Dell Inspiron 530 With Phoenix AHCI v1.06.70 And Intel RAID For Sata v7.6.0.1011

[Dansolo]

Update: To answer my questions, the BIOS does not automatically load the Intel AHCI module if I pull the Phoenix one out and put the Intel one in. It does not brick the board and, furthermore, my experience shows that the RAID BIOS still works fine without the AHCI BIOS, even with optical drives. I put a newer version of the Inspiron 530 BIOS up based on Dell's 1.0.18 BIOS and Intel Matrix Raid 8.7.0 for ICH9R. I recommend using that BIOS if it works for you. It has been tested working by me on my friend's machine. There is a different thread on this forum about that one.

Dell Inspiron 530. It has an Award BIOS but the AHCI module in it is an ISA module, Phoenix brand. Is it possible to rip that out and add Intel 1.20E? The chipset is G33/ICH9. There is no option in the BIOS for AHCI - just IDE and RAID, and it does use Intel RAID. Using Intel RAID activates both the Phoenix AHCI and the Intel RAID.

If nobody happens to know if switching the option ROMs will work, does anyone know if it would fail to boot (in IDE mode) if it doesn't like it? Like maybe the actual BIOS code has a reference to the Phoenix AHCI and I'd have to modify that (way over my head) and maybe it won't even boot if it can't find it? Even in IDE mode, it still somewhat activates, though only to the point where it says "AHCI BIOS not installed!"


Thanks

[1234s282]

to make our job a little easier please can you provide us with a link to download the bios , saves us having to go finding it!

Thanks
Admin

[Dansolo]

Okay, well, here's what I did so far and it works (to anyone else with an Inspiron 530, feel free to use this): http://rapidshare.com/files/416028403/In...AID7.6.bin - 1.0.16-based because supposedly people have had problems with 1.0.18.

It has the latest Phoenix AHCI that I found, 1.06.70 (up from stock 1.03.50 or something) and Intel RAID 7.6. It seems to create an unknown device in device manager that says it's an IDE controller but with no drivers found and no useful hardware ID (it's just ACPI\FA0000 or something like that - my friend took the computer back so I'll have to ask him to give me a screenshot when he gets a chance). I got it to work with Intel RAID 7.6. 8.9+ don't work. Didn't try lower 8.x ones like 8.5. All of the SATA ports still work so whatever this thing in device manager is doesn't seem to cause a problem (and it might not even be the AHCI/RAID stuff, but it could be Daemon Tools or something too)

I am able to take the Phoenix AHCI out and put Intel in but I'm just worried about it messing stuff up if I do, so I haven't tried it.


Another question - cbrom says it has spiflash in it - is there a way that I can add an option to invoke it to do something like my Gigabyte board's QFlash? That way if I [censored] up the hard drive stuff, I can probably still flash it. I would have messed up my board (X58A-UD3R) last night if not for QFlash - whew!

[1234s282]

Well done Dansolo , is it alright if i put this in the confirmed section then?

Admin

[Dansolo]

feel free

[1234s282]

Heres a local mirror , rapidshare can be awkward and delete things!

http://dl.dropbox.com/u/747181/Inspiron5...AID7.6.bin

Regards and Congratulations once again

Admin