up vote 2 down vote favorite
share [g+] share [fb]

I have both Windows XP and Windows 7 installed on my laptop. XP needs the IDE disk controller. While 7 needs AHCI. I have to switch between these 2 modes before I could use one of them. Does it have any effect on the health of my laptop?

link|improve this question
81% accept rate
Doesn't Windows 7 work under IDE mode at all? If all you're doing is changing the BIOS setting, it shouldn't affect your laptop's health. – Randolph West Feb 13 '11 at 5:21
feedback

1 Answer

up vote 3 down vote accepted

It is safe to switch between AHCI (enhanced) and IDE (compatibility) mode, as it only changes the way the disk is accessed, but it doesn't change the data at all.

Windows 7 supports IDE mode, but it's not recommended because AHCI is faster. You can actually download the AHCI drivers for XP if you search for your motherboard (or computer model, especially if it's a laptop). Install those drivers, then reboot XP with AHCI enabled and it should work.

link|improve this answer
feedback

Your Answer

 
or
required, but never shown
discard

Not the answer you're looking for? Browse other questions tagged or ask your own question.