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Old 08-15-2013, 04:02 PM   #1
paradise1984x
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Ubuntu will not install with AHCI mode enabled in Bios (Sata III) hard drive.


Hey guys,
I just wanted to post a problem and solution that I found for installing Ubuntu 12.04/13.04 with AHCI mode enabled in BIOS. I fought for several days trying to do a fresh install of Ubuntu on my primary pc. Every time I tried to install I received an input/output error during installation pointing to my hard drive or cd/dvd drive as the culprit. It turns out that I could not install with AHCI mode enabled and the AHCI mode in SATA III. Instead I had to install with SATA II mode enabled. Took me a several days to figure it out, but SATA III mode seems to be the problem. Just thought I would share that with everyone in case they were having the same problem.

FIX- Go into your bios interface by pressing delete at initial boot, find your your settings for AHCI and change SATA mode to SATA II, or disable SATA III, however your bios is layed out, and proceed to install Ubuntu.

P.S. Im looking for a fix to enable SATA III at the moment. If anyone has a solution, it would be much appreciated.

Later guys.

Last edited by paradise1984x; 08-15-2013 at 04:03 PM.
 
Old 08-15-2013, 05:59 PM   #2
GlennsPref
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Hi, Welcome To LQ!

what happends if you enable sata3 after install?

I had a similar experience with ahci (a long, long time ago), had to set hd mode to IDE,

but after install I was able to change it back to ahci (as used with winxp at that time) and it booted fine.

My 2cents worth.

Cheers, and thank you for a solution to ahci and sata 3 install problems.

Regards Glenn
 
Old 08-16-2013, 02:57 AM   #3
H_TeXMeX_H
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In order for AHCI to work you also need the ahci kernel module. If the install kernel doesn't have this, then you can't install using it. However, after you install, you can either build ahci into the kernel or add it to the initrd if it isn't there already.
 
Old 08-16-2013, 03:34 AM   #4
cascade9
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Quote:
Originally Posted by paradise1984x View Post
It turns out that I could not install with AHCI mode enabled and the AHCI mode in SATA III. Instead I had to install with SATA II mode enabled. Took me a several days to figure it out, but SATA III mode seems to be the problem. Just thought I would share that with everyone in case they were having the same problem.

P.S. Im looking for a fix to enable SATA III at the moment. If anyone has a solution, it would be much appreciated.
Seems odd....what motherboard (and if you know, what SATA controller) are you using?
 
Old 08-17-2013, 05:34 PM   #5
paradise1984x
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Glenspref,
After install if I enable sata III, ubuntu will not boot. However, if I disable sata III, which will make your ahci device run at sata II interface, it will boot. Ubuntu will not install for me with sata III enabled. Yes that is anther solution to install by switching BIOS settings to IDE mode. My mobo is setup to enable AHCI for the first 4 sata ports and legacy IDE mode for ports 4-5, which would be a solution, but I feel like im not getting what I paid for if im not using AHCI on a sata III 6.0gbs drive.

TexMex,
Just to be clear this is seemingly not an AHCI issue, but a SATA III issue. The AHCI is present in the OS and installation CD.

Cascade,
Here are my hardware specs: Gigabyte GA-990-FXA-UD3, Phenom 1100T X6 proc, 8gb ddr3 1600, geforce gtx 550 ti 1gb, 128gb sata III SSD HDD (Windows), 500gb SATA III HDD (Ubuntu 13.04).
I believe the Sata controller is ICH-10.

Thank you gentlemen for responding to my post,
Later.
 
Old 08-17-2013, 06:08 PM   #6
911InsideJob
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Quote:
Originally Posted by cascade9 View Post
Seems odd....what motherboard (and if you know, what SATA controller) are you using?
.. have you flashed mobo with latest BIOS? Seems like that's where the problem is to me.
 
