How to change sata controller options

[BlazedElk]

Hi, i have a hp 250 g7 laptop with i3-8130U, 4GB Ram and a sata SSD 256gb (NOT nvme)  and I wanna change my sata controller options from raid to ahci, as in the recent bios updates my storage controller was hard-set to raid, and I wanna be honest but I CAN NOT boot up any windows installation drive, mainly because they don't always come with raid drivers, and before you hit me with "Oh just inject the drivers text mode" and allat, I HAVE REPEATEDLY DONE THIS WITH A WINDOWS 10 ISO AND IT DOES NOT WORK, i have used ntlite, nlite dism. I just wanna dual boot windows 10 man. Please help me

Thanks!

[1603harry]

Hi @BlazedElk,

Thank you for posting your query, I will be glad to help you.

Switching your SATA controller mode from RAID to AHCI can sometimes be necessary for booting issues, particularly if you're facing driver problems with your Windows installation. Here's a detailed guide to resolve this issue:

1. Backup Your Data: Before making any changes to the BIOS settings, ensure that you have backed up all important data, as changing from RAID to AHCI could potentially lead to loss of data.

2. BIOS Access:

   • Restart your HP 250 G7 and repeatedly press F10 as it starts up to enter the BIOS setup.
   • Navigate to the "Advanced" tab using the arrow keys.

3. Change SATA Configuration:

   • Locate the "SATA Mode" or "SATA Configuration" setting.
   • Change the mode from "RAID" to "AHCI".

4. Save Changes:

   • Press F10 to save the changes and exit the BIOS.

5. Operating System Compatibility:

   • Windows-based Solution: If you have a Windows installation currently, use the "Safe Mode" startup to ensure a smooth transition:
     • Boot into Windows normally (if possible) and press Windows + R, type msconfig, and press Enter.
     • In the System Configuration window, go to the Boot tab and check Safe Boot.
     • Restart and boot into Safe Mode, then follow the above steps to change the SATA configuration from RAID to AHCI.

6. Install AHCI Drivers:

   • Once booted successfully after the change, Windows should automatically install AHCI drivers. Ensure that you're connected to the internet for Windows to update any driver needed.

7. Reboot Normally:

   • After the drivers are installed, return to msconfig as described, and uncheck Safe Boot to boot normally.

8. Windows Installation Drive:

   • If you're setting up Windows for the first time or trying to install again:
     • Make sure the installation media is connected and restart the laptop.
     • Use the boot manager (usually F9) to boot from the USB or DVD drive with your Windows installation media.
     • Follow the installation instructions to set up Windows in AHCI mode.

I hope this helps!

Regards,

1603HARRY