Installing XP without a floppy drive

[Guest]

I tryed to install Xp Pro on a pc that does not have a floppy drive and got
into trouble. During the install setup Xp did not recognize my hard drive, it
is a "sata" drive. XP asked for the driver to be loaded for the hard drive
but would only take it if I have a floppy drive. Well I don't have one and
can not believe that I can not install XP without one. I tryed to find
something on the Microsoft site but could not. Microsoft must have some kind
of fix for this....I hope.
Anybody know of one?

Thanks for the help.

 

[Roberto]

I tryed to install Xp Pro on a pc that does not have a floppy drive and got
into trouble. During the install setup Xp did not recognize my hard drive,
it
is a "sata" drive. XP asked for the driver to be loaded for the hard drive
but would only take it if I have a floppy drive. Well I don't have one and
can not believe that I can not install XP without one. I tryed to find
something on the Microsoft site but could not. Microsoft must have some
kind
of fix for this....I hope.
Anybody know of one?

Thanks for the help.

You do have optical drive set as 1st bootable device in BIOS? , if
so unless you are setting up a RAID config install should detect your
SATA drive automatically - no drivers required, check in BIOS that it
is all configured correctly.
You may have to read the manual for the instructions regarding
configuring the SATA/IDE channels [all depends on your MoBo].

rgds
Roberto

 

[Bob Knowlden]

What sort of mainboard is it?

I have installed XP on a SATA drive on a system with an Intel 865PE chipset,
and another with an nVidia nForce4 chipset (AMD) without using any
additional drivers for the initial installation. This may require:

Use the primary SATA controller, rather than any third-party one that
may be present, and

Configure the SATA controller in the BIOS to *not* be for RAID

If you wish to set up the SATA drive in a RAID array, or if you have the
wrong SATA controller, you'll need the drivers. You've just found a reason
for having a floppy drive in the system. (It seems odd that MS hasn't fixed
that in the past 4+ years.) I know of no way to spoof the XP installer into
reading the files from a CD rather than a floppy. I have read claims that
USB floppy drives work for this, though.

An alternative that I have never tried is slipstreaming the drivers onto the
XP installation. (I have only used slipstreaming with the Service Packs.
There are instructions on the Web that are sufficiently detailed that a
low-level user, as myself, can succeed at slipstreaming.)

Good luck.


Address scrambled. Replace nkbob with bobkn.

 

[Anna]

You do have optical drive set as 1st bootable device in BIOS? ,
if so unless you are setting up a RAID config install should detect
your SATA drive automatically - no drivers required, check in BIOS
that it is all configured correctly.
You may have to read the manual for the instructions regarding
configuring the SATA/IDE channels [all depends on your MoBo].

rgds
Roberto

boo1947:
Roberto's comment that your (motherboard's) BIOS "should detect your SATA
drive automatically" is, unfortunately, not the case for many motherboards.
In some cases the motherboard will contain the necessary driver (controller)
to recognize the SATA HD similar to the way the system recognizes a PATA HD
without the need to install auxiliary drivers. In other cases, apparently
the one that you've run into, the user must provide the requisite SATA
driver to the XP OS via a floppy disk - the F6 routine. In some cases the
motherboard's manufacturer provides that floppy disk, but in others the user
must obtain the driver from the motherboard's installation CD

Since so many computers (like yours) are coming through without floppy disk
drives, it's a miserable situation to say the least. There are some supposed
workarounds that presumably obviate the need for a floppy disk containing
the drivers, and instead incorporate the necessary driver onto a CD. The
process is rather tortuous and, from the reports we've received,
problematical. One of the more prominent ones mentioned is at
http://forums.hexus.net/showthread.php?t-29748

You might want to check with your motherboard's manufacturer to see if
they've developed any workaround re this issue. Other than that, somehow you
would have to get your hands on a floppy disk drive to install the SATA
driver/controller. (Note an external USB floppy disk drive would not work).
So far in every motherboard we've come across, a floppy disk drive connector
is available even when the computer is not equipped with a floppy disk
drive.

