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Where to find Microsoft AHCI drivers for Windows XP?

idata
Esteemed Contributor III

The documentation for the SSD Toolbox says that it will work with the generic Microsoft AHCI driver in Windows XP (table copied below). Where can I find this driver? I assume they mean the file msahci.sys which shows up in Device Manager as "standard AHCI 1.0 serial ATA controller" but I only find this as part of Vista or Windows 7.

I would like to use the X25-M G2 with a Highpoint Rocket 620 SATA card, or other non-Intel AHCI-compatible SATA controller, with Windows XP. I want to use the Microsoft AHCI driver, not a driver from a manufacturer, because it is required for the SSD Toolbox.

Thank you very much!

Intel

® SSD Toolbox OS Requirements Matrix Operating System

Storage Driver

Execution Environment

Microsoft Windows* 7

Microsoft* AHCI

Native OS support (Intel

® SSD Toolbox not required)

Microsoft Windows 7

Intel

® Matrix Storage Manager**

Intel

® SSD Toolbox required

Microsoft Windows Vista* or XP

Microsoft AHCI or Intel

® Matrix Storage Manager

Intel

® SSD Toolbox required

6 REPLIES 6

idata
Esteemed Contributor III

Ok Parsec,

I hesitate to start with it. Surely because nor MSI, nor Intel is giving any real response to my requests for a straight answer. That makes the decision to start, harder.

It is like this. I use to work about two years with W7 with great satisfaction. I have an extra HD with XP, only for occasionly work with Autocad. In IDE format I can use both systems, only change bootsequence with F11.

The Bios of the system allows to change everything to AHCI. As I strive to always improve things I had liked to change the whole system to this. Recently I managed the W7 disk and have a two good Acronis images from it. One with ADCI and another one with IDE. So now, everytime I need XP, I modify the BIOS and start again with IDE for XP.

The reason to start with the whole AHCI is somewhere else:

http://dx.com/p/orico-floppy-drive-slot-4-groups-sata-hdd-power-switch-control-100399 Orico Floppy Drive Slot 4 Groups SATA / SSD HDD Power Switch Control - Free Shipping - DealExtreme

This is a small powerswitch unit for 4 HD's. As far as my understanding of this, it will need to work with all HD's in AHCI. I ordered one in the US and in the meantime I try to arrange my XP disk also with AHCI.

Although I am really not sure, that the hardware needs it.

Also I found an Intel list, but another one as yours. I was thinking to use the first driver of the list (because OS independant), but the fear of creating a totall loss is awfull.

http://downloadcenter.intel.com/SearchResult.aspx?lang=eng&keyword=%22AHCI+SATA+Driver%22 Download Center

What to do?

idata
Esteemed Contributor III

That switch suggests or requires its use with AHCI mode so the drives it controls can be set for "hot plugging", which allows a drive to be powered on or off while the OS is running, without losing data or damaging the drive. The potential problem is, will your BIOS have a hot plug setting for each drive in the BIOS. Hot plugging should be enabled by default, but I doubt you would trust it without an explicit setting.

The link to the Intel driver you posted is just the latest version of the IRST driver. The one I posted is a little older, but I know it works with P67 chipsets.

I was able to find the Intel AHCI/RAID driver for XP 64 bit on your boards download page very easily:

http://us.msi.com/product/mb/P67A-GD65--B3-.html# /?div=Driver&os=XP%2064 http://us.msi.com/product/mb/P67A-GD65--B3-.html# /?div=Driver&os=XP%2064

It is an older version, but will likely work better with XP and your board.

Intel's support is not formally provided in this user forum. The page was down when I attempted to get the link for you. At the bottom of this page there is a link for Support, and from there a link to Contact Support.