P4P800E Deluxe Help

[rikgale]

Hi

I have recentely purchased a P4P800E Deluxe and a 36Gb WD Sata Raptor.
I plan on using the Raptor on the Intel SATA connectors in a non-RAID
configuration and I remeber reading many times, or at least I think I have,
that drivers need to be installed during the start of a Windows install when
it asks you to press F6 to install 3rd Party drivers. There was no floppy
disk with drivers on in the box and there was not ment to be as it is not
listed in the contents of the box in the mannual.

So my question is this: Do I need drivers on a Floppy to use the Intel SATA
conections or will it just work! and if I do where can I source these
drivers from?
I seem to be unable to find the drivers on the CD should they even be there
at all and I cant find anything on the ASUS website.

Thanx in advance

Rik

 

[John Blaustein]

I recently built a system for the first time with the P4P800-E Deluxe board
and ran into the same issue.

If you look on the ASUS CD that came with the motherboard, you'll find a
folder as follows:

Drivers>Promise>378ATA>WinXP

Copy all of the files in that folder to a floppy and have it ready to go
when you install XP. When the screen prompts to Press F6, put the floppy in
and press F6. Leave the floppy in the drive until the XP installation is
complete -- apparently the files on the floppy aren't copied immediately.

Also, once XP is fully installed, insert the ASUS CD into your drive and
when it auto-starts, run the Intel Chipset program, ALC850 driver installer,
and the Marvel LAN driver installer. I don't think you need to run the USB
driver installer.

The ASUS CD has a Windows utility for flashing the BIOS, but all indications
are that flashing from within Windows is a bad idea. Also, there is a newer
version of ASUS Probe on the ASUS Website.

John

 

[DaveW]

The SATA drivers are on the CD and you must copy them onto a floppy.

 

[Bob Knowlden]

If you wish to use the Intel SATA controllers without going to RAID, you
don't need to install any third-party drivers. (I believe that the Promise
controller would require drivers, but I have no personal experience with
that. I have a P4P800, not a Deluxe.)

Make sure that you have the BIOS settings correct. I believe that you want
the SATA enhanced mode selected, and the SATA boot ROM enabled (if you wish
to use the Raptor as your boot drive).

HTH.

Bob Knowlden

Address may be altered. Replace nkbob with bobkn.

 

[rikgale]

Thank you all who replied.

I managed to answer my own question about 30 mins after posting after nosing
about on the CD for a bit, there is a utility (an execuitable) which will
make a floppy with the drivers(Intel and Promise) on for you, or at least I
assume that is what it does. I am guessing that it just copies the contents
of the folder to a floppy.

Anyways Thanx again, all I have to do now is wait for the rest of the bits
to turn up and I can start building

Rik

 

[Sharky]

You DON'T need any drivers for the INTEL sata connector.
The drivers on de cd are only for the promise controler.
I have the P4C800E and boot from a 36gb Raptor without any sata drivers

 

[John Blaustein]

rikgale,

Reading Sharky's post, I realize I gave you incorrect advice about loading
the Promise drivers with "F6." I apologize for the mistake, and I hope
there was no harm done by adding the Promise driver during your XP
installation.

John

 

[Formerprof]

I think you need the Intel RAID driver (ulsata.sys?) from the CD if you are
using the controller for a RAID array.

 

[rikgale]

No worries,

I am still wainting for parts before I can start an install, as still
missing processor and Gfx card. I am trying to cover all potential problems
before I start.
Seems that the Prescott CPU I ordered was a bad plan thought, what with all
the problems with SP2. Never mind.

Thanx

Rik