GX620 SATA running in IDE mode

You can only do SATA mode with XP via F6 drivers at startup. Set the Bios SATA mode for COMBINATION and then install INTEL RST drivers.

You will get STOP 7B no boot device if you change the mode BEFORE the drivers are installed.

Current Version 12 Drivers DO NOT SUPPORT the OLD ICH7  they are called matrix storage drivers in version 9.  I think 10.8.0.1003 is the last version.

https://downloadcenter.intel.com/Detail_Desc.aspx?agr=Y&DwnldID=20768&lang=eng&wapkw=rst+10.8.0.1003

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Dear Mr. SpeedStep,

I take no pleasure in informing you that you did not answer my question at all. You in fact answered the question, “How do I install the SATA driver?”, again not my question. Also your last link missed the mark as well. So allow me to explain in more detail.

If you go to the Device Manager and view by device type then expand IDE ATA/ATAPI controllers the pnp device id string contains the two pieces of relevant information that verify the driver is in fact present. The Vender identification in this case VEN_8086 tells us that this is in fact an Intel Chipset. Further and more relevant is the Device identification in this case DEV_27C0 tells us that this is the SATA driver. Last due to the absence of any error symbols (!?X) or error codes I must conclude that the driver is present and installed properly.

So again has anyone come across the anomaly of having the SATA driver present and the BIOS set to normal (SATA MODE ) with the Intel Chipset ID Utility reporting I/O hub ICH7/ICH7R SATA in IDE mode?

Dear Mr. SpeedStep,

I take no pleasure in informing you that you did not answer my question at all. You in fact answered the question, “How do I install the SATA driver?”, again not my question. Also your last link missed the mark as well. So allow me to explain in more detail.

If you go to the Device Manager and view by device type then expand IDE ATA/ATAPI controllers double click SATA entry driver tab driver details button the pnp device id string contains the two pieces of relevant information that verify the driver is in fact present. The Vender identification in this case VEN_8086 tells us that this is in fact an Intel Chipset. Further and more relevant is the Device identification in this case DEV_27C0 tells us that this is the SATA driver. Last due to the absence of any error symbols (!?X) or error codes I must conclude that the driver is present and installed properly.

So again has anyone come across the anomaly of having the SATA driver present and the BIOS set to normal (SATA MODE ) with the Intel Chipset ID Utility reporting I/O hub ICH7/ICH7R SATA in IDE mode?

"Normal mode" is the optimal mode. However, it may be that you need to install a special driver from Intel for the best performance; otherwise, you may be using a default driver of sub-optimal performance. I've had this issue before.

I'd look on Intel's download site for AHCI drivers.

The "MODE" of the SATA Drive is controlled in Bios.

Normal Mode is Native SATA AHCI

Combination Mode is ATA/SATA Operation.

XP Does not natively support AHCI.

Later versions of the INTEL Driver DO NOT SUPPORT ICH7

Earlier versions of the Driver are called INTEL Matrix storage driver.

Later versions than 9 are called Rapid Storage aka INTEL RST.

Legacy software
The following I/O controller hubs (ICH) are supported by Intel® Matrix Storage Manager:
Note    The product name was changed from Intel® Matrix Storage Manager to
Intel RST beginning with version 9.5

•    Intel® 82801GBM I/O controller hub (ICH7) - Intel® Matrix Storage Manager v7.8
https://downloadcenter.intel.com/Detail_Desc.aspx?agr=Y&ProductID=2101&DwnldID=17296

•    Intel® 82801FR I/O controller hub (ICH6R) - Intel® Matrix Storage Manager v7.0
•    Intel® 82801ER I/O controller hub (ICH5R) - Intel® Matrix Storage Manager v5.5
•    Intel® 6300ESB I/O controller hub - Intel® Matrix Storage Manager v5.5

Intel® Rapid Storage Technology (AHCI) driver version 10.8.0.1003 for Intel® Desktop Boards I believe is the LAST VERSION to support ICH7.  You say you installed a driver but did not say what driver or version.

Which file to choose

Download the driver (STOR_allOS_10.8.0.1003.exe) and one of the following F6 Driver Diskettes (depending on your operating system):

10.8.0.1003_f6flpy-x86.zip - for 32-bit versions of the operating system

10.8.0.1003_f6flpy-x64.zip - for 64-bit versions of the operating system

support.microsoft.com/.../314859

   If you are upgrading by using the Winnt32.exe file, or if you are performing a new installation by using the Winnt.exe file, you receive the following Stop error:

   Stop 0x0000007B Inaccessible_boot_device

This behavior may also occur after you update the firmware or the BIOS of a supported SCSI controller if the update causes incompatibility with the SCSI driver that is included with Windows.

Mass storage controller drivers can be loaded only from floppy disks by using the F6 key. The F6 key cannot be used to load drivers that are stored on USB flash drives, on USB hard disks, or on other external storage devices.

Use of an OEM driver is limited to installing a driver that is not natively supported or that does not match a driver that is included with Windows. If you use a newer version of an OEM driver, and this new OEM driver has the same name or Plug and Play Identifier as a driver that is included with Windows, the Setup program ignores the new OEM driver and uses the driver that is included with Windows. Therefore, you receive the error message that is quoted in the Summary.

If you press F6 when you are prompted, you receive a screen that requires you to have the appropriate driver on a floppy disk and to insert the disk into the floppy disk drive to load the driver.

If the bios is in combination mode it will boot with the ATA drivers.

If the bios is in Normal Mode the AHCI Storage Drives must be installed via F6 Floppy.

There are no AHCI drivers included with XP they are added during the Text mode install

black and white screen where it says detecting devices you press F6 and it prompts you for a floppy.

MUST BE a floppy cannot be a usb flash drive.

:emotion-9:

Based on two installations with this system (latest BIOS with "Normal" mode), one Win7 and one Win81, both of which installed in IDE mode, absent any new information I'm going to conclude that the ICH7 implementation on this board is not one that supports AHCI.

Windows 7/8 installs are very good about installing in AHCI mode by default when the system supports it and the BIOS is set appropriately. That doesn't happen with the GX620.

There is precedent for this among manufacturers. For example:

"It's either going to turn out to be the stock/base ICH7, which lacks AHCI -- or one of the sub-models which does support AHCI where Asus intentionally chose not to make use of the AHCI option ROM capability when designing the motherboard.

"Furthermore, the ICH7 was engineered back in 2005 and was a somewhat "transitional" southbridge -- it was the the first to provide an option ROM that offered AHCI (on specific sub-models). With the release of the ICH8 and onward, inclusion of AHCI and its option ROM became more and more common universally. The ICH7 is known for being a "sore spot" in this regard -- it comes up on the FreeBSD lists on occasion, because even some server motherboard manufacturers chose to use the stock/base ICH7 rather than the sub-models that supported AHCI, and buyers blindly assumed their board would have such support."

http://www.dslreports.com/forum/r28463655-Which-option-to-get-AHCI-mode-