Argh! Detect my SATA's!

Lydesia

Hey guys,
i just built and am setting up my new computer.
Im having a problem though, windows setup cant detect my SATA hard discs (2 X 200 GB) i know they are connected properly because the RAID utility detected both drives and i configured them into a RAID 0.

I have a SATA driver floppy and loaded the drivers when windows wanted it, but it still dosent detect the drives.

Any ideas?

WizZard

What error are you getting? You have to be really quick to get that 'Press F6..' message!

jozi

have a disk ready with your sata drivers and at the start of windows setup press F6 when asked, that should do it.
www.amdmb.com i found out here what files to put on the disk, might be of use to you to.

Jozi

Lydesia

WizZard wrote:

What error are you getting? You have to be really quick to get that 'Press F6..' message!

Yep i did the f6 and load drivers from a Floppy.
It then goes to the setup menu and when you type next it says:

WIndows cannot detect any mass storage devices.
blah blah maske sure the devices are properly connected and powered up


Any ideas

Lydesia

jozi wrote:

have a disk ready with your sata drivers and at the start of windows setup press F6 when asked, that should do it.
www.amdmb.com i found out here what files to put on the disk, might be of use to you to.

Jozi

Cheers i have the files but it still wont detect the drives.
even though the RAID utility will, and i have then configed

duridian

[Edit; Just thought of something else] Make sure that in the bios boot priority settings the raid 0 volume is set as the first hard drive.

Floppies can get damaged easily. Get a new and completely 100% free of defects floppy disk. Format it (full format, no quickies). Download this file Once it is downloaded double click on it and follow any instructions to create the driver disk for your RAID.
When setting up Windows (XP or 2000) press F6 when prompted to do so. Let it scan the floppy and it should give you some kinda result like "is this the mass storage device you want to use". It will probably mention VIA 8237 in the name. confirm that this is the driver you want it to use. It may ask if you want to add any more drivers for mass storage, reply no. Now if you have done it correctly when it stops loading up the initial drivers and gets to the part asking "where do you wanna install windows / formatting partitions" a possible option should be your RAID volume (if you have other hard drives they will also show up but I'm assuming the RAID 0 drives are all you have). Since you are going RAID 0 this will be approx. 400GB Unpartitioned space.
Partion as you see fit and do a full format with NTFS file system. The rest is straightforward.

Lydesia

duridian wrote:

[Edit; Just thought of something else] Make sure that in the bios boot priority settings the raid 0 volume is set as the first hard drive.

Floppies can get damaged easily. Get a new and completely 100% free of defects floppy disk. Format it (full format, no quickies). Download this file Once it is downloaded double click on it and follow any instructions to create the driver disk for your RAID.
When setting up Windows (XP or 2000) press F6 when prompted to do so. Let it scan the floppy and it should give you some kinda result like "is this the mass storage device you want to use". It will probably mention VIA 8237 in the name. confirm that this is the driver you want it to use. It may ask if you want to add any more drivers for mass storage, reply no. Now if you have done it correctly when it stops loading up the initial drivers and gets to the part asking "where do you wanna install windows / formatting partitions" a possible option should be your RAID volume (if you have other hard drives they will also show up but I'm assuming the RAID 0 drives are all you have). Since you are going RAID 0 this will be approx. 400GB Unpartitioned space.
Partion as you see fit and do a full format with NTFS file system. The rest is straightforward.

Thanks for the help, the hard discs do not appear in the Boot priority at all. The only option that comes up is : Bootable add in cards.

Maybe i will take some shots with my camera of the main screnns if that could help. Damn i really wanna get this problem fixed quick.

Thanks for the help so far guys

greglo23

you have to have scsi enabled in the bios to see the sata`s.

Lydesia

greglo23 wrote:

you have to have scsi enabled in the bios to see the sata`s.

ok..where in the BIOS is this utility?

