Clean Install using SATA DVD and SATA HDD

[Guest]

Built a new computer for my wife's use: Celeron D (3.3 GHz), 1 GB DDR400
RAM, Samsung SATA DVD, 250 GB WD SATA HDD. Windows Vista Home Basic OEM DVD.

Entered CMOS setup to use the 'CDROM' as the first boot device. Inserted
OEM DVD and rebooted. Windows message appears indicating that files are
being opened. After several minutes message appears that a file is missing
or corrupt on a path that includes WIndows32 sub-directory. Select the
option reached by hitting Enter key and am able to tab to inspect memory.
Immediately receive message that there are problems with memory.

Turn off machine and sleep on it.

Next day, insert Windows XP install disk and everything progresses
successfully. SATA HDD gets formatted while I walk away for dinner. Return
and install is asking for validation code. I remove XP install CD from
drive, replace it with the Vista OEM DVD, and reboot. Install procedes to
successful completion.

Moral: SATA HDD must be formatted before attempting a clean install of
Vista, apparently.

 

[John Barnes]

You can create the necessary partition and quick format it with the Vista
DVD. Advanced options on the drive selection screen.

 

[Dave B.]

I don't know what was causing your issue, but I can tell you your
conclusion isn't correct, have done a few clean installs on brand new SATA
drives, formatting them during the Vista setup process, with no problems.

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[Guest]

I was given no option to do anything to the hard drive. Screen was blank,
except for progress bar at bottom, until error message appeared telling me
that a file was missing or corrupt.

With no O/S installed on the machine, there was no stopping to explore the
DVD or even to do a directory on it.

 

[pete]

It seems you missed 2 points....the installation of SATA drivers specific to
your mobo as well as the boxes at the bottom of the screen that shows your
HD where you have the option to do a custom install...format the drive...etc
etc
peter

 

[Christopher L. Estep]

I don't know what was causing your issue, but I can tell you your
conclusion isn't correct, have done a few clean installs on brand new SATA
drives, formatting them during the Vista setup process, with no problems.

That works only where the SATA controller is *specifically supported by the
operating system* (example: the SATA controller included as part of the
Intel ICH5SR and later southbridges is supported directly by Windows XP and
later, hence the SATA controller driver and 137 GB rules do not apply to
it). However, that is *not* the case with nForce-chipset SATA controllers
(or most third-party SATA controllers), which is why you will still need
driver floppies.

I have a Maxtor (2004-technology) 200 GB SATA hard drive that originally was
bought (in 2005) for Windows XP: because the motherboard (ASUS P4C800-E
Deluxe) was built around Intel's 875P chipset and ICH5SR southbridge, I
didn't need a driver floppy during XP's installation (the source optical
drive was PATA).

That is likely the source of the *file corruption issue* (Vista didn't pick
up the controller, and therefore didn't pick up the drives). What chipset
does the motherboard in question have?

Christopher L. Estep

 

[Adam Albright]

That works only where the SATA controller is *specifically supported by the
operating system* (example: the SATA controller included as part of the
Intel ICH5SR and later southbridges is supported directly by Windows XP and
later, hence the SATA controller driver and 137 GB rules do not apply to
it). However, that is *not* the case with nForce-chipset SATA controllers
(or most third-party SATA controllers), which is why you will still need
driver floppies.

I have a Maxtor (2004-technology) 200 GB SATA hard drive that originally was
bought (in 2005) for Windows XP: because the motherboard (ASUS P4C800-E
Deluxe) was built around Intel's 875P chipset and ICH5SR southbridge, I
didn't need a driver floppy during XP's installation (the source optical
drive was PATA).

That is likely the source of the *file corruption issue* (Vista didn't pick
up the controller, and therefore didn't pick up the drives). What chipset
does the motherboard in question have?

Christopher L. Estep

Windows offers TERRIBLE support for SATA controllers. See my "rant" in
the General Group. Windows is so dumb it attempts to load a extra
bogus IDE channel, then says it failed to initialize the driver. I got
two SATA drives, both high capacity Seagate, neither is the boot
drive. Thanksfully that's a ATA IDE drive.

One SATA Windows "sees" the other it refuses unless crippled to IDE
mode. Got the latest BIOS and controller driver from Gigabyte for a
GA-965P-DQ6 MB. By the way, the drives worked fine as SATA under XP.
The funny part is it does run one SATA as a SATA, so makes no sense.
This MB has two seperate SATA controllers and 8 channels. No matter
how I mix them up Vista only sees one SATA internal drive. On another
SATA external Vista don't see it at all and I'm forced to use a USB
2.0 interface. So I paid a premium price for a premium MB and premium
drives and have to disable half the advanced features to get Vista to
see the drives. How stupid is that? I paid $200 to upgrade to Vista
business and it isn't worth $20.

 

[Dave B.]

I've done a few installs where I needed to provide drivers via F6, still no
problems formatting the drive.

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