AHCI doesn't recognize Intel Generic ICH7 SATA controller

[Mark Vollmer]

version 1.30

I added the /g:8086:27c0 to get the driver to recognize the controller.

When it tries to load against the controller, it gives me this error on boot:

Found AHCI device Intel Generic (0:31:2 8086:27c0) class:0x01018f
OS2AHCI: couldn't determine MMIO base address
No adapter found
OS2AHCI driver *not* installed

I suppose that the 0:31:2 could have been 0:31.2. I could have copied it down wrong.

I have the type ibms506$ output as well as a log from a d:2. I'd attach them now I if could figure out how to do that. I'll work on getting them added to this ticket.

[Mark Vollmer]

AHCI log file

[Mark Vollmer]

type ibms506$ output and some config.sys lines

[Mark Vollmer]

In order to get the MMIO message, I had to remove the DANI driver from the config.sys and reboot. I'm back to using the DANI driver until AHCI works better with my controller.

[Mark Vollmer]

I've confirmed that I'm using AHCI in the BIOS.

[Mark Vollmer]

Well. It would appear that my controller isn't AHCI capable. Reading this web page of information suggests I just can't use the new AHCI driver.

(Linux reference page, but useful information I think)
​http://www.mail-archive.com/linux-ide@vger.kernel.org/msg02213.html

Do you concur?

[David Azarewicz]

Regardless of what any web page says, the only thing that really counts is: does the hardware have the necessary resources and operate correctly?

In your case, the hardware does not have the required AHCI registers, so, by definition, it is not AHCI capable and it will not work with the OS2AHCI driver.

It is my experience that ICH7 hardware specifically is quite variable. I have personally seen ICH7 based systems that work fine, some that don't work at all, and others that kind of work unreliably in AHCI mode. I have in my test lab one ICH7 system that doesn't work at all, and one that works kind of OK but has problems. There is nothing I can do about it, the hardware just doesn't work right. I use the Dani driver on both of them.