14 DAY TRIAL // Customers running Windows 7 have reported running into issues when attempting to install an Intel AHCI driver from the DVD or CD, as a part of deploying Microsoft’s latest iteration of the Windows client. According to the software giant, users reported coming across an error message after they pressed F6 in order to load a vendor provided AHCI controller driver.
“The Intel Express Chipset SATA AHCI controller (E:\1046...\iaAHCI.inf) device driver could not be installed. Contact your vendor for an updated driver," is an example of the information displayed to end users.
The Redmond company revealed that the issues can occur during the Windows 7 installation process, and only when customers attempt to install the AHCI driver from a DVD or CD media.
“When a new AHCI driver is installed, the devices connected to the AHCI controller will be re-enumerated and the corresponding volumes re-mounted.
“A DVD/CD drive connected to the AHCI controller might be unavailable for a short period of time. If Windows setup program attempts to load files from DVD/CD media at the same time, it may encounter I/O errors,” Microsoft explained.
At this point in time there isn’t an update or a hotfix designed to address the problem from either Microsoft or Intel.
However, when detailing the issue, the Redmond company did point out that an workaround is available and that customers that run into the error message can use it in order to make sure that the AHCI driver is installed successfully during the Windows 7 setup process.
The software giant advices users not to use DVDs or CDs but to turn to alternative media instead.
“Put the AHCI driver on a different type of media, such as a USB removable disk. Ignore the error and continue. When the above error message is displayed, the AHCI driver has already been installed,” the company said.
For users not familiar with the AHCI, the acronym stands for Advanced Host Controller Interface specification which is used for Serial ATA.
“The Advanced Host Controller Interface (AHCI) specification describes the register-level interface for a host controller for Serial ATA.
“The specification includes a description of the hardware/software interface between system software and the host controller hardware,” Intel notes.