SATA, each device has one channel) - only one command can be executed at a time. Thus, using the ATA NCQ feature, even if it is supported by the disk itself, is impossible on a classic ATA controller.

When switching, with Windows OS already installed, the ATA controller included in the south bridge to the “AHCI” mode, this will mean, for the installed operating system, the use of incompatible operating logic of the hard drive controller - this action is equivalent to installing an ATA controller into the board system that is different from the existing one, and physically switching the boot disk to this board.

And one more detail: in theory, the described actions can lead to undesirable consequences, such as the inability to start the OS; in this case, Windows will not find boot disk and crashes with BSOD STOP 0x0000007B, INACCESSIBLE_BOOT_DEVICE.. Therefore, take them on only if you know why you are doing it, know how to get into the BIOS or UEFI and are ready, if anything happens, to correct unforeseen consequences (for example, by re Windows installations 10 from the very beginning in AHCI mode).

You can find out whether AHCI mode is currently enabled by looking at UEFI settings or BIOS (in the parameters of SATA devices) or directly in the OS.

Well, now let's get down to business...

Enable AHCI using Windows 10 Registry Editor

It seems to me that this is the simplest, and most importantly trouble-free method.

To launch the registry, press the Win+R keys on your keyboard and enter regedit.

1. Go to the registry key HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\ SYSTEM\ CurrentControlSet\ Services\ iaStorV, double click on the parameter Start and set its value to 0 (zero).

2. In the next registry section HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\ SYSTEM\ CurrentControlSet\ Services\ iaStorAV\ StartOverride for a parameter named 0 set the value to zero.

3. In the section HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\ SYSTEM\ CurrentControlSet\ Services\ storahci for parameter Start set the value to 0 (zero).

4. In subsection HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\ SYSTEM\ CurrentControlSet\ Services\ storahci\ StartOverride for a parameter named 0 set the value to zero.

5. Close Registry Editor.

In my case, the values ​​needed to be changed only in steps 2 and 4.

Restart your computer and enter UEFI or BIOS. In UEFI or BIOS, find the choice of drive operating mode in the SATA parameters. Set it to AHCI, then save the settings and restart your computer.

Immediately after the reboot, the OS will begin installing SATA drivers, and upon completion you will be prompted to restart your computer. Do this: AHCI mode in Windows 10 is enabled. But I would like to immediately note that for many boards the driver is already in the OS and the system will not load it or install it in the usual way; after a reboot, the desired AHCI is immediately turned on.

In 95% of cases everything goes smoothly and without a hitch, but it’s still better to play it safe. To do this, do the following:

In this case, the first after reboot Windows startup 10 is best done in safe mode, so I recommend turning it on in advance safe mode using Win+R -

If you have UEFI, in this case I recommend doing this through “Settings” (Win + I) - “Update and Security” - “Recovery” - “Special boot options”. Then go to "Troubleshoot" - " Extra options" - "UEFI Software Settings". For systems with BIOS - use the F2 key (usually on laptops) or Delete (on a PC) to enter the BIOS settings.

If you contact system administrator and ask the question, what is the weakest link in the computer? - you will receive the answer that it is the HDD, because it is practically the only mechanical element of the system that slows down the operation of the entire computer. In this regard, many manufacturers were looking for a way out, at least some opportunity to speed it up, also with SSDs. The output became visible when using AHCI.

AHCI disk mode includes several main differences (there are 3 of them), which make it a priority in the use of all disk drives, except for legacy IDEs. The main features of the mode:

• Hot Plug – allows you to “hot” change computer components (disks). Thus, there is no need to turn off and unplug the PC; you can change the HDD and SSD directly in operating mode. This is important for server stations where disconnecting is unacceptable and is simply convenient for anyone who uses multiple disks;
• NCQ – support for “deep” command sequence, that is, it is able to configure a more efficient trajectory of the head in mechanical ones and significantly increases the output in SSDs;

• TRIM is primarily applicable to SSDs, as it guarantees a significant increase in speed.

