Win XP Install / SATA

[Panda On Smack]

Ok, i have an ASUS A8N-SLI Premium mobo and a WD 250GB SATA HD

Bizarre as it sounds i dont know how to get XP installed.

Cant seem to work out the whole routine. Anyone got pointers on what to do?

Ive tried bootdisks and loading drivers during installation but cant seem to get past the first reboot.

Ive turned RAID off in the Bios because as far as i can tell i dont need/want it?

Do i need a bootdisk for SATA drivers?

ta

 

[inactionman]

Just install it without drivers, it worked for me, although I was using SP2.

 

[Panda On Smack]

Im trying XP with SP1, i ahve a SP2 Cd but i need to call Microsoft and work out my Serial as its not on the cd case

It seems like you have to have certain bios settings, im not sure how true that is

Bit fiddly

 

[inactionman]

Nforce based mobo? If so I installed xp pro oem (original) a while ago just using default drivers, worked fine. That was Nforce3 mind.

 

[Lazarus]

in BIOS, have you enabled the SATA port that the drive is connected to?

 

[smurkin]

Yes, sata drivers. Or at least I think so. I had the same problem - after the install from the CD (XP SP1), the HD isnt recognised. Around that time, the forums were rife with similar tales of satas being a bitch to install. There is an opportunity to load drivers from a floppy...but my pc didnt have a floppy. After much arseing around the problem spontaneously fixed itself (it took 8-10 attmepted reboots and 2 days to fix ). If you get an opportunity to install the chipset drivers, I would take it.

edit..oh yes, I totally disable the onboard RAID controller in the Bios, routinely. It really slows down bootup.

 

[Panda On Smack]

Cheers guys

if i boot into my current setup using my ide drive i can see the SATA disk and format/partition it etc in windows. It all works fine so its a case of working out the install process.

Will keep trying

 

[nath]

If you're installing it fine but it doesn't get past the first reboot it sounds like the SATA drive isn't set to be the first boot device. Seems a little obvious, but have you checked to make sure it is?

 

[TdC]

indeed. Nath is the voice of my thoughts. what happened to me was that when I plugged in my second SATA drive the BIOS still tried to boot off it first even though it was in the secondary port :/

 

[SheepCow]

Check what nath said

Also your XP SP2 CD-key is the same as your XP CD-key, so you may as well install from an SP2 disk as it'll save you all those downloads.

When I install on my RAID/SATA I have to use a driver disk so Windows' installer can see the drives, then it all works fine. I have my RAID set to the first boot device

 

[Panda On Smack]

I turned off the IDe channels, used my XP SP2 CD (had to call MS for serial) and all worked fine

Just installing everythign i need at the moment

cheers guys

Windows loads rather quickly compared to old IDE install

 

[Panda On Smack]

1 query i have is that in the system tray i have the 'Safely Remove Hardware' icon and in there i have my SATA HD.

Is that right?

 

[inactionman]

Yeah, SATA supports hot-swap. Not that it would be a good idea to do it on the volume that windows is installed on!

 

[TdC]

indeed. that worried me too for a sec. I can see myself stopping a SATA drive instead of my ipod / camera at some point

 

[Panda On Smack]

Hehe

So can i get rid of the system try icon?

 

[TdC]

yeah mate: properties of taskbar > customize; then change properties of "Safely remone hardware" from [highlight]Hide when inactive[/highlight] to [highlight]Always Hide[/highlight] and it will be gone for good. You can prolly do the same from the controlpanel anyway I guess.