Help needed - SATA drives in WinXP setup

[Richard M]

Hi guys.
For some reason Windows XP Pro won't detect my SATA drive during a clean install on a new computer.
I get to the bit at the start where it says "to install Windows now press Enter" but then it tells me that I have no hard disks on my system.
Is there anyone who has done this and what do you do?

I'm using a WD Raptor with the Asus A8V mobo if that's any help.

[Bifta]

You should have a SATA driver on CD or floppy that came with the drive, you need to install that (I think) when it asks you to specify the storage devices.

[TheBlueRaja]

You need to install the SATA driver just before you install xp or wIndows will not be able to see it.
At the start of windows installation you will see PRESS F6 TO INSTALL 3RD PARTY DRIVERS
So make sure you've got them SATA drivers on floppy.

EDIT - This may help...

Linky1...
Linky2...

[Richard M]

Sorted now.
I had a proper read through of the manual that came with the motherboard and although it said to make a floppy for the VIA RAID, it worked fine with just the one disk.

The computer is FAST though, I can't get over the difference between this and my old Athlon XP 3200 with Maxtor 200GB IDE drive.

Actually getting the driver onto a floppy was a nightmare though, I had to boot up my 3200, then remote desktop into the 1800 to create the floppy disk because that's the only one with a floppy drive anymore.
Then I had to swap monitors over to the FX53, connect the floppy drive (oh the shame! ) and install it as theblueraja said.
It didn't accept the WinXP version though so I used the Win2000 drivers and it seems fine, the disk could have been corrupted though (re: not accepting XP drivers) because the only one I could find was a 10 year old OS/2 install disk.

Seems to be working though, but I can't quite get over the fact that the disk seems to format in 5 seconds or less?
I know these drives are fast as hell but is this right?

[darkangel]

Originally Posted by Richard M

Sorted now.
I had a proper read through of the manual that came with the motherboard and although it said to make a floppy for the VIA RAID, it worked fine with just the one disk.

The computer is FAST though, I can't get over the difference between this and my old Athlon XP 3200 with Maxtor 200GB IDE drive.

Actually getting the driver onto a floppy was a nightmare though, I had to boot up my 3200, then remote desktop into the 1800 to create the floppy disk because that's the only one with a floppy drive anymore.
Then I had to swap monitors over to the FX32, connect the floppy drive (oh the shame! ) and install it as theblueraja said.
It didn't accept the WinXP version though so I used the Win2000 drivers and it seems fine, the disk could have been corrupted though (re: not accepting XP drivers) because the only one I could find was a 10 year old OS/2 install disk.

Seems to be working though, but I can't quite get over the fact that the disk seems to format in 5 seconds or less?
I know these drives are fast as hell but is this right?

sata is no faster than ide, check the benchmarks the new drive may be faster but it's not cause of sata if u are a fast format it'll always be that quick

[TheBlueRaja]

Quickformat probably.

[Bifta]

Originally Posted by darkangel

sata is no faster than ide, check the benchmarks the new drive may be faster but it's not cause of sata if u are a fast format it'll always be that quick

It's not so much that he's using a SATA drive, it's that he's using a WD Raptor.

[Richard M]

Originally Posted by Bifta

It's not so much that he's using a SATA drive, it's that he's using a WD Raptor.

Indeed.
The majority of SATA drives perform the same as their IDE versions but the Raptor 74GB is the fastest one I know of, apart from SCSI.
I decided against RAID 0 because of the poor write performance.

[Bifta]

Originally Posted by Richard M

Indeed.
The majority of SATA drives perform the same as their IDE versions but the Raptor 74GB is the fastest one I know of, apart from SCSI.
I decided against RAID 0 because of the poor write performance.

I have to ask man ... did you win the lottery or rob someone? Athlon FX53, Raptor drives!

[Richard M]

No, I had the money anyway (inheritance, if you must know ) but I'm selling my old XP3200 machine to pay for my new Radeon, when it's out that is...
I thought I might as well get a machine that will last me a couple of years instead of being disappointed by bad performance in games as I am at the moment, and I do love my games.

After installing MOHSH in roughly half the time of my 3200, I think I've made a good investment, bring on Doom!

[Bifta]

Originally Posted by Richard M

No, I had the money anyway (inheritance, if you must know ) but I'm selling my old XP3200 machine to pay for my new Radeon, when it's out that is...
I thought I might as well get a machine that will last me a couple of years instead of being disappointed by bad performance in games as I am at the moment, and I do love my games.

After installing MOHSH in roughly half the time of my 3200, I think I've made a good investment, bring on Doom!

Sorry to hear that, I'd have probably spent the money in exactly the same way too.

[Richard M]

Hehe, it's ok.
I'm glad I don't have a car to waste money on, I'd much rather spend it on computer hardware.

I'm in a little bit of shock at the moment though, I just ran 3DMark2001 on my non-overclocked 9800Pro and got a score of 21864
Worth the upgrade? I think so, my Athlon32 3200+ used to get 14000 on a good day.

I can't wait for the X800XT now.

[Richard M]

And while I'm pimping my box, I might as well post a pic of those extremely cool DDR modules with the LEDs on top:
http://www.richardm.co.uk/images/for...53/RAM_LED.jpg

[SOSAGES]

Geeeeeeeeeeeeeek

[Feenix]

nice to see a Lian-Li put to good use