Old 08-18-2013, 06:16 AM   #7
cascade9
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Quote:
Originally Posted by paradise1984x View Post
Here are my hardware specs: Gigabyte GA-990-FXA-UD3, Phenom 1100T X6 proc, 8gb ddr3 1600, geforce gtx 550 ti 1gb, 128gb sata III SSD HDD (Windows), 500gb SATA III HDD (Ubuntu 13.04).
I believe the Sata controller is ICH-10.
AMD SB950 SATA controller. ICH is intel only.

There are various revisions of the GA-990-FXA-UD3, some of them do have a newer BIOS with 'Update AHCI ROM version' which might help.

Quote:
Originally Posted by paradise1984x View Post
Ubuntu will not install for me with sata III enabled. Yes that is anther solution to install by switching BIOS settings to IDE mode. My mobo is setup to enable AHCI for the first 4 sata ports and legacy IDE mode for ports 4-5, which would be a solution, but I feel like im not getting what I paid for if im not using AHCI on a sata III 6.0gbs drive.
You could try setting 'On Chip SATA Type' to 'RAID' and 'OnChip SATA Port4/5 Type' to 'As SATA Type'.

Or depending on your HDD you might be able to set a jupmer limiting it to SATAII.

The difference between SATAII and SATAIII for any current HDD is pretty much zero. Setting it to 'IDE Type' will disable NCQ (native command queuing) which wil haev more impact than setting the HDD to SATAII.

Quote:
Originally Posted by paradise1984x View Post
After install if I enable sata III, ubuntu will not boot. However, if I disable sata III, which will make your ahci device run at sata II interface, it will boot.
That will limit all SATA ports to SATAII. Wont matter for the HDD, will probably limit bandwidth on your SSD.

That is why I would set the HDD jumper to SATAII if setting things to RAID doesnt help, and getting the BIOS update seems to risky or doesnt help either.
 
Old 08-18-2013, 07:37 AM   #8
H_TeXMeX_H
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What is the throughput of the SSD ? That way we know how important the update to SATA3 is.
 
Old 08-19-2013, 02:31 PM   #9
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Not sure I agree with the problem.

As noted the speed of a device may also cause some issues with controller or be caused by issues with cables or even power supplies. We haven't determined if this disk is stable. I might be tempted to run some diags on it after I bought new best quality cables. I'd run memtest also. I'd run some hard drive torture tests too.

Usually I try not to update bios's unless the errata is exactly the issue. Also some ssd's may not work as advertised. They might be too fast for some boards.

Last edited by jefro; 08-19-2013 at 02:33 PM.
 
Old 08-19-2013, 04:37 PM   #10
paradise1984x
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Yes, Bios is latest.

I did not think of setting the jumber on the drive to sata II mode, good idea.

The SSD is a Corsair Force III.

Jefro: I actually tried to install ubuntu 13.04 on 2 different sata III HDD's with the same result which leads me to believe that it is a hardware config/compatability issue. Im leaning toward compatability unless you guys tell me that you are running ubuntu 12.04/13.04 in sata III mode.

That is my conclusion, but I never count Murphy out. Murphy is alive and well....and visits me often.

For now I will try setting the jumper on the drive to limit sata II operation. I will have to dig out an old mobo from the attic to get a jumper since I have not seen a drive that came with a jumper attached in years, nor have I had to set any jumpers for any reason in many years other than to clear BIOS.

Later guys.
 
Old 08-19-2013, 06:22 PM   #11
TobiSGD
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I have no problems at all with running a Corsair Force 3 120GB on a SB950 Southbridge, though I use a different mainboard (ASUS M5A99X Evo), so I would be surprised if this is a hardware issue (besides maybe a BIOS issue). I don't run Ubuntu, but I had running this with Slackware 14.0, which also uses a 3.2 kernel (like Ubuntu 12.04). Have you tried a non-Ubuntu based distro?
 
Old 08-19-2013, 07:45 PM   #12
jefro
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Try some other distro's just to be sure. At this point it can't hurt.

Unless you get some distro or similar distro to work we have no proof of any fault. Test test test.
 
Old 08-21-2013, 08:44 AM   #13
H_TeXMeX_H
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The drive is fast enough to need SATA3.

Yeah, try some different distros and see if you can get it running.
 
  


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