Intel Serial ATA (SATA) Advanced Host Controller Interface (AHCI) Controller Driver. This package is used to create a diskette that is needed during a new operating system installation to ensure that the notebook hard drive is detected and usable for the installation.
nstallation Instructions
1. Download the SoftPaq .EXE file to a directory on your hard drive.
2. Execute the downloaded file and follow the on-screen instructions.
To use the diskette during a new operating system installation, complete the following steps:
NOTE: A diskette drive is required to use this driver. If an external diskette drive is used, ensure it is plugged into the system.
1. Insert the operating system CD and Power On the notebook to boot from the CD.
2. At the very beginning of the operating system installation, the following prompt is displayed at the bottom of the screen: "Press F6 if you need to install a SCSI or RAID driver...." When the prompt is displayed, press F6.
3. Later in the operating system installation, you are notified that a mass storage device could not be detected. When this notification occurs, press S (S=Specify Additional Device).
4. When prompted, insert the diskette that was created from the SoftPaq file, and then press Enter.
5. Select Intel 82801GBM SATA AHCI Controller (Mobile ICH7M) and press Enter.
NOTE: At this point, the following prompt MAY be displayed, depending on the version of your operating system CD. If the prompt is displayed, press Enter to use the default Windows driver and continue, if it is not displayed, simply continue with Step 6. The prompt reads as follows:
Windows already has a driver that you can use for "Intel (R) 82801GBM SATA AHCI controller (Mobile ICH7M)". Unless the device manufacturer prefers that you use the driver on the floppy disk, you should use the driver in Windows. S=use the driver on floppy ENTER=use the default Windows driver.
6. Continue with the operating system installation, as prompted.
Download file(s) to install later
Steps to modify a Windows XP image to support SATA Native Mode
1) Enter F10 Setup, and go to System Configuration/Device Configurations/SATA Native Mode to Disable.
2) Install Windows XP Service Pack 2 in whatever manner is typical for your organization.
3) Download the Intel SATA AHCI Controller Driver, SoftPaq SP32478.exe, from
www.hp.com.
4) Extract all the files from the SoftPaq. A USB floppy is necessary for this step. Run sp32478; this will create a floppy disk. The files will be located on this floppy.
5) These files should be located on the floppy disk.
a. iaahci.cat
b. iaahci.inf
c. iastor.cat
d. iastor.inf
e. iastor.sys
f. license.txt
g. readme.txt
h. txtsetup.oem
6) Download and run the Intel Chipset Installation Utility for ICH7, SoftPaq SP32781, from
www.hp.com.
7) In Device Manager, right-click the IDE ATA/ATAPI controllers/Intel 82801 GBM/GHM (ICH7-M Family) Serial ATA Storage Controller and select "Update Driver".
Follow these steps to complete the Hardware Update Wizard:
a. At the first dialog, select "No, not this time" when prompted to connect to Windows Update.
b. At the next dialog, select "Install from a list or specific location (Advanced)".
c. At the next dialog, select "Don't search. I will choose the driver to install".
d. When prompted to select the device driver you want to install for this hardware, do not choose anything but click the "Have Disk..."-button.
e. Type "A:\" and click OK.
f. When prompted to select the device driver you want to install for this hardware, select the Intel 82801GBM SATA AHCI Controller
g. A warning that Windows cannot verify that the device is compatible with your hardware will appear. When asked if you want to continue installing the driver, select Yes.
h. The installation will complete.
9) Shut down Windows and restart the computer. Enter F10 setup when prompted during the boot.
10) Go to System Configuration/Device Configurations/SATA Native Mode and change it to Enable, then save settings and exit F10 Setup.
11) After Windows restarts, the additional SATA components will be updated. A System Settings Change will appear. When asked "Do you want to restart your computer now?" click Yes.
12) When Windows restarts, the SATA AHCI drivers will be completely installed.
You need a USB-floppy for this since there are no floppy on the PC (or a USB memory stick that can simulate a floppy).
Or you can create the floppy-disk on another PC and burn a CD with the files on the floppy (or copy via network).
I dont recal making any changes to the laptop, yes it is being seen by bios.
The XP CD is genuine, yes.
