How can I enable or install SATA AHCI ?

[Lisa151]

HI, I was searching how to enable AHCI on my laptop but internet don't help me much.

I have a HP Laptop 15-db0088nf , my processor is an AMD A4 -9125 RADEON R3 with Windows 10.

The problem is when I go in "Device Manager" and go under "IDE ATA/ATAPI" there is only "controller AMD SATA" and nothing with "AHCI".

Same thing when I go in the BIOS, I don't have a "advenced option" or "storage" and I found nothing to change the SATA to AHCI. I don't even see if it's on IDE or AHCI or RAID.

I tried to install the Intel RST but it said that "My plateform wasn't supported" maybe because I have an AMD processor or because I just can't enable AHCI (stupid question maybe).

Could you please help me ?

[Paul_Tikkanen]

Hi:

For whatever reason, AMD does not label its SATA controller as an AHCI SATA controller the way Intel does, but the AMD drive controller is set to AHCI by default.

A long time ago, I took a look at the AMD SATA driver setup information file, and there are references to AHCI in the driver file.

If your notebook has SSD, W10 will trim the drive...There is full support for SSD's in your notebook.

Here is a partial copy and paste of what I found in the AMD SATA AHCI controller driver setup file...

;
; Copyright (c) 2008-2015 AMD
;

[Version]
Signature="$Windows NT$"
Provider=%AMD%
Class=HDC
ClassGUID={4d36e96a-e325-11ce-bfc1-08002be10318}
DriverVer=03/29/2015,1.2.001.0402
CatalogFile=amd_sata.cat

;******************************************************************************

[SourceDisksNames]
1 = %DiskId%,,,

[SourceDisksFiles]
amd_sata.sys = 1
amd_xata.sys = 1

[ControlFlags]
;ExcludeFromSelect = *

[DestinationDirs]
DefaultDestDir = 12

;******************************************************************************

[Manufacturer]
%AMD% = AMD,NTAMD64.6.1

[AMD.NTAMD64.6.1]
%AMDSATA.DeviceDesc% = amd_sata_inst, PCI\VEN_1002&DEV_4391&CC_0106
%AMDSATA.DeviceDesc% = amd_sata_inst, PCI\VEN_1002&DEV_4394&CC_0106
%AMDSATA.DeviceDesc% = amd_sata_inst, PCI\VEN_1022&DEV_7801&CC_0106
%AMDSATA.DeviceDesc% = amd_sata_inst, PCI\VEN_1022&DEV_7804&CC_0106
%AMDSATA.DeviceDesc% = amd_sata_inst, PCI\VEN_1022&DEV_7901&CC_0106
%AMDSATA.DeviceDesc% = amd_sata_inst, PCI\VEN_1022&DEV_7904&CC_0106

;******************************************************************************

[amd_sata_inst]
;FeatureScore=0xFE
CopyFiles=amd_sata_inst.CopyDrv
AddPowerSetting=AhciPowerSetting

[amd_sata_inst.CopyDrv]
amd_sata.sys
amd_xata.sys

[AhciPowerSetting]
Subgroup = {0012ee47-9041-4b5d-9b77-535fba8b1442}
Setting = {0b2d69d7-a2a1-449c-9680-f91c70521c60}, "AHCI Link Power Management - HIPM/DIPM", "Configures the LPM state.",,0x00000001

Value = 0, "Active", "Neither Host or Device initiated allowed", 0x00010001, 0
Value = 1, "HIPM", "Host initiated allowed only", 0x00010001, 1
Value = 2, "HIPM+DIPM", "Both Host and Device initiated allowed", 0x00010001, 3
Value = 3, "DIPM", "Device initiated allowed only", 0x00010001, 2
Value = 4, "Lowest", "HIPM+DIPM+DEVSLP", 0x00010001, 7

; High Performance
Default = {8C5E7FDA-E8BF-4A96-9A85-A6E23A8C635C}, 0, 0
Default = {8C5E7FDA-E8BF-4A96-9A85-A6E23A8C635C}, 1, 1
; Balanced
Default = {381B4222-F694-41F0-9685-FF5BB260DF2E}, 0, 1
Default = {381B4222-F694-41F0-9685-FF5BB260DF2E}, 1, 2
; Power Saving
Default = {A1841308-3541-4FAB-BC81-F71556F20B4A}, 0, 2
Default = {A1841308-3541-4FAB-BC81-F71556F20B4A}, 1, 2

[amd_sata_inst.Services]
AddService = amd_sata, %SPSVCINST_ASSOCSERVICE% , amd_sata_Service_Inst, amd_sata_EventLog_Inst
AddService = amd_xata, , amd_xata_Service_Inst, amd_xata_EventLog_Inst

[amd_sata_Service_Inst]
ServiceType = %SERVICE_KERNEL_DRIVER%
StartType = %SERVICE_BOOT_START%
ErrorControl = %SERVICE_ERROR_NORMAL%
ServiceBinary = %12%\amd_sata.sys
LoadOrderGroup = SCSI miniport
AddReg = amd_sata_Service_AddReg