AHCI mode allows you to enjoy all these benefits and most likely you have the opportunity to enable it. If you are using an SSD, then you probably need to turn it on to see the proper speed of its operation, this applies to both SATA II and SATA III, except for older IDE drives. Therefore, if you are in doubt about which mode to choose: ide or AHCI, the latter is definitely an advantage.

How to check if AHCI mode is enabled?

The first thing you need to do is find out whether it is worth pursuing further switching; perhaps it is already active for you. There are several places that show the information you need: Device Manager and BIOS.

• Click Start, right click on “Computer” and click on “Properties”;
• Now select "Device Manager";

• Next, expand the “IDE ATA/ATAPI controllers” section;
• Check to see if there is a section called AHCI.

If there is no such item, you may find out that it is inactive. We will also consider another option through the BIOS (UEFI):

• Go to the BIOS by pressing Del or F2 (possibly other keys) when starting the computer;
• You should go to the section called SATA or Storage in different options until you find SATA Mode/Configuration, where the mode will be shown.

At this stage, do not change the connection mode, as this may result in system errors. It is best to enable AHCI mode in the BIOS and install by new Windows, which guarantees normal mode processing, but this is quite radical.

Read also: How to enter BIOS in Windows 10?

How to enable AHCI mode in Windows 7?

The most relevant and widespread system in which we will perform actions. It should also be noted that if you install new disk, then you can freely switch the AHCI mode without any consequences. There are also several options for activating AHCI: through the registry and through a utility. A more correct option would be to use the registry to prepare the system for further changes; the latter method will simply help solve pending errors in the computer.

• Press Win + R and type regedit;
• Follow HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\services\msahci;
• Replace the value of the Start option with 0;

• Here you will find the lastorV section;
• Also replace Start with 0.

Now you can enable AHCI mode in the BIOS and Windows will correctly detect it by setting necessary drivers. Alternative way involves initially changing the mode and then simply clearing the error. To do this, use the official Microsoft Fix it utility. After installation, run a check and the failures will be eliminated; you may need to run from safe mode.

How to enable AHCI mode in Windows 10?

IN general action are not significantly different, let's look at the differences in editing the registry.

• In the same section as in Windows 7, you need to change the Start parameters in the iaStorV and storahci folders to the value 0;
• Expand each of the specified sections and go to the StartOverride subsections, where parameter 0 is set to 0.

We were able to enable AHCI Windows mode, but it is worth noting that it is better to launch it for the first time in safe mode in order to avoid unnecessary problems. During the initial startup, the AHCI operating mode will install the necessary drivers automatically.

It is necessary to make a reservation about distinctive features, how to enable AHCI mode in Windows XP and other legacy versions.

Despite the fact that XP does not support this mode Not at all, there are drivers that expand these capabilities, although this is unsafe.

You should also think about whether it is worth it, because if the computer is very weak for more modern systems, then the speed increase will be insignificant. Also, the AHCI controller mode in Vista is activated in the same way as the “seven”.

So, AHCI sata mode is easy to enable, and the system will reward you for your efforts with an increase in speed. Usually there are no problems with changing the controller, but if you encounter them, just run the Microsoft Fix it utility. AHCI is required when using SSD drive, otherwise you won't use its full speed.

If you still have questions on the topic “What is AHCI mode and how to configure it?”, you can ask them in the comments

Proper operation of a computer is possible only with coordinated interaction between the hardware and the operating system. Technology is evolving, and lately this has been most noticeable in the field of storage. Modern hard drives and SSD drives are many times faster than those used in computers 5-10 years ago. For data transfer, the SATA interface is used, through which the drive is connected to the computer. The SATA interface is capable of operating in two modes: IDE and AHCI, and if you have a modern HDD or SSD, you can speed up your computer by enabling AHCI mode.

What is AHCI mode

As noted above, AHCI is one of the data transfer modes over the SATA interface. As you know, through the SATA interface you can transfer information at speeds from 1.5 to 6 Gigabytes per second. The maximum speed is supported in AHCI mode, which should be used with all modern drives. Concerning IDE mode, it is supported in the SATA interface for compatibility with older hard drives.

