unable to install windows 7 on Agility 3 in ahci mode

[Baanbhatt]

Bought a new Agility 3 SSD for my computer system and also successfully installed it without any trouble. But don’t know for what reason I am unable to install windows 7 on this SSD in achi mode. Now before explaining you my issue I would like to mention some important specifications of my system, I have a gigabyte p55m-ud4 motherboard with 4 intel sata2 ports and 2 gigabyte sata2 ports. Now the problem is that from the time I have installed windows 7 on to this SSD I found BSOD several times. The first thing I did was enabled the achi mode by getting into the BIOS and then removed all other disks and kept the SSD and the DVD rom as it is for the purpose of installation. My BIOS somehow recognized the SSD and the setup starts after that I get the select disk screen to install but after that the problem starts. I am completely not allowed to install windows 7 on the disk as I am displayed with a message saying that the controller is not supporting this type of disks in order to load windows. However I tried my best in loading the drivers for the controller but till now it didn’t allow me to install windows when I am in ahci mode. Already I tried my hands with the IDE mode and everything worked well in that, I was smoothly able to install windows in that mode then whats wrong with ahci mode, why doesn’t it allowing me to install it. Anyways I also did a the msahci registry hack, I got loaded into the ahci mode but BSOD didn’t leave me all the way, it kept on coming in each and every start up. Tried installing the in RAID mode but on expanding the file at 20% the process stops due to some error so even RAID mode failed.

[JErastus]

The first and the for most thing I would like to know is what error message exactly you are facing whenever you try to install windows in AHCI mode. In order to reach to the root of the main cause of the issue I would suggest you to try the installation again in the AHCI mode and then note down the error message that you are getting. Without even knowing the exact error message that you are getting I can help you out with some of the additional R&Ds and other simple tricks. Firstly try to disable the JMicron Controller and then switch back to the different Sata 2 port on to your motherboard then try reinstalling windows in AHCI mode. And if this trick didn’t help you in any way then you can probably try to load the OCZ tools that you used from the download section and then run the firmware update utility. Make sure that the firmware is up to date with no changes. If you have already performed a secure erase better you do it once again, now shut down the machine and remove the power cable from the PSU and then press the internal cmos_sw button for few seconds and then try the installation again in the same AHCI mode.

[Baanbhatt]

I tried everything; let me tell you that windows are not even being installed to this disk. Maybe i think my computer hardware is not supporting the boot to this disk. Also I made sure that the disk controller is enabled in my Machine’s BIOS menu. Did the entire possible thing including your described solution step wise but even that didn’t helped. In the setup menu and diskpart I did a Shift+F10 but nothing happened. Other than your suggestion I also did a memtest to all of my memory modules and all the slots, and let me tell you that I only use one module of 4GB. Not just this I also changed all SATA cables including the power cables. And as suggested by you did a secure erase the disk using the OCZ tools. Searched on internet about this related issue and in fact I found many with number of solutions but none of them worked in my case, all them were flopped. Both of my motherboard and SSD are with the latest BIOS version then what exactly is causing problem. Anyways now I am going to try to pit the DVD in gigabyte controller and only the SSD in the intel and if in case if it fails the RMA is closed and I will be switching to a different manufacturer, that’s the best option going around in my mind. As it is I personally believe that the sandforce controller is however not willing to work along with the intel series 5, that’s disgusting.

[Faiyaz9]

Ok, so you have tried almost everything according to you. I am not sure whether even my suggestion will help you out or not but it certainly did helped my brother once that’s the reason I decided to let you know about it. Have you ever tried enabling SATA Port 0-3 Native Mode for the P55 Chipset? If it’s not enabled then try your luck by enabling it. Remember if the same SATA port is disabled then surely it might be in legacy mode which is for only windows XP. You need not have to think too much about its status as it is always disabled by default therefore you are supposed to enable it by yourself. Another thing I would like to say is that even I have already messed up with the BIOS settings once and I think I got BSOD on one of my machine whenever windows 7 tried to start with the BIOS set to the legacy. Anyways you can also try to change the SATA data cable. Then disconnect all the storage devices that are connected like usb, flash, e-sata,etc. they do a secure erase and then re try without messing with the drive in any way. Surely this time windows 7 should be able to find some of the allocated free space and then highlight it in blue, and then you need to click next.

[ErikaGeek]

I guess your motherboard manual that is from gigabyte I guess is outdated and if not outdated then surely its incorrect. As default BIOS settings it shows IDE and legacy mode. I think the new BIOS that you have flashed have the native mode that is enabled by default. Maybe now you will have to try out some other things. The reason I am being so confident and sure about the manual thing is because I have already used the Gigabyte motherboard previously for my computer. There was times when the drivers or the utilities were not supposed to get downloaded and even if they were downloaded they never use to work properly, might be due the virus on their server or something else. If you believe that your BIOS is bad or faulty then I think the best and the safest thing to do for you will be to use the original BIOS in the CD that comes in the box and then make sure that it works.

[fflygirl]

I think you are suppose to first make sure that your SSD is in the hard disk boot priority list i.e. at the top of the list. and if it doesn’t appears in the boot list then windows take it as you are trying to install to such a device that is non bootable. Can you let us know what SATA ports and controllers you are using, I can’t see any where you mentioning about it clearly so please let me know with the information I require. As according to my knowledge you are supposed to be at the first intel controller port sata 2.0. try disabling the gigabyte SATA controller along e-SATA. For your kind information let me tell you that in each and every system the drive is the one that is supposed to be initialed before windows 7 is installed to the disk. The disk is automatically initialized if the partition is created prior to the installation. I think you must have simply initialized the disk from some other OS volume or you should have used the windows 7 install disk to initialize the disk with the diskpart using the command prompt without even requiring formatting the drive.

[Baanbhatt]

I am planning to either downgrade the BIOS because I am still unable to install windows even if when the controller is in the ahci mode. I think I will have to try the installation for the last time for windows while the controller is in the raid mode. The most interesting thing is that in past 2 days I tried installation some thrice and all the three times it started but then ended up with the error message around 20&#37 of expanding files, don’t know what it means. However I also changed more than 10 cables as according to your suggestion and also there is nothing connected to the machine except the SSD and the DVD, along with that I secure erased some 100 times as I have already mentioned it the same thing in the above post too. It checks the entire unallocated free space 118GB but it doesn’t allow me to install to it letting me with only one option i.e. to create a partition. Is it possible that the Serial ATA AHCI Bios isrc 1.20e can be updated or fixed in the BIOS?

[phunsuk]

I am on the same boat sailing with you my friend. Even I am unable to install windows 7 on SSD but then what I did as according to one of my friends suggestion I installed it on another disk and alongside I tried some other things too. Installed windows on ide mode but in the install menu of windows I also loaded the disk drive. And after I completed the installation I changed it to AHCI mode and guess what? It worked. It booted well and normally without showing any negative impact or error message. After the normal boot I installed all the latest intel inf drivers and all the latest drivers of lan, audio, ati etc and this is where I committed the mistake. I shouldn’t have installed those drives I guess because after the installation the BSOD appeared again on the screen while doing the activity. This BSOD appears after every boot and sometimes it comes after every 2 to 3 minutes. I already tested a benchmark with a crystal disk mark which started at only 100MB test, the read speed was normal i.e. 208 but the write speed was at 6,4 and then the test was never completed as BSOD appeared again. The power settings are set to high and also I kept the system never to sleep. Now I am sure that there is something that is not being turned on or powering the SSD or something like that, I also closed c3 c6 states from the BIOS and as usual no difference.