Thanks for following up, i googled it and i found this info, in HP web forum.
Intel Serial ATA (SATA) Advanced Host Controller Interface (AHCI) Controller Driver. This package is used to create a diskette that is needed during a new operating system installation to ensure that the notebook hard drive is detected and usable for the installation.
nstallation Instructions
1. Download the SoftPaq .EXE file to a directory on your hard drive.
2. Execute the downloaded file and follow the on-screen instructions.
To use the diskette during a new operating system installation, complete the following steps:
NOTE: A diskette drive is required to use this driver. If an external diskette drive is used, ensure it is plugged into the system.
1. Insert the operating system CD and Power On the notebook to boot from the CD.
2. At the very beginning of the operating system installation, the following prompt is displayed at the bottom of the screen: "Press F6 if you need to install a SCSI or RAID driver...." When the prompt is displayed, press F6.
3. Later in the operating system installation, you are notified that a mass storage device could not be detected. When this notification occurs, press S (S=Specify Additional Device).
4. When prompted, insert the diskette that was created from the SoftPaq file, and then press Enter.
5. Select Intel 82801GBM SATA AHCI Controller (Mobile ICH7M) and press Enter.
NOTE: At this point, the following prompt MAY be displayed, depending on the version of your operating system CD. If the prompt is displayed, press Enter to use the default Windows driver and continue, if it is not displayed, simply continue with Step 6. The prompt reads as follows:
Windows already has a driver that you can use for "Intel (R) 82801GBM SATA AHCI controller (Mobile ICH7M)". Unless the device manufacturer prefers that you use the driver on the floppy disk, you should use the driver in Windows. S=use the driver on floppy ENTER=use the default Windows driver.
6. Continue with the operating system installation, as prompted.
Download file(s) to install later
Steps to modify a Windows XP image to support SATA Native Mode
1) Enter F10 Setup, and go to System Configuration/Device Configurations/SATA Native Mode to Disable.
2) Install Windows XP Service Pack 2 in whatever manner is typical for your organization.
3) Download the Intel SATA AHCI Controller Driver, SoftPaq SP32478.exe, from
www.hp.com.
4) Extract all the files from the SoftPaq. A USB floppy is necessary for this step. Run sp32478; this will create a floppy disk. The files will be located on this floppy.
5) These files should be located on the floppy disk.
a. iaahci.cat
b. iaahci.inf
c. iastor.cat
d. iastor.inf
e. iastor.sys
f. license.txt
g. readme.txt
h. txtsetup.oem
6) Download and run the Intel Chipset Installation Utility for ICH7, SoftPaq SP32781, from
www.hp.com.
7) In Device Manager, right-click the IDE ATA/ATAPI controllers/Intel 82801 GBM/GHM (ICH7-M Family) Serial ATA Storage Controller and select "Update Driver".
Follow these steps to complete the Hardware Update Wizard:
a. At the first dialog, select "No, not this time" when prompted to connect to Windows Update.
b. At the next dialog, select "Install from a list or specific location (Advanced)".
c. At the next dialog, select "Don't search. I will choose the driver to install".
d. When prompted to select the device driver you want to install for this hardware, do not choose anything but click the "Have Disk..."-button.
e. Type "A:\" and click OK.
f. When prompted to select the device driver you want to install for this hardware, select the Intel 82801GBM SATA AHCI Controller
g. A warning that Windows cannot verify that the device is compatible with your hardware will appear. When asked if you want to continue installing the driver, select Yes.
h. The installation will complete.
9) Shut down Windows and restart the computer. Enter F10 setup when prompted during the boot.
10) Go to System Configuration/Device Configurations/SATA Native Mode and change it to Enable, then save settings and exit F10 Setup.
11) After Windows restarts, the additional SATA components will be updated. A System Settings Change will appear. When asked "Do you want to restart your computer now?" click Yes.
12) When Windows restarts, the SATA AHCI drivers will be completely installed.
You need a USB-floppy for this since there are no floppy on the PC (or a USB memory stick that can simulate a floppy).
Or you can create the floppy-disk on another PC and burn a CD with the files on the floppy (or copy via network).
With this info i was able to install win and its working just fine, once again thanks!