By default, AHCI mode is not always enabled in the Windows operating system, even if the drives are connected to the motherboard via SATA. Because of this, the user loses in computer performance, since the disk speed is limited by software. By setting the AHCI mode, you can increase the speed of the drive by 20-30%, which will affect the overall experience of the computer.

How to find out if AHCI mode is enabled in Windows

Most often, users do not even suspect that it is necessary to enable AHCI mode in order to improve computer performance. At the same time, Windows by default does not always work with HDDs and SSDs, even the most modern ones, in AHCI mode. To check if AHCI mode is enabled in Windows, you need to do the following:

Note: Also, the absence of devices operating in AHCI mode in the list may be due to the fact that old drives that are not capable of operating in the new mode are connected to the motherboard.

You can also check whether the SATA interface works in AHCI or IDE mode through the BIOS. To do this, you need to restart the computer and press “Del” or F2 during the boot process. The BIOS will launch, where you will need to find the SATA Mode item and see whether the AHCI or IDE option is installed.

Important: If you notice in the BIOS that the SATA interface is set to work in IDE mode, you do not need to switch to AHCI mode, since this will not do any good.

How to enable AHCI mode in Windows

Microsoft in operating rooms Windows systems began supporting AHCI mode with Windows 7. However, you can enable it in Windows XP if you download the necessary drivers on the Internet, made by enthusiasts, and install them. However, it is worth noting that this method does not always give a performance boost, and on Windows XP it is better to abandon the idea of ​​​​using AHCI mode and work with drives through a standard IDE.

To enable the AHCI mode itself, just set the appropriate setting for SATA in the BIOS. But this must be done before installing the Windows operating system, otherwise when booting the computer will display error 0x0000007B INACCESSABLE_BOOT_DEVICE or go into a constant reboot state. Therefore, to switch IDE mode to AHCI when installed Windows, you need to make some changes to the registry; below we will look at what actions to perform for each version of the operating system.

How to enable AHCI mode in Windows 10

In the modern Windows 10 operating system, Microsoft did not offer a setting that would enable support for AHCI mode on the fly if the SATA interface previously worked through the IDE. To correctly switch to AHCI mode, you will need to do the following:

After the computer boots, the Windows operating system will prompt you to install the necessary drivers to work with AHCI mode; be sure to do this.

How to enable AHCI mode in Windows 8 and Windows 8.1

To switch the Windows 8 or Windows 8.1 operating system to work with AHCI mode, you need to do some work in command line. You will need to do the following:

It is worth noting that if the computer runs on an Intel CPU, then you can use the company’s standard utility, which allows you to make the necessary settings for switch Windows to work with AHCI. This is done as follows:

Note: The above method is only suitable for computers with Intel processors; for AMD, a similar solution is this moment No.

How to enable AHCI mode in Windows 7

In the Windows 7 operating system, the method for enabling AHCI mode is close to that used in Windows 10. Here you will also need to make some changes to the registry as follows:

Note: When you first boot your computer, install all the drivers that the operating system offers.

It is worth noting that if errors occur after switching to AHCI mode, you can try to resolve them using free utility Microsoft Fix it, which should be downloaded from the official Microsoft website. The program has Russian localization, and understanding it will not be difficult.

Configuring and enabling special AHCI mode is desirable for every user who would like to significantly expand and at the same time improve the capabilities of their PC for working with SATA hard drives, as well as SSDs.
This mode makes it possible to significantly speed up your PC due to its improved data access speed, and to activate this mode, you just need to perform a few basic steps.

1. AHCI is

A special interface of modern SATA hard drives, which support data transfer rates from one and a half to six gigabits, and its operation is possible in two modes:
IDE and AHCI.

IDE– will ensure compatibility with older drives that were produced in the 2000s. AHCI– provides the user with the opportunity to fully use the entire SATA interface. For example, this will help to disconnect or connect the disk to the “motherboard” directly during operation, without even turning off the PC, or with the possibility of minimal movement of the disk heads, thereby increasing its speed.

