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7710
17 R4, changing SATA Operation in BIOS from RAID to AHCI, Windows 10
I bought a used Alienware 17 R4 that came with one SSD and an HDD with Windows 10 installed on the HDD. The system SATA setting in BIOS was RAID when I got it. I changed the setting to AHCI and this locked me into a permanent Windows Repair loop, the only way out of which seemed to be reinstalling Windows.
I changed the setting back to RAID and the computer booted as normal. Did I miss a step or will I have to reinstall windows in order to change the SATA setting to AHCI?
BACKGROUND:
I'm trying to move the Windows installation to the SSD disk, but after cloning I can't get the BIOS boot setting to recognize the SSD as a boot device. Many of the howto articles I found insist that you have to change the SATA setting to AHCI in order to see a second boot device so that's why I'm trying to change the setting.
bacillus1
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403 Posts
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September 17th, 2020 09:00
go to run >msconfig >boot and choose safe boot.
restart and immediately enter bios. change the setting from raid to ahci >save the changes and restart.
you will boot up in safe mode. now go back to msconfig and uncheck safe boot.
restart and your system should be using ahci mode when you get to the desktop.
notJmpurser
2 Posts
0
September 17th, 2020 10:00
Thank you Bacillus1, that worked perfectly!
Mike639
13 Posts
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December 5th, 2021 13:00
Wait. I guess when you boot with a drive in the computer, drivers are loaded onto the drive depending on whether you have the BIOS set for RAID or AHCI. Is that the issue? I am very reluctant to do the switch from RAID to BIOS since I, as all of you, have so much to risk. Yes, I am aware of the solution but I am still chicken.
Mike639
13 Posts
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December 5th, 2021 13:00
Being unversed in this stuff, I have a few questions. First is that it seems that the RAID or AHCI setting apply to the BIOS, not the drive. Right? Does anything about the BIOS setting "rub off" on the drive? What would happen if you started the computer with a dead drive in it (I have a few) and went to the BIOS and changed RAID to AHCI then you put you good drive back in the computer? Sorry if this is all a waste of your time. I hope not.
RyleyI
28 Posts
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December 5th, 2021 14:00
Since raid splits data between 2 drives, won't changing from RAID to AHCI lose your data? I have 2, 1TB drives in Raid 0, with 1.5 TB of data. I want to get rid of the Raid, but have been afraid to try it.
Mike639
13 Posts
0
December 9th, 2021 14:00
I have not tried the msconfig recommendation. My question re RAID to AHCI actually stemmed from issues I was having re cloning my drive where some suggestions were that RAID might introduce some issues and AHCI would not. At this point I'm not going to look into making the change so I am done with this thread. I appreciate your attention.