Are there problems installing XPsp2 with SATA drives?

[Gary R.]

Putting together a new system, I figured I might as well get SATA drives
(won't be using RAID), but a quick search shows a lot of problems installing
XP...it doesn't recognize the drive when booting from the CD, needs drivers
via floppy, drive disappears later, etc...

Is this to be expected if I get the SATA drives? It will be a clean install
on a new drive; will I need to slap in a floppy drive to install drivers
before I can install XP, and is this one of those things that's likely to be
a source of problems? (if so, it's not worth it to me, I'll stick with
IDE).

Gary

 

[Karl Burrows]

I have done it several times with no problems. You just have to F6 the
initial installation to load the RAID drivers for the on board SATA. Even
though it is not RAID per se, it still runs on a RAID channel, so you have
to install the drivers before you install the O/S.

Putting together a new system, I figured I might as well get SATA drives
(won't be using RAID), but a quick search shows a lot of problems installing
XP...it doesn't recognize the drive when booting from the CD, needs drivers
via floppy, drive disappears later, etc...

Is this to be expected if I get the SATA drives? It will be a clean install
on a new drive; will I need to slap in a floppy drive to install drivers
before I can install XP, and is this one of those things that's likely to be
a source of problems? (if so, it's not worth it to me, I'll stick with
IDE).

Gary

 

[RonK]

You will need the floppy drive to install the Sata drivers during the
install. At the first part of the install you will be prompted to hit the F6
key to install the Sata drivers. You will have to extract the drivers from
the motherboard driver disk onto a floppy.

You should not have any of the other problems you asked about. The sata
drives will be fine after the installation.

 

[Jerry]

The main, and probably only, issue will be the requirement to install the
SATA drivers from the floppy when XP asks for it during initial setup.

 

[peterk]

I've had my SATA drive for over a year now and have been through 2 or 3
installs of XP with only one of them being a SATA fault(flimsy connector
that I broke).All installs went without a hitch by using the F6 method and
the driver never "disappeared".RAID is a different subject where you need to
set up RAID before you install XP.
Oh! and when I broke the SATA connector and the connection on the SATA drive
I did buy another SATA drive but I also purchased the new WD more secure
connector....only problem with it is you cannot then use the SATA power
connector from your PSU you haveto use the regular connector.
peterk

 

[Paul Knudsen]

Putting together a new system, I figured I might as well get SATA drives
(won't be using RAID), but a quick search shows a lot of problems installing
XP...it doesn't recognize the drive when booting from the CD, needs drivers
via floppy, drive disappears later, etc...

Is this to be expected if I get the SATA drives? It will be a clean install
on a new drive; will I need to slap in a floppy drive to install drivers
before I can install XP, and is this one of those things that's likely to be
a source of problems? (if so, it's not worth it to me, I'll stick with
IDE).

Gary

Recently installed a SATA drive. It was kinda accidental, as my wife
bought me a new drive for Chistmas, no knowing it was a SATA.

You'll love the speed. Simply make sure your MB or PCI card comes
with drivers. Then you hit F6 when you boot the Windows CC and it'll
find the drivers and install like a champ.

 

[Gary R.]

Many thanks to all who replied so quickly; sounds like it's not the
nightmare a Google search produced, so I'll go ahead with the SATA after
all, and just install a floppy drive temporarily.

Gary