Author: Hidden User

Installing Windows XP x64 with AHCI Enabled on a Gigabyte GA-P35-DS3R Motherboard

There are two SATA controllers on the motherboard. The Intel SATA interface and the Gigabyte (JMicron) SATA interface. In order for AHCI to work with the Intel SATA interface, you must install the drivers at Windows install time or you can perform a hack after Windows is installed. Here is what you need to do for a clean install of Windows XP x64:

  1. Make the Windows x64 “pre-installation” driver floppy disk for the Intel SATA controller. You can get this off the Gigabyte website with the other motherboard drivers.
  2. In the BIOS enable AHCI for the Intel interface but set the Gigabyte SATA interface to “IDE” mode. If you don’t set the Gigabyte interface to “IDE” mode then the Windows setup program will not see drives connected to that interface.
  3. Boot off the Windows XP x64 installation CD and press “F6” when the installation program prompts to do so in order to install the Intel SATA interface drivers off the driver floppy disk you made in step one.
  4. Complete the installation of Windows XP x64.
  5. Download the Gigabyte SATA interface driver from the Gigabyte website and install it in Windows. Then reboot the computer.
  6. When the computer reboots, enter the BIOS
  7. Enable AHCI for the Gigabyte SATA interface and then save the change.
  8. When Windows XP x64 boot, it should recognize the AHCI mode of the Gigabyte SATA interface and install the drivers. Then it will prompt you to reboot.
  9. After Windows XP x64 reboots, the Gigabyte SATA interface will now be in AHCI mode.

Gigabyte GA-P35-DS3R Motherboard

How to Remove the Loading Screen in Windows Vista

Windows Vista displays a boot loading splash screen with a small progress bar animation. Behinds the scenes drivers and configurations are being loaded. For troubleshooting purposes it is useful to remove the simple boot loading screen and display the drivers and configurations being loaded while Windows Vista starts up. Here is how you remove the simple boot loading screen and display the verbose boot loading screen:

  1. Open run by pressing Window Key+r
  2. Type “msconfig” without the double quotes and press ENTER.
  3. Click on the boot tab and check the option “OS boot information“.
  4. Click ok and apply

Windows Vista

Linksys Router Freezes When Playing Streaming Videos

The Linksys Wireless Router Model BEFWS11 Rev. 4 has a problem where it will freeze up when you try to play streaming Windows Media Player files on the Internet. Upgrading to the latest firmware (1.52.02) does not fix this problem. The solution is to go into Windows Media Player and disable the following streaming protocols: Multicast, UDP, and TCP. Just leave the streaming protocol “http” enabled.

Linksys Router

How to Determine What Shared Libraries a Program Requires in OS X

In Linux you can use the command “ldd” to display what shared libraries a program requires. This is handy if you need to figure out what missing libraries are required to get a program running. Here is the syntax for the Linux ldd command along with example usage for it:

ldd pathToExecuteable

Example:

ldd /usr/bin/ftp

Mac OS X does not include the ldd command. Instead you need to use the command “otool”. Otool gives you basically the same information as what ldd does in Linux. Here is the syntax for the otool command along with example usage for it:

otool -L pathToExecuteable

Example:

otool -L /usr/bin/ftp

Mac OS X Terminal