I would be interested in hearing from any users who have employed a
practical workaround re this issue that consistently works.
Anna

 

[Stubby]

I tryed to install Xp Pro on a pc that does not have a floppy drive and got
into trouble. During the install setup Xp did not recognize my hard drive, it
is a "sata" drive. XP asked for the driver to be loaded for the hard drive
but would only take it if I have a floppy drive. Well I don't have one and
can not believe that I can not install XP without one. I tryed to find
something on the Microsoft site but could not. Microsoft must have some kind
of fix for this....I hope.

Installing a SATA drive on my ASUS system is a bit tricky. Boot the
WinXP (2K, NT) disk and hit F6 when prompted (watch carefully!). I
always load the driver from a floppy, but let's hope XP lets you do it
from a CD. If not, purchase a used floppy from your local used
computer store ($5 or so) and install it (easy).

Now, boot your system and get into BIOS setup. Find the BOOT ORDER
selection. You want 1 to be floppy (in case nothing else works), 2
should be your CD/DVD, and 3 should be your hard disk. BUT, a SATA
drive appears as SCSI. Honest, try SCSI.

 

[Ron Sommer]

Installing a SATA drive on my ASUS system is a bit tricky. Boot the WinXP
(2K, NT) disk and hit F6 when prompted (watch carefully!). I always load
the driver from a floppy, but let's hope XP lets you do it from a CD. If
not, purchase a used floppy from your local used computer store ($5 or
so) and install it (easy).

Now, boot your system and get into BIOS setup. Find the BOOT ORDER
selection. You want 1 to be floppy (in case nothing else works), 2 should
be your CD/DVD, and 3 should be your hard disk. BUT, a SATA drive
appears as SCSI. Honest, try SCSI.

Why do you suggest 1 to be floppy?
The computer doesn't have a floppy.

 

[Stubby]

Because if you do install a floppy, and it has a disk in it, you want
Windows to pick that first. If there is no drive or there is an
unreadable disk in it, it will be skipped and you'll boot from the CD
(if any) of your hard disk. The hard disk should be last because
that's what gets broken and requires booting from somewhere else.

 

[Ken Blake, MVP]

Because if you do install a floppy, and it has a disk in it, you
want Windows to pick that first. If there is no drive or there is an
unreadable disk in it, it will be skipped and you'll boot from the CD
(if any) of your hard disk. The hard disk should be last because
that's what gets broken and requires booting from somewhere else.

I don't agree. The problem with having the floppy drive first in the boot
order is that if you accidentally leave a floppy in the drive and that
floppy is infected with a boot-sector virus (these are less common than you
used to be, but they are still around), you will get infected.

I think it's best to have the floppy drive last in the boot order. The need
to boot from a floppy is very rare these days. If you ever need to do it,
it's quick and easy to change the boot sequence in the BIOS then.

 

[Stubby]

I don't agree. The problem with having the floppy drive first in the boot
order is that if you accidentally leave a floppy in the drive and that
floppy is infected with a boot-sector virus (these are less common than you
used to be, but they are still around), you will get infected.

I think it's best to have the floppy drive last in the boot order. The need
to boot from a floppy is very rare these days. If you ever need to do it,
it's quick and easy to change the boot sequence in the BIOS then.

You're postulating a double fault: 1. Floppy in the drive and 2. it is
infected.

When your system fails, you need to boot from anyone of a number of
floppies: Memtest86, Partition Magic rescue disk, and eventually you
will will have to boot from the Windows CD and it will call for the
repair disk (floppy). You do not want to boot broken Windows off your
broken hard disk.

 

[Ken Blake, MVP]

You're postulating a double fault: 1. Floppy in the drive and 2. it is
infected.

No, I'm postulating nothing. I'm explaining that there's a risk of that
double occurence.

Is it a giant risk? No. it's not. But it *is* a risk, and there's no need to
run any such risk at all, especially since it's very easy not to.

When your system fails, you need to boot from anyone of a number of
floppies: Memtest86, Partition Magic rescue disk, and eventually you
will will have to boot from the Windows CD and it will call for the
repair disk (floppy). You do not want to boot broken Windows off your
broken hard disk.

