SATA Drive installation

[attilathehun1]

Well, I'm almost forced into using this SATA drive, it's a SAMSUNG Spinpoint
SP1614C with a SATA connector. I found out later that it didn't have IDE
connectors, so I put it into a box and stacked it with other devices in the
closet. Well, I'm finally using it. The reason I'm forced into using this
drive is because this new mobo GIGABYTE S-Series GA-EP35C-DS3R has one IDE
connector and 4 SATA connectors, or 6 SATA connectors and 2 GSATA connectors
or 3 yellow boxes and 1 purple box connector. I figure the yellow connectors
each can take 2 cords. So, we have it 6 regular and 2 extra-regular SATA mobo
connectors.
I"m loading up, or building a brand new DIY PC. It wasn't supposed to be
that way, just a Dell 8300 upgrade, but the only thing I'm using from the
Dell 8300 PC is a couple of expansion card, and maybe an optical drive.
My question is; do I have to configure anything while the Windows XP Pro
edition OS is loading up during the initial installation? A brand new drive
with a operating system that I bought from a PC store for about $150 bucks a
year and a half ago. So the OS isn't Dell's or HP's or wtf's. The OS is
bought from Microsoft, I guess.
Any help would be greatly appreciated.
Thanks, attilathehun1

 

[Paul]

Well, I'm almost forced into using this SATA drive, it's a SAMSUNG Spinpoint
SP1614C with a SATA connector. I found out later that it didn't have IDE
connectors, so I put it into a box and stacked it with other devices in the
closet. Well, I'm finally using it. The reason I'm forced into using this
drive is because this new mobo GIGABYTE S-Series GA-EP35C-DS3R has one IDE
connector and 4 SATA connectors, or 6 SATA connectors and 2 GSATA connectors
or 3 yellow boxes and 1 purple box connector. I figure the yellow connectors
each can take 2 cords. So, we have it 6 regular and 2 extra-regular SATA mobo
connectors.
I"m loading up, or building a brand new DIY PC. It wasn't supposed to be
that way, just a Dell 8300 upgrade, but the only thing I'm using from the
Dell 8300 PC is a couple of expansion card, and maybe an optical drive.
My question is; do I have to configure anything while the Windows XP Pro
edition OS is loading up during the initial installation? A brand new drive
with a operating system that I bought from a PC store for about $150 bucks a
year and a half ago. So the OS isn't Dell's or HP's or wtf's. The OS is
bought from Microsoft, I guess.
Any help would be greatly appreciated.
Thanks, attilathehun1

The simplest procedure would be -

1) Go to Advanced BIOS Features, and change the boot order to
"floppy, cdrom, hard drive". That way, when a CDROM isn't in
the tray, the boot order will automatically go to the hard drive.
The default order shown in the manual, of "floppy, hard drive, cdrom",
doesn't make a lot of sense to me, and it should be fixed.
2) Next, go to Integrated Peripherals and set "SATA Port 0-3 Native Mode"
to enabled. This will use the Microsoft built-in (PCI bus) SATA driver,
which is present in WinXP SP1 or later. The Samsung drive can be connected to
SATAII_0 or SATAII_1. The BIOS doesn't seem to have a setting that
affects SATAII_4 and SATAII_5, but that will remain an issue for
another day. I presume they at least run in Native Mode, if no RAID
is being used.
3) Don't forget to "Save and Exit" as you leave the BIOS, as you want the
changed settings to be saved, before the computer POSTs again.
4) Boot the computer with the WinXP CD and do your install. I'm hoping your
CD in this case, is at least at Service Pack 1 (SP1). If the WinXP CD
doesn't have a Service Pack, then you'll need a new plan. But the CD
you've got, would have to be pretty old, to be missing any Service Pack.

Now, it helps to know what Service Pack is present on the CD. Chances are,
the Windows CD you bought, is recent enough to have some Service Pack
incorporated. If the CD was at SP1, then you'd want to install
SP2 (or SP3) next. Then, I'd insert the motherboard CD, after SP2 is installed,
and install the chipset drivers. Then the video card driver CD can be
installed. After that, it is time to check what is left over or
doesn't look right in Device Manager.

If your WinXP CD has SP2 on it, then you could do the motherboard CD
and its chipset drivers, right after Windows has booted from the hard
drive.

Paul

 

[attilathehun1]

Ok, sorry about the redundant questions, but after 30 replies, I'm not sure
anyone is following the questions. I'm fed up too, about going back to these
replies, and this had been a real bitch, sorry about the complaining, maybe
the monkey is climbing back onto my back. LOL
Ok, I'm about to start again. I just opened the side panel on the
Thermaltake VA8000B Series tower, and I'm about to install the motherboard
that was returned, in about 2 days, from newegg.com.
If this mobo is fixed, and it was the problem, then newegg.com rocks, big
time.
Ok, lets start, this will take a couple of hours, and I have about that
time left of daylight on a Saturday at 6:15 PM.
One thing I was taking from one of your replies. I just was reading the
user manual of the motherboard and it has alot of useful information about
SATA and what to configure in BIOS.
My question there has to do with BIOS. Can I get into BIOS, even though the
OS isn't loaded yet? I mean, there isn't any operating system loaded yet, and
I'm wondering if I can get into BIOS before an OS is loaded? Now from what
I've read here I take it I can. I will have a Windows XP Pro OS disk in the
CD-ROM, though. I mean while I have that in there, the disk.
Well, I'll wait for your response, and that's a bit down the road. I think
I can finish assembly before it gets dark.
Ok, lets give it a shot.
-- Thanks, attilathehun1
attilathehun1

 

[Paul]

Ok, sorry about the redundant questions, but after 30 replies, I'm not sure
anyone is following the questions. I'm fed up too, about going back to these
replies, and this had been a real bitch, sorry about the complaining, maybe
the monkey is climbing back onto my back. LOL
Ok, I'm about to start again. I just opened the side panel on the
Thermaltake VA8000B Series tower, and I'm about to install the motherboard
that was returned, in about 2 days, from newegg.com.
If this mobo is fixed, and it was the problem, then newegg.com rocks, big
time.
Ok, lets start, this will take a couple of hours, and I have about that
time left of daylight on a Saturday at 6:15 PM.
One thing I was taking from one of your replies. I just was reading the
user manual of the motherboard and it has alot of useful information about
SATA and what to configure in BIOS.
My question there has to do with BIOS. Can I get into BIOS, even though the
OS isn't loaded yet? I mean, there isn't any operating system loaded yet, and
I'm wondering if I can get into BIOS before an OS is loaded? Now from what
I've read here I take it I can. I will have a Windows XP Pro OS disk in the
CD-ROM, though. I mean while I have that in there, the disk.
Well, I'll wait for your response, and that's a bit down the road. I think
I can finish assembly before it gets dark.
Ok, lets give it a shot.
Thanks, attilathehun1
attilathehun1

Yes, you can get into the BIOS, even if there is no hard drive or optical
drive connected to the motherboard. The manual will tell you which key to
press. The idea is, when you see the BIOS screen first appear, you'll have a
limited amount of time, to press the magic key. Say 10 seconds or so.
If you don't respond in time, then the BIOS will try the boot sequence,
and you won't get another chance to press the magic key, until the
BIOS starts the next time.

The GA-EP35C-DS3R manual says to press "Delete" or <Del>. That seems
to be the same key as is used on my Asus board.

Also, once you're inside the BIOS, more advanced settings are available
if you press <control-F1>. I think they may hide the memory timing stuff
in there. So that is something else you can at least look at. No need
to touch it yet.

Paul