OptiPlex 755 - installing XP Pro with disk in AHCI mode

Question

Hello. I got me new work PC, the 755, but have problems installing XP (Vista is just um... you get the idea). I downloaded drivers for 755, took the contents of archive with SATA drivers, put them on clean diskette and went with the 'F6' way of installing different SATA/RAID or alike drivers. So I go: F6, then 's', list of selectable drivers pop up, I choose ICH9 (is that the correct one?), enter - use default driver (since it says that it already has driver for it), enter - continue. Files are copied from the cd, PC reboots, but after that I get BSOD, same as if I did default kind of install without any drivers. Please help! What am I doing wrong?     Btw: ICH9 is part of the P35 chipset; however, one diagnostic utility lists the 755 as ICH9D0, which is Q35 chipset. But there are no drivers for that. So what gives?

Octopuss · Answer

Well, yes, but I kind of wanted to use AHCI mode. Or it's not possible under XP at all? I am surprised I cannot find driver for that.

Elsbeth. · Answer

Octopuss, The Optiplex 755 uses the Q35 chipset with the ICH9D0 hub. You would want to set the system setup to RAID Autodetect / ATA mode for installing the operating system.

Octopuss · Answer

Looking at Intel's web, I found: http://www.intel.com/support/chipset.../CS-012304.htm ICH9, ICH8, ICH7 and ICH6-based chipsets, as well as ICH5 and ICH5R-based chipsets, do not use AHCI. I don't get it at all. I do have AHCI option in BIOS.

Elsbeth. · Answer

Octopuss, You may try the Intel site for the driver. It is not posted on the Dell site for Windows XP with that system as you found out.

Octopuss · Answer

I tried that already. Same result. After I choose the driver and hit enter, it says that the file cannot be copied. I just don't understand it at all. It's not like I need the disk to operate in native SATA, but I want to make it work. It's starting to get annoying. Apparently it should work.

Elsbeth. · Answer

Octopuss, As I indicated before, the 755 uses the Q35 chipset with the ICH9D0 controller. You may want to check for supported file for that particular chipset and controller hub.

Octopuss · Answer

I guess under these curcumstance it's impossible to solve as there's just no driver for this anywhere at all. Thanks for tips anyway :)

Octopuss · Answer

You are right, I don't need it. I just tried it and started to dig in the whole thing as it doesn't work. Now it somewhat turned into human vs machines war. The ego thing, you know :D

Dev Mgr · Answer

The question becomes; why are you so hung up on AHCI? It doesn't help performance or anything like that. Maybe your reason to want to use AHCI can be resolved in another way.

rmlawren · Answer

Actually, it is possible to upgrade to AHCI within windows XP. Here is how you can do it.

Download the Optiplex 755 drivers and install them to the C:\ Drive (whereever you install your drivers from)

Create a new text file, and change the extention to .reg.

Edit the regsitry file - copy and paste the text below

Windows Registry Editor Version 5.00

[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\ControlSet001\Control\CriticalDeviceDatabase\pci#ven_8086&dev_2922&cc_0106]
"Service"="iaStor"
"ClassGUID"="{4D36E96A-E325-11CE-BFC1-08002BE10318}"

[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Services\iaStor]
"Type"=dword:00000001
"Start"=dword:00000000
"Group"="SCSI miniport"
"ErrorControl"=dword:00000001
"ImagePath"="system32\\drivers\\iaStor.sys"
"tag"=dword:00000019
"DisplayName"="Intel AHCI Controller"

[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Services\iaStor\Parameters]
"queuePriorityEnable"=dword:00000000

[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Services\iaStor\Enum]
"0"="PCI\\VEN_8086&DEV_2922&SUBSYS_B0051458&REV_02\\3&13c0b0c5&0&FA"
"Count"=dword:00000001
"NextInstance"=dword:00000001

Save the registy file. Run and install the registry change, reboot the machine, go into the BIOS and enable the AHCI option.

Octopuss · Answer

Doesn't work. OR did you mean the drivers need to be in ..\system32 directory? Cause the SATA package doesn't have installer, it only unpacks the files.

rmlawren · Answer

Ok, I just got this working a few days ago in my lab environment, so I may have fix the processes a little bit. :smileyvery-happy:   I zipped up the drivers and the registy mods and placed it here for you to download. http://www.kellyandrobert.us/utils/O755SATA.zip You may also want to try copying the iaStor driver file to windows\system32\drivers.   Let me know your results.     -Rob

Octopuss · Answer

I got it to work meanwhile. Was missing the 1st line in the reg file :P Also, it's enough to just copy the .sys into system32\drivers folder. Thanks for help though :)

rmlawren · Answer

Great! Glad to see that you were able to replicate my efforts for the ICH9 AHCI SATA drivers in Windows XP.

sean.t.martinez · Answer

Just wanted to let you know that the registry works great, installed it under ATA mode then switched back AHCI and it works wonders. Thanks for getting this thing to work in XP.

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OptiPlex 755 - installing XP Pro with disk in AHCI mode

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