How to enable SMART in AHCI mode on AMD 780G Chipset

[Ketaki]

I have using a Gigabyte motherboard along with it I am using AMD 780G chipset. I have a SATA hard disk so I referred to use the Onboard SATA Controller and I have installed Windows XP Professional operating systems. When I use IDE mode then I am able to get the SMART values using that utility for my hard disk and when I turn it to AHCI mode then I cannot use SMART. So please tell me how I enable the SMART so that I can even get that in ACHI mode also.

[Abhibhava]

First of all you should check whether the feature is enabled. When you go to BIOS menu you would see an option called Advanced BIOS Features then you will be able to Enable HDD S.M.A.R.T Capability by enabling the ACHI mode under SMART option in BIOS so that you could get SMART values. Usually the drivers necessary for the ACHI SATA configuration are installed before installing the operating system, usually using bootable disk.

[Nutty]

In order to get the SMART feature for SATA hard disk in ACHI mode then you need to follow certain steps. You need to make a disk of the driver usually you can find in motherboard CD. Once you find that you have to load that driver for your SATA HDD on a bootable disk. Then go to BIOS Setup and set SATA to use AHCI then save the settings. Then windows ought to be capable to locate the driver in addition to load it so it is able to handle the HDD by itself.

[Ketaki]

Sorry I didn’t mention the motherboard model MA78GM-S2H, BIOS F5, and I have enabled SMART in BIOS so that it could report Smart-failures for my hard disk. I found the Catalyst IGP drivers from the disk and I installed it but still I am not able to get SMART feature for my hard disk drive. I also have an Asus P5B Deluxe which few years old, I am able to get the SMART feature for SATA using that. So I thought that I would get that with this motherboard also.

[Balamohan]

I guess IDE as well as SATA AHCI mode gives the equivalent performance on these motherboards. Or maybe a few more features available on the newer motherboard. I don’t have much about AMD chips and I guess ACHI as well as SMART are not mutually exclusive and I have tried these and am running both right now. Windows XP does not include ACHI drivers you need to manually have these drivers, and the same thing doesn’t trouble you in newer OS.

[Terrextre]

I found that Windows Vista can natively support AHCI and AHCI driver is installed and used automatically. So it is with Windows 7 also includes the computer supports AHCI throughout the facility. The Advanced Host Controller Interface allows you to boost hard drive reading and writing processes by looking in making advanced capabilities of SATA which is a universally followed standard, for example, hot glue changing and native command to the host system windows. So if at all you are not able to do it, then get these OS installed and all the job would be done automatically.

[Sn0w-Le0p@rD]

You can try this and let the AHCI driver in the registry so just follow these steps:
1. you need to close all programs.
2. Click Start, type regedit in the Start Search box, and then press ENTER.
3. If you receive the User Account Control dialog box, click Continue.
4. Locate and click the following registry subkey:
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE \ System \ CurrentControlSet \ Services \ Msahci
5. In the right pane, click Start in the Name column and then click Modify.
6. In the Value data box, type 0, and then click OK.
7. On the File menu, click Exit to close Registry Editor.