Modded Intel AHCI and RAID Drivers (digitally signed)

FM1 · May 6, 2020, 1:54pm

@Fernando

Regarding my last posts, it would be really nice if we could have the newest AHCI 17.8 modded. Please if its possible to include DEV_31E3 from 15.9 ?
And would be great to include the 100-Series Chipset support also - since it was dropped with 17.8 onwards.
I will try it on Gemini Lake and give feedback!

Thx!

Fernando · May 6, 2020, 5:50pm

@Steregushchyy :
Once the OS XP is up and running fine, you can try to install any Intel AHCI driver, which supports the DeviceID of your on-board Intel SATA AHCI Controller, but I am not sure whether the Intel RST(e) drivers using the additional SCSI filter driver named iaStorF.sys will work with Windows XP.
If Iwere you, I would set a “Restore Point” and then try to get the 32bit Intel RST(e) AHCI driver v13.2.8.1002 WHQL manually installed.

@cobalt : @FM1 :
Since I seriously doubt, that any v16 or v17 platform Intel RST driver will be the best choice for your systems, and don’t want to offer drivers, which do not run properly, it would be a good idea to test whether the desired driver version works at all with your system.
Note: All Intel AHCI drivers can be installed onto Intel chipset systems, whose Intel SATA Controller is running in AHCI mode, but the installation may have to be forced by using the “Have Disk” option.
This is what I recommend to do:

Set a “Restore Point”.
Try to get the desired Intel RST driver version installed by using the “Have Disk” option, navigating to driver folder, clicking onto the file named iaAHCIC.inf and choosing any of the listed Intel SATA AHCI Controllers.
After the next reboot the on-board Intel SATA AHCI Controller will use the desired driver
Check the stability and the performance of your SATA connected system drive.
Report here about your results.

If you should be satisfied with the tested driver, I will offer it as mod+signed variant.

Good luck!

cobalt · May 10, 2020, 10:46am

@Fernando
thank you for your response and your help.
I tried v16 and v17 versions of Intel WHQL with the option “have disk”, but it doesn’t work. However, previous versions (v15 and earlier) also do not work with this procedure (maybe z390 mb are too new for these drivers…).
With windows 10, obvilously all the version are ok, but my SSD performance evaluated by CrystalDiskMark for randomize reading/writting is really poor compared to my win7 results.
Since your modified V15 version works like a charm on my computer, I think I’ll stick with that.
Thanks a lot

Fernando · May 10, 2020, 11:28am

@cobalt :
Thanks for your report.
Unfortunately you hadn’t mentioned, that your in-use OS is Win7. Then I would have told you already earlier, that you will not be able to get any Intel RST v16/17 platform AHCI/RAID driver installed, no matter whether you take a WHQL certified one or a variant, whose INF files have been modified by me. It is the driver itself (= *.SYS file), which prevents its usage with any older Windows Operating System up to Win7.

tormento · May 16, 2020, 10:31am

I have updated the Intel option ROM on my P8Z68-V-PRO (non GEN3) to 14.8.2.2397 and updated drivers to Universal 64bit Intel RSTe AHCI+RAID drivers v14.8.18.1066 mod+signed by Fernando.
I am getting better results in Samsung Magician than the old 11.x drivers I was using.

The only problem is that the Universal 64bit Intel RST Software v15.9.8.1050 doesn’t want to start, giving me error whenever I try.
Windows 10 x64 latest insider here.

Any idea?

handesonmiller · May 27, 2020, 10:10pm

Hello Fernando and developers! I have a question: This Nlite Floppy/F6 drivers Modded by you is usable to inject in “Live” Windows XP/2000 images? I want to deploy a Universal XP/2000 WIM image around all of AHCI/SATA/NVME Intel’s, AMD, Asmedia, Jmicron and others vendors drivers in Sysprep Image Because in my region remains Machines running this SO’s, if you don’t understand my question, please respond me, i try more clear question,Sorry for my bad english, Thanks from Brazil!

Fernando · June 1, 2020, 7:59am

@tormento :
You cannot get the “pure” Intel RST Software v15.9.8.1050 installed while the on-board Intel SATA Controller is using a driver, which belongs to another development branch (here: v14.8.18.1066).

@handesonmiller :
Welcome to the Win-RAID Forum!
No, my modded Intel AHCI/RAID drivers can only be used with a certain system, whose Intel SATA AHCI/RAID Controller has the exactly same HardwareIDs as the integrated ones. If you want to integrate an Intel AHCI or RAID driver, which supports all different Intel AHCI/RAID Controllers, you may do a look into >this< thread.
Good luck!
Dieter (alias Fernando)

tormento · June 1, 2020, 8:02am

The board has option rom 14.8 but Windows 10 has 15.9 driver installed.

The installer launches then rolls back and uninstall.

Fernando · June 1, 2020, 9:10am

@tormento :
According to your previous post you had installed the mod+signed "Universal 64bit Intel RSTe AHCI+RAID drivers v14.8.18.1066" and got better results.