Lydesia

here is a Picture of teh RAID utility,
shows the drives and the fact that i have then configed into an 0 array

jozi

In bios set it to the bootable addin cadrs.
Thats how it is on my brothers mobo, abit, and it worked.

Jozi

Lydesia

jozi wrote:

In bios set it to the bootable addin cadrs.
Thats how it is on my brothers mobo, abit, and it worked.

Jozi

It is set, but the SATA's should be detected at this stage, so i dunno whats wrong.

Check this capture>

Dempsey

Dont mind the bootable add in cards.

You have created the RAID,

You install windows, you've pressed F6 and gave windows the correct sata drivers.

Then it wouldnt not install because there is no volumes available. Right?

Have you formatted the raid volume?

Lydesia

Dempsey wrote:

Dont mind the bootable add in cards.

You have created the RAID,

You install windows, you've pressed F6 and gave windows the correct sata drivers.

Then it wouldnt not install because there is no volumes available. Right?

Have you formatted the raid volume?

no i havent, how do i do this.?

greglo23

another thing you could try is right click on my comp and select manage , disk management . your satas should show up but you may need to initialise them. if you only have the satas connected you might try conecting an ide drive, boot from that and sort it from within windows

Lydesia

greglo23 wrote:

another thing you could try is right click on my comp and select manage , disk management . your satas should show up but you may need to initialise them. if you only have the satas connected you might try conecting an ide drive, boot from that and sort it from within windows

The point is i cannot install windows in the first place.
And i dont have an IDE HD to try out your second point,

Cheers for the input though anyways

Dempsey

During Setup you should be able to create a partition. Create one using NTFS

greglo23

what make and model is your motherboard

Lydesia

greglo23 wrote:

what make and model is your motherboard

Its the ABIT-AV8 3rd eye for socket 939

Dempsey

The reason you cant install windows is because you havent created a partition on the RAID Array. Run the windows setup again, F6 and all that then after that you should get the option to create a partition. Create one using NTFS rather than FAT32 dont change the partition size to create a partition using the maximum space possible. The installation will be straightforward after that.

Lydesia

Dempsey wrote:

The reason you cant install windows is because you havent created a partition on the RAID Array. Run the windows setup again, F6 and all that then after that you should get the option to create a partition. Create one using NTFS rather than FAT32 dont change the partition size to create a partition using the maximum space possible. The installation will be straightforward after that.

you were right, it WORKED. You legend,

cheers!

btw is a 45 degree CPU core temp ok? DO you know what might be too high?

Dempsey

Depends on your CPU but it seems fine for any cpu but whats the cpu and the cooling used. I'll let the lads that have A64's give you a definite answer on typical temperatures

Lydesia

Dempsey wrote:

Depends on your CPU but it seems fine for any cpu but whats the cpu and the cooling used. I'll let the lads that have A64's give you a definite answer on typical temperatures

Its an AMD athlon 3500+ 64, 90nm winchester core.
with stock fan and heatsink. And the thermal interface material.
I didnt scrape it off and apply diffirent stuff.

Case is a thermaltake tsunami dream

WizZard

Well it's not too bad for a system with no load. Run Prime95 (Google it if you don't know) and see what temp it reaches under the stress test. You should always run Prime95 after a new build to test stability anyway.
Are you using the Thermaltake Hard Cano to measure temp? Or the BIOS? if it's the HardCano where did you place the sensor, it should be directly on the CPU die.
Stock coolers aren't usually great, consider investing in a Zalman and some Arctic Silver 5 thermal paste. You should see your temps drop with that.

My last PC (in a TT Xaser III) ran at around 31-33 with no load, and around 44 with load (HL2). I had a Zalman AlCu 7000 CPS on it at half speed for silence. That was a 3200+ Newcastle(130nm) socket 754, dunno if they run hotter/cooler than the new 90nm AMD64s as my new one hasn't arrived yet!

duridian

45 doesn't sound too high if you are using the stock cooling but like the lads said check what it maxes out at when under stress just in case.