installing XP on SATA drive

BobTheBeat

Hey guys, just put together my new system and Im having some trouble. When I boot from the cd-rom and go to install XP it says it cannot find any hard drives.
I go into BIOS any Nothing really rings alarm bells. The BIOS is picking up the drive, and I can choose to boot from it first, cd next etc. Its an MSI mobo - PT8NeoV.
Anybody have any ideas?

kasintahan

Yeah, load the SATA controller drivers off the motherboard CD (you might find it easier to put them on a floppy).


You'll have to press F6 (as XP/2000 setup loads) to tell XP/2000 that you want to do this.

BobTheBeat

Just after posting, I did this using the disk that comes with the board labeled SATA RAID Driver. However, when I am prompted to put the floppy in and press return, the same message is displayed again, suggesting that it is not reading the floppy.
The floppy drive is definitely installed as the BIOS is picking it up and I can move it up and down the Boot menu. Do you think that the floppy is corrupt? I can browse it from another machine however,,,...

SwampThing

It' possible that a floppy formatted/written to in one drive won't work in another - had that a few times. Head alignment issues, or something.

At this stage you've already tried a different floppy disk, just in case. Can the drivers be loaded from the CD? Maybe copy the floppy to another floppy - a long shot I know.

** Just thought **

Have you changed the bios setting for using 'sata only, sata/ide, ide only' (something like that)
The bios might see the drive, but maybe the OS install can't.
There's also some raid option that migh need a tweak.

Webmonkey

Are you sure that ur not booting from floppy?, Just make sure its when windows setup is starting and it asks you to press F5 or what ever to load drivers for RAID disks etc

kazzer

Hi,

I just installed XP on a SATA drive and it didnt ask me for any drivers at all, is this normal? Theres a driver that came with the mb, but windows seems to be working grand, should I try install this driver anyway? Thanks

MB: MSI K8N SLI
SATA: Segate barracuda 250GB

JohnnyMobile

kazzer wrote:

Hi,

I just installed XP on a SATA drive and it didnt ask me for any drivers at all, is this normal? Theres a driver that came with the mb, but windows seems to be working grand, should I try install this driver anyway? Thanks

MB: MSI K8N SLI
SATA: Segate barracuda 250GB

did you load the chipset drivers etc that came on the CD for the MB?
I know its working now.... but if its not broken try break it or make it run faster:)

Nukem

Check the bios settings as said - also may need a floppy to boot.Read manual again for problems and troubleshooting regarding SATA they have a section in the back i put money on it.

On the other question no need for the installation of the SATA drivers if you installed the CD that came with the mobo. Same as my one. First whip no messing.

Nukem

unkel

kazzer wrote:

I just installed XP on a SATA drive and it didnt ask me for any drivers at all, is this normal?

Yup, your mobo is one of the first generation (NF4) where it is no longer required to use the floppy

kazzer

Yup, your mobo is one of the first generation (NF4) where it is no longer required to use the floppy

Cheers unkel, thanks for making things clear.