After activating the mode, the user will significantly speed up working with files, writing them and reading information on the hard drive, which will significantly increase the performance of the PC as a whole. The increase will be approximately 20 percent, but nevertheless, for some demanding tasks, this twenty percent will be quite enough.

If you are working with SSD drives and the SATA form factor, then the option of enabling AHCI is the only correct and possible one.

2. Check AHCI mode. Enabled or not.

Before enabling AHCI Mode, you should make sure that it is not already in use. If you often work with “heavy” applications, your PC is equipped with a powerful modern processor and sufficient memory, then you simply will not notice what mode your PC is currently operating in.

Checking AHCI mode:
1. Go to “Computer” properties;
2. Open the device manager;
3. Find IDE ATA/ATAPI controllers;
4. If a name contains AHCI, then the mode is active. If there is no such mode, then it needs to be enabled.

There is another way to check for the presence of AHCI - reboot the PC and view this parameter through the BIOS. You probably already know how to enter BIOS.
Going to BIOS, UEFI– look in what mode SATA operates, this can be done in the SATA Mode or SATA Configuration section.

3. How to enable AHCI mode

Enabling the mode AHCI, most often, is performed through .
But, if you are on Windows 7, then after loading the system, an error may appear on your screen indicating incompatibility with the hard drive. A similar situation can happen with other, newer operating systems, but with less probability. In case of an error, the computer will reboot or restart.

If you select AHCI-mode before installation new system- the situation will change. This will allow the software from the disk to adapt, which ultimately will not lead to any problems.

Typically, difficulties arise when the system is already on the hard drive, and the user changes the SATA settings to IDE, or vice versa, and tries to turn on NCQ– protocol SATA, which will significantly speed up work with information due to improved command optimization. In this case, interaction with various registry editors will be required. If nothing has provided the desired result, then AHCI mode can be installed only after reinstalling the system.

AHCI for Windows 7
Windows 7 – also most often requires switching the mode to AHCI. To do this, try the following:
1. Enter Registry Editor. This is done through the “Run” menu by entering the following command into it: regedit.

2. Find and go to the section HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\services\msahci;
3. Click on “Start”, while changing the standard value 3 to 0.

4. In the same subsection, change msahci to lastorV, and look for Start parameter;
5. " 3 " change to " 0 »;
6. We finish working with the editor.

Reboot the computer and enable the required mode via BIOS. After loading Windows 7, drivers for drives connected to the motherboard will begin to be automatically installed on the PC. After installed drivers and changes made you will need to restart your PC again. The final stage in editing mode – check the recording “caching” mode. This is done in the disk properties. If caching is not activated - it needs to be launched.

Microsoft Fix it– an additional option for getting rid of errors after installing a new mode. After the new mode has been launched and enabled. After selecting the necessary actions and eliminating all problems, the software will automatically make all changes, and subsequent errors will not appear.

AHCI for Windows 8 and 8.1
If you have eight on your PC, to enable AHCI mode, you need to go to safe mode. And in case of errors, is it necessary?
1. Change the IDE mode in the BIOS;
2. Restart the PC;
3. Go to launch the command line;
4. Enter the following command: bcdedit /set (current) safeboot minimal;

5. Confirm the action;
6. Reboot the PC and enter the BIOS again;
7. Activate the required AHCI mode;
8. Launch the command line again;
9. Enter bcdedit /deletevalue (current) safeboot;
10. Reboot the system again, after which Windows will display an error.

If the system is on an Intel processor, then AHCI can be enabled using additional utilities from the manufacturer itself. AMD does not have this method.

To use it, you need to do the following:
1. Download the file from the official Intel website f6flpy;
2. Download here SetupRST.exe
3. Go to the device manager and install the special f6 AHCI driver manually in the hard drive properties, instead of the specified SATA one;
4. Restart the PC, go to BIOS and enable AHCI;

AHCI for Windows 10
To correct errors or switch modes, you can also use the program of the same name for Intel processors, this can be done using reinstalling windows, and through safe mode. But the best option will use the Registry Editor, which is slightly different from the standard method that was specified in Windows 7.

