Intel US15W chipset and SSDs will (still) stall the installation

Hi,

I am sorry to know that you are unable to install Windows 10 or other versions due to chipset driver and SSDs issue.

Do not worry, will assist you with the issue. 

I do appreciate your efforts and time.

Have you dried upgrading chipset drivers?

Try to install and check if it helps.

https://downloadcenter.intel.com/product/37355/Intel-System-Controller-Hub-US15W-Chipset-Embedded-

Please get back to us with the required information to assist you further.

Thanks for the reply. Sorry to be so blunt but you should read my whole posting again.

I was able to install Windows 7 and Windows 10 Insider Preview 10162 (which doesn't activate anymore, but that is a different issue).

The problem is as follows:

The Intel US15W chipset actually uses a PATA to SATA bridge to provide an internal SATA interface. So it really is a PATA (commonly known as IDE) interface.

No problem with that, it is just slow. On a HDD there is no problem with installing Windows 7 or later.

On an SSD however, the internal ATA controller of the SSD will report that it supports TRIM and since Windows 7 the driver recognizes and uses this ability. Windows Vista and prior don’t probe for it, don’t use it and therefor have no problem.

When Windows 7 and later tries to use the TRIM command (as reported to be supported by the SSD) it will fail, because the PATA-to-SATA-bridge of the US15W chipset doesn’t support TRIM correctly.

What happens is that Windows 7 and later will fail to format a drive with NTFS. It will hang at this point. Sadly, as soon as installing Windows on a new (unpartitioned) hard drive (or SSD) it will obviously create a partition and format that partition. And there it will hang.

Workaround: Partition and format with Windows Vista installation media. After creating and formating the partition(s) is finished, abort Windows Vista installation, boot into Windows 7 or 8 or 8.1 or 10 installation and install it to the already created and formated NTFS partition. This will work.

Then boot with a Bart PE boot CD. I used one with Windows 8.1 (Enterprise) on it. Using regedit, loading the SYSTEM hive from [SSD-drive letter]:\Windows\system32\config into HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE (give it a temporary name, like "temp") and change within that tree the value of ControlSet001\Control\Filesystem\DisableDeleteNotification from 0 to 1, then unloading this hive, and then continuing with the installation of Windows 10 does work.

In other words: you have to prevent Windows 7 and newer from using a reported TRIM ability in the case of a US15W chipset.

If you want to make Windows 10 better, you should program the SATA driver to always ignore TRIM in case of a Intel US15W chipset. You’re good if this chipset is running an IDE/ATA drive with TRIM – that should work because there is no PATA-to-SATA bridge inbetween. But as soon as it is SATA, do the workaround, disable TRIM.

Summary:

The workaround is not trivial and requires

1) manual partition with another Windows (pre-7) or another OS (Linux?)

2) a Preinstallation Environment with regedit.exe (Bart PE) with access to the installation drive.

A regular user will not be able to install Windows 7 or newer on a Laptop with a US15W chipset and a SATA SSD, if you don’t fix this driver on the installation media. You should probably do this for the next Windows 10 updated installation media that you produce.

If you do the research, you will find the US15W chipset used with Atom Z5xx processors and Intel GMA500 chipset graphics. A view netbooks from around 2009 used this embedded hardware and were delivered with Windows XP pre-installed (Vista was too slow). Especially the x32 edition of Windows 10 looks very promising on this kind of netbook, because it is quite usable compared to Windows Vista.

Thanks for this, I have a Kohjinsha SC3 that's based on the same chipset, I stuffed an Intel mSATA SSD in via a mSATA to ZIF and originally it worked with a direct clone of my old Win7 install but failed to let me install anything else.

I cheated and threw a cloned install of 8.1 and 10 at it made using a VM and imaged with Macrium but it would always fail after a couple of reboots. I guess the TRIM was kicking in at random and just fubar-ing up the drive.

I shall see how this goes longer term but initially looks like it's done the trick.

PS: For anyone wanting to try this as well as BartPE you can perform the regedit trick using a Macrium Reflect livecd as well.

August 2016 update: This still seems to do the trick on my SC3, plodding along nicely with Win10 installed :)

Hello there,

First of all, thank you for the information provided.

On the other hand, my hardware is an Nokia Booklet 3G. I had no issue whatsoever intalling windows 10 with the original toshiba drive but i will change it to a microSATA SSD.

I will install windows 7 and then update to windows 10 to have it original using the Windows 7 Starter license key that came with the PC.

Therefore, my question is if the Windows 10 setup will keep the value "DisableDeleteNotificatio=1" from Windows 7

Thank you!

Dear all,

Well, after the weekend I was experimenting with the Nokia Booklet and I am very satisfied with the results.

First, I have removed the original Toshiba 4200rpm and put it in an external case to convert it into a External Hard Drive. Then, I put in the SSD that I bought and it was recognized instantly by the Nokia.

Then, I installed Windows 7 Starter using the method described ("DisableDeleteNotificatio=1" ) first on the install screen (using regedit) and then before the first boot (using hirensboot usb).

Once installed, I put the Wifi drivers and start Windows Update. THIS TOOK FOREVER. Many times I was wondering if it was doing something until it appears that there was 190 updates!!! (I recommed doing this before going to bed and let the updated being done during the night).

After all updated, I download the Windows Media Tool to get Windows 10. ( My idea by doing all of this is just keep the original windows key/serial to have it original) Windows 7 startes turns into Windows 10 Home.

I was very surprised of how smooth the Windows 10 install went. I did not have to do anything special because the register value was kept! Therefore, no problems during restart whatsoever.

Last but not least, installed the rest of drivers in Compatibility mode except the Hard Drive shock because there is no mechanical parts in the SSD.

Very happy with the performance of Windows 10 in this machine so far.

Hoping someone finds my post helpful and thank you all for posting.

Regards.