Cannot change from IDE to AHCI mode (intel SSD)?

Dan21

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I've got an Intel SSD 335 Series 180 GB SSD drive. When I try to update the firmware I get this message "Your system is in IDE Mode. The selected Intel SSD cannot be updated with the Intel SSD Toolbox in this mode. Use the Intel Firmware Update Tool located at: www.downloadcenter.intel.com.".

So I search the web for a fix to change it to AHCI mode and I find one (by the way I tried updating with the firmware update tool also using a USB according to Intels instructions but it failed to detect my drive model). I change the registry parameter to do so and also change the corresponding setting in my BIOS. STILL the Intel SSD Toolbox program tells me that I have IDE mode activated! When I check with the AS SSD Benchmark program which mode I have activated it says "pciide-BAD" so maybe my "tweak" just destroyed something IDE-related without changing to AHCI?

What could be wrong? How can I fix this? I run Windows 8 and have a Gigabyte motherboard. Also I'm wondering if this IDE-setting might be causing the drive to be slower? My friend claims a normal SSD boots in 3-5 seconds or the like while mine boots in around 15-20. Thanks for your input in advance!
 
Solution
You'll definitely get better performance in AHCI mode.

What kind of motherboard do you have? Most newer motherboards have more than one disk controller on them. You may have more than one controller with a disk mode that needs to be changed from IDE to AHCI. In some cases, they are under different menu options in the BIOS.
You'll definitely get better performance in AHCI mode.

What kind of motherboard do you have? Most newer motherboards have more than one disk controller on them. You may have more than one controller with a disk mode that needs to be changed from IDE to AHCI. In some cases, they are under different menu options in the BIOS.
 
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Dan21

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I've got the Gigabyte GA-970A-DS3 motherboard. Will check if there is another option.

Edit: There was an other option to change, the option for that one being "As Sata", I thought this was for the other drives (HDDs) so I left it before. Intel Toolbox now detects it and allows an update. The benchmark speed was also doubled. Thanks a bunch!

There is still a small issue however, i get this message on boot: "Remove disks or other media. Press any key to restart". I then press a key and it continues to load. How do I remove this?
 

Dan21

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I have neither connected.

 

Dan21

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I tried this but now Windows won't start :'( I Went into bios settings and it turns out it changed back to IDE when I updated it. I changed them once again to AHCI but it still won't work. Any suggestions?

The message I get is "Couldn't load Windows correctly" (translated) and an option to restore. But windows restore doesn't start but instead only a Winlogo appear.

Edit: Fixed this by changing BIOS to old (FC) Bios version. Still the problem with the message persist however.