You will need:
1. Log in as “Administrator”;
2. Launch Registry Editor in an accessible way(for example, using the “Run” utility, entering regedit into it;
3. Go to special section HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Services\iaStorV, where you will need to find “Start”, and change the parameter value to “ 0 »;

4. Find in another subsection Services\iaStorAV\StartOverride parameter called 0, and set its value to “0”;
5. Now choose Services\storahci, completely reset the “Start” parameter;
6. In the next subsection Services\storahci\StartOverride, setting the parameter value to “0”;
7. Close the editor and restart the computer;
8. Enter the BIOS and also enable the required mode AHCI.

Advice: It is best to start Windows 10 for the first time in safe mode, and to do this, turn it on using the “Run” menu by entering msconfig command, in order to display all system settings. Select the “Boot” tab and check the “safe mode” box, selecting the “Minimal” option.

If you have BIOS instead UEFI– you need to troubleshoot through the system menu.
1. Enter the menu (Win+l);
2. Enter “update and security”;
3. We enter “recovery”, and then move on to special boot options;
4. Go to a special menu located in the “Additional parameters” tab, and as a result, go to the “ UEFI Settings».

To go to the BIOS settings, you can press a specific key to go to the BIOS - this could be the F2, F12 or other buttons.

4. Other AHCI Features

For Windows XP there is no option to install AHCI. At the time of its development, this option was not intended or planned. If you want to do this, then find a special driver and implement it into the system. But I strongly do not recommend doing this; such a possibility can have a bad effect on the operation of the system.

Winodws vista included an identical switching mode AHCI, as in Windows 7, that is, using a utility or registry.

5. Results

Most often, after completing the steps to set the mode AHCI, the system will work stably, plus accelerated. If nothing works, then you can reinstall the system again after the mode change has occurred - this may take quite a bit of time, but the result is most often guaranteed.

Technology Advanced Host Controller Interface (AHCI) is a standard proposed by Intel to improve the speed of read/write operations with hard drives connected via the SATA protocol, through the use of advanced features of SATA technology, such as integrated command queuing (NCQ), in addition, the standard supports hot swap technology for hard drives. On operating systems Windows 7 and Windows Vista It is already possible to support AHCI, and if during the installation of Windows 7 the system detects that the computer supports AHCI, the AHCI driver is installed automatically.

In older motherboard models, despite the fact that the chipset supports AHCI technology, its support is disabled at the BIOS level. Therefore, if, when installing Windows 7 / Vista, the installer did not determine the presence of ACHI support on the chipset, then the AHCI device driver will not be installed. As a result, if in such a system, after installing Windows, you activate ACHI support in the BIOS, the system may stop booting or will crash. blue screen BSOD.

Therefore, if after installing Windows 7, you find that your motherboard supports AHCI mode, but this function is disabled in the BIOS, then this instruction will help you activate AHCPI support in Windows 7/Vista.

Attention! This sequence of actions must be completed BEFORE enabling AHCI in BIOS settings, otherwise the system will stop booting!

How to check if it is enabledAHCI inWindows

If you are not sure whether AHCI support is enabled or not in your Windows 7, then following these instructions you can determine this fact.

1. Open Device Manager (from the Start menu, type DeviceManager).
2. On the appeared UAC request“Do you want to allow the following program to make changes to this computer?” answer Yes.
3. Open section IDE ATA/ATAPI controllers .
4. If the AHCI driver is installed on Windows, then the list of devices will contain something like Standard AHCI 1.0 Serial ATA Controller or Intel(R) 5 Series 6 Port SATA AHCI Controller.

If you cannot find anything about AHCI Controller, then you should assume that AHCI support is disabled on your system. And you can activate AHCI in Windows (following the instructions above), and after that enable AHCI in the BIOS.