We’ve spoken a lot about SSD drives on the show recently. One thing I highly recommend with modern SSD drives and Windows 7 (or even Vista) is enabling AHCI in the system’s BIOS. Unfortunately when you do this on an existing install of 7 (or Vista) you are likely to receive a BSOD for your troubles. Fortunately there is a fairly easy fix from Microsoft  if you know where to look for it: – http://support.microsoft.com/kb/922976.

If you have already switched and are getting the BSOD you can switch back to IDE and apply the fix in the link.

3 thoughts on “Moving system drive from IDE to AHCI–you need this link”
  1. This is a golden tip. Thanks Garry. I have yet to make this change, my ssd is still in IDE mode and I need to make this change. I thought it was another reinstall and a complex one at that as my optical disk is also on sata so I cant even boot from the install disk without this error. I would need to create a bootable USB drive and then load the amd ahci driver so I keep putting if off not to cause the family loss of tv. With This I should be able to make if happen, Does windows then enable trim etc or do I need to do more regedits.

    Thanks Mark

  2. Hi Mark

    Windows should enable trim once you have run the Windows Experience Index in control panel. Always worth running this once you install an SSD.

  3. Just an update on doing this. At first attempt this did not work for me, however I then updated my BIOS to the latest version and on restart windows booted. So far the responsiveness seems much better. Thanks Garry you saved me another reinstall.

Leave a Reply