Flashing an AHCI Option ROM to PCI Network Card

[bung]

Hi,

I need ahci on ICH8 but my bios doesn't support ahci. And I'm afraid of flashing because my bios doesn't have any bios recovery method

I searched and found an option rom called 'WindSLIC' which can be loaded into Network card that has a flash rom.

So, my question is, "Can I flash an AHCI Option ROM to my Network Adapter?"

[gabiz_ro]

If there is enough space you can flash.
But will not work.
ICH8 in legacy mode have other hwid than in AHCI mode as result even option Rom is loaded by BIOS will complain about wrong hardware or something like.

Better try GRUB patch for AHCI if is not a Dell it could work.

[bung]

If there is enough space you can flash.
But will not work.
ICH8 in legacy mode have other hwid than in AHCI mode as result even option Rom is loaded by BIOS will complain about wrong hardware or something like.

Better try GRUB patch for AHCI if is not a Dell it could work.

I have a AHCI Option ROM for my ICH8 and my bios (phoenix) has a hidden ahci setting. So I forced ahci using SYMCMOS utility.

My bios detected all of SATA devices in ahci mode, but not in the boot priority.

And, can you tell me how to patch GRUB to make it work in AHCI mode?

[gabiz_ro]

Is strange that BIOS can switch to AHCI but can't boot from devices.

You can request to somebody to unhide all setting in your BIOS and search for a recovery way , just in case.

Your BIOS have integrated Option ROM for network boot?

Remove all devices from boot order and see what is then.( that worked for me on one Sony Vaio,no option to boot from USB,so I moved all devices from boot order to disabled devices,boot devices remain empty and at next start booted fine from USB pen)

That is one GRUB patch.

The switch is at boot time and may work or no.

What motherboard you have?

[bung]

My computer is a desktop computer manufactured by samsung.
Model name is DB-Z60/Q180 with G965, ICH8, and C2D E6300. (It's too slow)
I contacted samsung to know about working but they said no crisis recovery method will work.

I also requested here for ahci mod (oprom integration) but I'm afraid of flashing

It boots from all other devices except HDDs and ODDs when ahci enabled. It just says "Intel® Boot Agent Vxxxx" and says "Operating System not found" with PXE ROM disabled.

One strange thing is the computer even cannot boot an IDE ODD with AHCI.

So, I'll order a 64K compatible firmware chip and will flash something. I think merging two option roms is possible.

Also, I'm going to try that GRUB patch. I hope it will work well.
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UPDATE : After some googling I found this article.

It says sleep mode will not be available because BIOS is configured for IDE. So I'm going to try to install grub on 128M USB flash drive.

[gabiz_ro]

Boot to ms-dos ,dump PCI registers of SATA controller.
Boot some live linux distro from USB when AHCI enabled, dump PCI registers of SATA controller. (in this case you should be able to access from linux attached devices)

Could be a problem of not set of ABAR.
I remember I was helping somebody with Mac Sandy Bridge with same issue.

[bung]

Boot to ms-dos ,dump PCI registers of SATA controller.
Boot some live linux distro from USB when AHCI enabled, dump PCI registers of SATA controller. (in this case you should be able to access from linux attached devices)

Could be a problem of not set of ABAR.
I remember I was helping somebody with Mac Sandy Bridge with same issue.

I tried to boot in AHCI mode with both ubuntu 11.04 x64 usb and windows 7 sp1 x64 usb, but it didn't boot at all.

The most important thing is, 'SLEEP MODE' must be available in AHCI mode (because I use it to turn on and turn off the computer), but following to some articles about forcing ahci, the computer will freeze and reboot after sleep mode.
So I need to order a 'compatible' chip for my network adapter. But I thank to your useful information.

[bung]

OK. My guess was right. I cound enable AHCI mode by 'setpci -d 8086:2820 90.b=40' but sleep mode was not available.

[gabiz_ro]

That is a litlle non-sense.
You say you switched to AHCI by SYMCMOS.
Then why is need to use 'setpci -d 8086:2820 90.b=40 ?

This must have been done by switching to AHCI with SYMCMOS.

What sleep level you need?
Could you enable from BIOS S2 level? suspend to RAM?
I know is a higher power level than S3 but coud work.

In my case,when I need PC I need to be instant on,just for lazzy I'm,PC still work fine after years of power scheme 30 min turn off display and HDD and after power loss power on again.
At least two years work in that mode,now since I don't need this anymore in the morning I power it up and evening shut down. But I use laptop most of time,which is always on most time of day.

[bung]

I used setpci because I haven't ordered a bios chip for PRO/100+ yet.

Also, I can force AHCI using SYMCMOS utility but can't boot with SATA devices because my bios doesn't have AHCI ROM

I will order a chip for AHCI ROM and will post if AHCI works with it.

In addition, my bios only supports S3 and S4 sleep mode.