Of course not, and I didn't suggest otherwise. My point is simply that it's
safer not to *keep* the floppy first in the boot order, but change it to
first only when you need to boot from the floppy (if you ever do; the need
occurs seldom).

Changing the boot order to floppy first, if you ever need to do so, is quick
and easy to do.

 

[Frank]

I don't agree. The problem with having the floppy drive first in
the boot order is that if you accidentally leave a floppy in the
drive and that floppy is infected with a boot-sector virus (these
are less common than you used to be, but they are still around),
you will get infected.
I think it's best to have the floppy drive last in the boot order.
The need to boot from a floppy is very rare these days. If you ever
need to do it, it's quick and easy to change the boot sequence in
the BIOS then.

The above makes absolutely no sense at all. (an infected floppy)
The boot order should be floppy - cdrom - hdd. Especially if one
has to get into the BIOS. Plus many many more.

 

[Ken Blake, MVP]

The above makes absolutely no sense at all. (an infected floppy)
The boot order should be floppy - cdrom - hdd. Especially if one
has to get into the BIOS. Plus many many more.

You are welcome to that opinion. I completely disagree, as I said.

 

[Ron Sommer]

The above makes absolutely no sense at all. (an infected floppy)
The boot order should be floppy - cdrom - hdd. Especially if one
has to get into the BIOS. Plus many many more.

What does Especially if one has to get into the BIOS. have to do with the
boot order in the BIOS?

 

[Bruce Chambers]

The above makes absolutely no sense at all. (an infected floppy)
The boot order should be floppy - cdrom - hdd. Especially if one
has to get into the BIOS. Plus many many more.

Actually, it's you who are making no sense. There are still boot
sector viruses, and they still can infect floppy disks. Not so for
bootable CDs -- unless deliberately included by whomever's burning the
CD -- as speciel software is required to create the CD. Further, if one
has to get into the BIOS, the boot order is completely irrelevant, as
the BIOS is entered long (in computer time) *before* the control of the
computer is turned over to the OS.


--

Bruce Chambers

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[Guest]

Thank you for your comments, but, I really need some help.
If someone out there has an answer to my question I would like to hear from
you.
I am always glad to to see that people have alot to say but this time I need
a direct answer to my question.
Thanks!!!

 

[Anna]

Thank you for your comments, but, I really need some help.
If someone out there has an answer to my question I would like to hear
from
you.
I am always glad to to see that people have alot to say but this time I
need
a direct answer to my question.
Thanks!!!

boo1947:
I realize this thread has gone off track re your specific problem because of
the subsequent discussion concerning the value (or non-value) of having
one's computer equipped with a floppy disk drive, however, as you've been
told your problem arises because you need to install the requisite SATA
driver/controller from a floppy disk during the installation of the XP
operating system. I realize you do not have a floppy disk drive but I know
of no reliable way to install the needed driver/controller without one.
Unfortunately, Microsoft does not have a "fix" for this situation. It's
possible that your motherboard's manufacturer has some solution for this and
that's why it was recommended that you contact same. Or perhaps the
manufacturer of your computer (assuming your machine is an OEM one) has some
workaround for this problem. Other than that I know of no solution other
than for you to install a floppy disk drive in your computer or taking the
machine to a local computer repair shop for their assistance.
Anna

 

[Catin Dehat]

Unfortunately, Microsoft does not have a "fix" for this situation. It's
possible that your motherboard's manufacturer has some solution for this
and that's why it was recommended that you contact same. Or perhaps the
manufacturer of your computer (assuming your machine is an OEM one) has
some workaround for this problem. Other than that I know of no solution
other than for you to install a floppy disk drive in your computer or
taking the machine to a local computer repair shop for their assistance.
Anna

Yes, even if the floppy drive is a temporary one with the floppy sitting on
top of something keeping it from shorting out something. It's unfortunate
that Microsoft has not yet seen fit to permit installing SATA or even RAID
drivers from a CD.