Serial ATA / OS installation question..

  • Thread starter Thread starter Falco98
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Falco98

So my roommate just bout the components for a new system. Little did we
know, the 2 behemoth 120G maxtors we selected were both Serial ATA,
something of which I was relatively unaware up until now. The motherboard
has SATA slots and all, but when he tries to boot from the XP CD intending
to install, it reports that there are "no hard drives found on the system",
even though the post screens correctly identify the drive plugged in. How
may we get windows to install onto one of these drives as primary?
 
JAD said:
um dumb question but you did partition the drives right?
Click to expand...

The winXP installation utility typically takes care of that. However, it
claims not to see the drive.
 
Howdy!

Falco98 said:
So my roommate just bout the components for a new system. Little did we
know, the 2 behemoth 120G maxtors we selected were both Serial ATA,
something of which I was relatively unaware up until now. The motherboard
has SATA slots and all, but when he tries to boot from the XP CD intending
to install, it reports that there are "no hard drives found on the system",
even though the post screens correctly identify the drive plugged in. How
may we get windows to install onto one of these drives as primary?
Click to expand...

When the install mentions installing the RAID drivers, did you hit
F8 and load the drivers for the SATA ports?

RwP
 
If the Serial ATA is a third-party chip on the motherboard, as opposed to
being on the Southbridge, you'll need to insert the manufacturer's floppy
disk when Windows states "Press F6 to..." upon the installation.

@drian.
 
If the Serial ATA is a third-party chip on the motherboard, as opposed to
being on the Southbridge, you'll need to insert the manufacturer's floppy
disk when Windows states "Press F6 to..." upon the installation.

@drian.
 
Alright, we figured out (finally, tho it shoulda been obvious); but now,
when it says to insert a disk in A:, it's not finding the disk. Of course,
he's using an LS-120 drive, and neither of us has a 'normal' 3.5" floppy
drive. Any ideas? Is there some way to cheat the SATA drivers onto a CD?
thanks..
 
thats the kicker, every one i have done won't let you 'browse'
put the contents on the LS floppy?, we were just discussing the 'obsoleteness' of the floppy. LOL
 
XP partitions? I know it formats.....I still haven't "wont " jump to that os. 2000 didn't do partitioning did it? I always did that
prior, so i never gave it a chance.
 
Check to see if your motherboard sees USB you can put a USB disk
temporarily. Check the bios to see if LS-120 drive is supported. Side note
why did he waste money on a LS-120 drive?? those damn floppy's cost more
then the drive.

If your motherboard doesn't support any of the above get a floopy from
another machine temorarily then put it back the worthless LS-120 back.
 
Howdy!

JAD said:
XP partitions? I know it formats.....I still haven't "wont " jump to that
Click to expand...
os. 2000 didn't do partitioning did it? I always did that
prior, so i never gave it a chance.
Click to expand...

ALL Microsoft OSes currently need some kind of partition. Win2K
would partition also.

For booting, it should be a primary partition.

For other drives, you can have a dynamic drive, where the partition
is the whole drive ...

RwP
 
Windows XP does not contain the drivers for SATA drives. You need to
install them first from a floppy.
 
This is not a function of the drives, but of the controller. Some SATA
controllers, built into some Intel chipsets, act enough like regular ATA
controllers that no special drivers are needed to install an OS, whether
it is Win2k/XP/2K3. Enhanced drivers are installed after the OS is
installed and functional. Others, such as those using the latest Promise
SATA controllers need special drivers. Doesn't matter what OS it is,
there will be controllers out that have no native drivers in the OS.
 
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