Windows definitevely has not installed an v15.9 Intel RST driver. The Win10 in-box Intel RAID driver is v15.44.0.1015.

tormento · June 1, 2020, 9:24am

@Fernando :
Yes but 14.8 couldn’t see my Samsung 860 firmware update and I upgraded to the your latest modded drivers for Z68 motherboard.
The problem is intel ahciutility 15.9.8.1050 behaves the way I said: it launches then rolls back and uninstall itself.
I can’t see any 15.44 modded driver or ahci utility of yours.

EDIT by Fernando: Unneeded fully quoted post removed (to save space)

Fernando · June 1, 2020, 9:50am

@tormento :

If you want to see the Firmware version of your Samsung SSD, you should use the related Samsung tool Magician, but not an Intel RST Software.
I generally do not recommend to install the Intel RST Software onto Intel Chipset systems, which are running in AHCI mode.
The Intel RST v15 platform AHCI drivers and Software versions were not designed for being used with old Intel 6-Series chipset systems and do not fully support them even if the installation has been forced.
Nobody talked about a modded v15.44 Intel RST driver. The Intel RAID driver v15.44.0.1015 is part of Win10 and will be automaticly installed by the Win10 Setup, if the Intel SATA Controller has been set to “RAID”. AHCI systems are not supported by this driver named iaStorAVC.sys, which can be found within the C:\Windows\System32\Drivers folder of all Win10 images.

tormento · June 1, 2020, 10:09am

I will be more precise: Samsung Magician couldn’t find firmware update until I used 15.x drivers. Strange, uh?

I’d use to set SATA power features.

Anyway, do you have any idea how to solve the issue?

Fernando · June 1, 2020, 10:45am

@tormento :
Which "SATA power features" did you enable by using the Intel RST Software and what lets you think, that these features got lost after having uninstalled the Software?

That is strange indeed, but how often do you check the Firmware version of your Samsung SSD?

Which issue?
My idea for you: Install the mod+signed Intel RST AHCI driver v13.2.8.1002 and not the related Software. If you want to know, whether the Firmware of your SSD is outdated, you can run once a year the latest Samsung Magician version. If the tool shouldn’t detect and show the current Firmware version, you can temporarily switch the in-use AHCI driver to the generic in-box MS AHCI driver and return to the Intel one thereafter.

aaa839 · June 6, 2020, 4:34pm

Can you modd the inbox driver of 15.44?

Fernando · June 6, 2020, 6:06pm

@aaa839 :

Yes, I have done it already, but for which purpose do you want to use it?
According to my own tests the Win10 in-box Intel RAID drivers v15.44.0.1010 resp. v15.44.0.1015 are not the best choice for any Intel system running in AHCI or RAID mode.

handesonmiller · June 9, 2020, 7:58pm

Thanks Fernando! I want to make a “universal” 2K/XP/2K3 WIM image with all AHCI/SATA/SCSI as possible (Intel, AMD, JMicron, VIA, etc), but i found much problems to finish, I will read all your topics about Mass Storage injection!, in XP/2K3/2K ISO without problems, only in sysprep image (When image starts a mini-setup, i get BSOD 0x07b) same using MassStorage linking a valid path to inf’s files (unable to update registry error).

aaa839 · June 9, 2020, 9:31pm

How is the performance compare with original Intel 15.x and inbox 15.44?

Fernando · June 9, 2020, 10:02pm

@aaa839 :
You can find some results >here<.

philidor75 · June 10, 2020, 9:19pm

Sorry i think this is a double post.

I only recently installed a SSD in my EZbook 3 pro. The ssd was very slow until I use your ahci driver. But I suspect now it only work as SATA II (even if Mmy SSD is SATA 3)

is it normal?

I will send you my specification

Computer: Jumper EZbook
CPU: Intel Celeron N3450 (Apollo Lake, B0/B1) 1100 MHz (11.00x100.0) @ 2100 MHz (21.00x100.0)
Motherboard: Jumper P3132
BIOS: Jumper10x.P8.WP3132.NHNAUHL01, 12/05/2017
Chipset:
Memory: 6144 MBytes @ 800 MHz, ?-15-15-34
Graphics: Intel Apollo Lake SoC - Graphics and Display Controller (12 EU) [B1] [Intel] Intel HD Graphics Gen9-LP, 1024 MB

Drive: TS512GMTS430S, 500.1 GB, Serial ATA 6Gb/s @ 3Gb/s ---------------- SSD is SATA III

Sound: Intel Apollo Lake SoC - High Definition Audio Controller
Network: Intel Dual Band Wireless-AC 3165
OS: Microsoft Windows 10 Professional (x64) Build 18363.836 (1909/November 2019 Update)

Thanks

Fernando · June 10, 2020, 10:36pm

@philidor75 :
Welcome to the Win-RAID Forum!
If an SSD runs faster after the installation of specific storage driver, it seems impossible, that the SATA mode has been downgraded by this driver.
Questions:
1. Which are the HardwareIDs of your on-board Intel SATA AHCI Controller (right-click onto it > "Properties" > "Details" > "Property" > "HardwareIDs")?
2. Which driver version did you install?
Regards
Dieter (alias Fernando)