Windows XP - Post Installation ACHI mode activation: the definite guide \ VOGONS

Windows XP - Post Installation ACHI mode activation: the definite guide

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First post, by Dimos

Posted on 2025-01-15, 13:47

Dimos Offline

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Greetings to all! I am writing this short guide in order to help anyone that wishes to install Ahci drivers and enable Ahci mode to a Windows Xp OS that has been already installed and is running in Ide mode.

I myself have spent a lot of time and effort trying to get the proper drivers installed and Ahci mode to work on my existing Windows Xp build and after unsuccefully trying every method posted online i finally had success with the following method, (found here: https://www.os2museum.com/wp/booting-windows-xp-or-not/) which i think is going to work on every pc already running Windows XP.

Diskclaimer: the drivers provided in step 2 are for an Intel based Sata Controller, but the procedure remains the same for any other type.

So here it is:
1. Boot normally in IDE mode
2. Unpack this WinRar file anywhere you like (which contains the best Achi drivers package for Windows Xp and covers almost any Intel based Sata controller, found here: https://winraid.level1techs.com/, if you have another type of Sata controller search the same site for it):

Filename: Generic 32bit Intel RST AHCI driver v11.2.0.1006 mod+signed by Fernando.rar
File size: 247.7 KiB
Downloads: 7 downloads
File license: Fair use/fair dealing exception

3. From the contents of the unpacked archive copy iAstor to: Windows/System32/drivers
4. Execute the following CMD command:

Filename: Execute This On CMD.txt
File size: 113 Bytes
Downloads: 14 downloads
File license: GPL-2.0-or-later

5. Add the following string to the registry (save the text document as a .reg file type and execute it to add it to your registry) :

Filename: Add this to the registry.txt
File size: 230 Bytes
Downloads: 12 downloads
File license: GPL-2.0-or-later

6. Reboot your Pc, enter BIOS and change your boot option from Ide to Ahci mode
7. Manually add the Ahci driver through Device Manager in Windows
Done!

I hope this little guide will be helpfull and save anyone interested in the subject from unnecessary trouble, frustration and hours searching for the proper way to manage this.

Cpu: Intel i5 3570k
Gpu: Asus Strix GTX 960 DirectCU II Oc
Ram: G.Skill Ares F3-2133C11D-16GAR
Mobo: Asus P8h61-m LX R2.0
Hdd: Western Digital Black WD5003AZEX
Psu: Thermaltake Hamburg 530w
Os: Windows XP Sp3 x86

Reply 1 of 6, by RetroPCCupboard

Posted on 2025-01-15, 14:01

RetroPCCupboard Offline

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Nice first post! Welcome to the forum.

I've just been considering how I can do this exact thing on my Z77 board for installing XP. I currently am in the process of installing the OS (again, after it somehow got corrupted)....

Reply 2 of 6, by Dimos

Posted on 2025-01-15, 14:32

Dimos Offline

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Thanx!
Well, it's another (simpler) procedure if you want to do it during XP installation, the tricky part is to somehow enable ahci mode if you didn't install XP in ahci mode in the first place. You can use the driver i posted above during the os installation (the F6 method) and Windows XP will be installed in Ahci mode.

P.s. Make a backup of your system regularly, trust me, saves you from a lot of trouble!

Reply 3 of 6, by RetroPCCupboard

Posted on 2025-01-15, 14:54

RetroPCCupboard Offline

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Dimos wrote on 2025-01-15, 14:32:

Thanx!
Well, it's another (simpler) procedure if you want to do it during XP installation, the tricky part is to somehow enable ahci mode if you didn't install XP in ahci mode in the first place. You can use the driver i posted above during the os installation (the F6 method) and Windows XP will be installed in Ahci mode.

P.s. Make a backup of your system regularly, trust me, saves you from a lot of trouble!

I tried that, but it insisted on loading the driver with F6 method from a floppy disk, but this motherboard has no floppy disk controller on it. Nor IDE for that matter.

Reply 4 of 6, by Dimos

Posted on 2025-01-15, 16:59

Dimos Offline

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Joined: 2025-01-15, 12:15

It's not necessary to have a floppy disk drive, you can slipstream the necessary drivers into a Windows XP installation cd/dvd via nLite or you can try to install the os from a usb drive together with the Ahci drivers: https://www.prime-expert.com/articles/b02/ins … omISOWithoutDVD

If this seems too much of a hustle, install Windows XP normally (in Ide mode) and then you can try the post installation process i described in my post.

Reply 5 of 6, by RetroPCCupboard

Posted on 2025-01-15, 19:03

RetroPCCupboard Offline

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Dimos wrote on 2025-01-15, 16:59:

If this seems too much of a hustle, install Windows XP normally (in Ide mode) and then you can try the post installation process i described in my post.

I followed your instructions and it worked great. The only thing I changed was I used the sata drivers that I downloaded from Asus website, rather than the ones you provided.

Prior to doing this XP would just crash on boot if I enabled AHCI on BIOS.

Reply 6 of 6, by Dimos

Posted on 2025-01-15, 19:49

Dimos Offline

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Rank: Newbie
Posts: 4
Joined: 2025-01-15, 12:15

That's great! I too had the same result with every other method i had tried, and trust me, i spent a lot of time trying to make it work till i followed this exact procedure.

Glad you had successfully done it!

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