[amd_sata_EventLog_Inst]
AddReg = amd_sata_EventLog_AddReg

[amd_sata_EventLog_AddReg]
HKR,,EventMessageFile,%REG_EXPAND_SZ%,"%%SystemRoot%%\System32\IoLogMsg.dll"
HKR,,TypesSupported,%REG_DWORD%,7

[amd_sata_Service_AddReg]
HKR, "Parameters\PnpInterface", "5", %REG_DWORD%, 0x00000001
HKR, "Parameters", "BusType", %REG_DWORD%, 0x0000000b
HKR, "Parameters\Device","EnableQueryAccessAlignment",%REG_DWORD%, 0
;
HKR, "Parameters\Device","AmdSataFua",%REG_DWORD%, 0x00
HKR, "Parameters\Device","AmdSataChannelFlags",%REG_DWORD%, 1
HKR, "Parameters\Device","AmdSataWMI",%REG_DWORD%, 0
;HKR, "Parameters\Device","AmdSataHIPM",%REG_DWORD%, 0
;HKR, "Parameters\Device","AmdSataDIPM",%REG_DWORD%, 0
HKR, "Parameters\Device","AmdSataPassThru",%REG_DWORD%, 1
HKR, "Parameters\Device","AmdSataPMDisabled",%REG_DWORD%, 0
HKR, "Parameters\Device","AmdSataCCC",%REG_DWORD%, 0xFF
HKR, "Parameters\Device","AmdSataCCCTV",%REG_DWORD%, 0xFFFF
HKR, "Parameters\Device","AmdSataCCCCC",%REG_DWORD%, 0x20
HKR, "Parameters\Device","AmdSataSgl",%REG_DWORD%, 0x100
HKR, "Parameters\Device","AmdSataDevSlp",%REG_DWORD%, 0x3E8
HKR, "Parameters\Device","AmdSataSWSP",%REG_DWORD%, 0x0F

[amd_xata_Service_Inst]
ServiceType = %SERVICE_KERNEL_DRIVER%
StartType = %SERVICE_BOOT_START%
ErrorControl = %SERVICE_ERROR_NORMAL%
ServiceBinary = %12%\amd_xata.sys
LoadOrderGroup = SCSI miniport
AddReg = amd_xata_Service_AddReg

[amd_xata_EventLog_Inst]
AddReg = amd_xata_EventLog_AddReg

[amd_xata_EventLog_AddReg]
HKR,,EventMessageFile,%REG_EXPAND_SZ%,"%%SystemRoot%%\System32\IoLogMsg.dll"
HKR,,TypesSupported,%REG_DWORD%,7

[amd_xata_Service_AddReg]
HKR, "Parameters","AmdXataTrimSupport",%REG_DWORD%, 1
HKR, "Parameters","AmdXataOptions",%REG_DWORD%, 1

;- HW ---

[amd_sata_inst.HW]
AddReg = amd_sata_inst.HW.AddReg

[amd_sata_inst.HW.AddReg]
HKR,,"UpperFilters",%REG_MULTI_SZ%,"amd_xata"
HKR,,"xata",%REG_DWORD%,1
HKR, "Interrupt Management\MessageSignaledInterruptProperties", MSISupported, %REG_DWORD%, 0
HKR, "StorPort", "EnableIdlePowerManagement", %REG_DWORD%, 0x01

;******************************************************************************

[Strings]

;
; Localizable Strings
;

diskId = "AMD SATA Installation Disk"
AMD = "AMD"
AMDSATA.DeviceDesc = "AMD SATA Controller"
;PCI\CC_010601.DeviceDesc = "AHCI Standard Controller"

The only other possible drive controller settings would be RAID and IDE.

If the drive controller was set to RAID, then the controller would be listed under a 'Storage Controllers' device manager category.

If the controller was set to IDE, you would see that listed under the same device manager category as the AMD SATA Controller.

;

[Lisa151]

Hi,

thanks you so much.

Yes I have an SSD in my notebook (I only have that, no HDD or other SSD).

Does I have to understand that my SSD is in an "AHCI mode" even if it's not the same as Intel ?

And what do mean by "W10 will trim the drive..." ?

[Paul_Tikkanen · Accepted solution]

You're very welcome.

Yes, your SSD is running in AHCI mode.

In order for Windows 10 to TRIM the drive, the drive controller has to be set to AHCI or RAID.

'Trimming' the drive is the equivalent to defragmenting a mechanical hard drive.

Here is a link that does a better job of explaining the TRIM function on a SSD.

https://www.digitalcitizen.life/simple-questions-what-trim-ssds-why-it-useful

You can manually TRIM your SSD at any time by running the Defragment and Optimize drives utility in the Windows Administrative tools section of your programs menu.

[Lisa151]

Thanks you very much for all you response !

I hope you'll have a great day,

STAY SAFE Lisa.

[Paul_Tikkanen]

Anytime, Lisa.

Glad to have been of assistance.

You have a great day too and stay well!

Paul