SATA drive setup help please.

[John]

I have floppy with MoBo RAID drivers and need to know how to install. I have
Googled to no end about the process. I see no setup files on floppy that I
can run. I try booting with XP CD but system refuses to work. Anyone have
any tips?

Thanks
MM

 

[John Barnett MVP]

As XP setup begins you have the option of loading RAID drivers (or SATA) by
pressing F6. Visit my website http://xphelpandsupport.mvps.org Click the win
XP Faq button and take a look at question 108 and see if that helps.

--
John Barnett MVP
Associate Expert
http://xphelpandsupport.mvps.org

The information in this post is supplied "as is". No warranty of any kind,
either expressed or implied, is made in relation to the accuracy,
reliability or content of this post. The Author shall not be liable for any
direct, indirect, incidental or consequential damages arising out of the use
of, or inability to use, information or opinions expressed in this post..

 

[John]

As XP setup begins you have the option of loading RAID drivers (or
SATA) by pressing F6. Visit my website
http://xphelpandsupport.mvps.org Click the win XP Faq button and take
a look at question 108 and see if that helps.

This is what I have been reading but what if the OS is already installed? Am
I out of luck and have to do another clean install?

 

[John]

As XP setup begins you have the option of loading RAID drivers (or
SATA) by pressing F6. Visit my website
http://xphelpandsupport.mvps.org Click the win XP Faq button and take
a look at question 108 and see if that helps.

P.S.
Meaning that I only want non OS drive to be SATA. I only have one and am not
looking for RAID array.

Thanks

 

[Phillips]

You should have a whatever.inf file on the floppy - don't bother finding
setup.exe. You can right click the .inf file and click Install in the
commands drop down menu; if you want to see what's in the .inf file, click
the Edit command in same menu list. Also, you can install the .inf via
Hardware Wizard.
Otherwise, if you did not install HDD yet:
Install the hard-drive (HDD), boot and open BIOS. You should find the new
SATA HDD installed - but might be presented as an IDE HDD - pending your
mobo and BIOS. Navigate BIOS and check if there is a SATA (controller)
enable option - theree might be none but the SATA Raid option which you
don't need. If you have to install the controller, you might need to reboot.
Pending your mobo setup, you might need to install HDD drivers in Windows
first... but very unlikely.
After HDD is 'seen' in BIOS' start XP. The Hardware Wizard might discover
the new HDD - unlikely, though, since the HDD is not formatted for XP; if
the Wizard finds it, just feed it the drivers from the floppy - find the
..inf file.
If Hardware Wizard does not start, go Control Panel/ Administrative
Tools/Computer Management/Disk Management and you should see your SATA HDD
there. Right click and check Properties or Format options. Use the same
format as for the other HDD(s) you have installed; NTSF is recommended at
least for safety reasons.
Michael

 

[Rick]

I have floppy with MoBo RAID drivers and need to know how to install. I have
Googled to no end about the process. I see no setup files on floppy that I
can run. I try booting with XP CD but system refuses to work. Anyone have
any tips?

Thanks
MM

Are you trying to set up a RAID array? If so you put the floppy disk in
when the Windows CD says enter F6 to create a array (or what ever I do
not remember exactly the language) The XP Disk probably does not see
the disk. You must have the drivers in before windows sets up.

Rick

 

[John]

You should have a whatever.inf file on the floppy - don't bother
finding setup.exe. You can right click the .inf file and click
Install in the commands drop down menu; if you want to see what's in
the .inf file, click the Edit command in same menu list. Also, you
can install the .inf via Hardware Wizard.
Otherwise, if you did not install HDD yet:
Install the hard-drive (HDD), boot and open BIOS. You should find
the new SATA HDD installed - but might be presented as an IDE HDD -
pending your mobo and BIOS. Navigate BIOS and check if there is a
SATA (controller) enable option - theree might be none but the SATA
Raid option which you don't need. If you have to install the
controller, you might need to reboot. Pending your mobo setup, you
might need to install HDD drivers in Windows first... but very
unlikely. After HDD is 'seen' in BIOS' start XP. The Hardware Wizard might
discover the new HDD - unlikely, though, since the HDD is not
formatted for XP; if the Wizard finds it, just feed it the drivers
from the floppy - find the .inf file.
If Hardware Wizard does not start, go Control Panel/ Administrative
Tools/Computer Management/Disk Management and you should see your
SATA HDD there. Right click and check Properties or Format options.
Use the same format as for the other HDD(s) you have installed; NTSF
is recommended at least for safety reasons.
Michael

Ok, first of all the drive is already installed and formatted. It is
however not installed as SATA and saves extemely slow. I have the floppy
that came with the MOBO with several .inf files and did read that these must
be in a folder Crogram Files\Intel. Here I have placed many other files
DLed from Intel site. I have always gotten hardware detection error so per
your instructions I will now go into BIOS and look for the proper
configuration there. Then after reading your post several more times I hope
everything will be in order.
Thank you very much for your help and I will post back with my results.

Regards.

John

 

[John]

Are you trying to set up a RAID array? If so you put the floppy disk
in when the Windows CD says enter F6 to create a array (or what ever I do
not remember exactly the language) The XP Disk probably does
not see the disk. You must have the drivers in before windows sets
up.
Rick

I am trying to get my single SATA drive to be at least as fast as the IEDE
drives. One drive will not make an array is the way I understand it unless
this is a raid0 or something. But the idea of HAVING to have the
configuration done at or before OS installation is a main concern. If this
is so then I will not be doing it for one drive. Here is the difference.

 

[John]

You should have a whatever.inf file on the floppy - don't bother
finding setup.exe. You can right click the .inf file and click
Install in the commands drop down menu; if you want to see what's in
the .inf file, click the Edit command in same menu list. Also, you
can install the .inf via Hardware Wizard.
Otherwise, if you did not install HDD yet:
Install the hard-drive (HDD), boot and open BIOS. You should find
the new SATA HDD installed - but might be presented as an IDE HDD -
pending your mobo and BIOS. Navigate BIOS and check if there is a
SATA (controller) enable option - theree might be none but the SATA
Raid option which you don't need. If you have to install the
controller, you might need to reboot. Pending your mobo setup, you
might need to install HDD drivers in Windows first... but very
unlikely. After HDD is 'seen' in BIOS' start XP. The Hardware Wizard might
discover the new HDD - unlikely, though, since the HDD is not
formatted for XP; if the Wizard finds it, just feed it the drivers
from the floppy - find the .inf file.
If Hardware Wizard does not start, go Control Panel/ Administrative
Tools/Computer Management/Disk Management and you should see your
SATA HDD there. Right click and check Properties or Format options.
Use the same format as for the other HDD(s) you have installed; NTSF
is recommended at least for safety reasons.
Michael

I Enabled Intel RAID and SATA in BIOS but when booting with SATA drive
connected will prevent OS from loading. If I disconnect drive widows loads
fine. I loaded .inf file but this might have to be removed and installed
again. Then again I am just guessing at this point.

 

[Phillips]

1. Go to Intel website and download the latest drivers for your chipset;
there's a Chipset Info utility on same site that you can use to identify
Intel hardware. Be sure to download the XP versions.
1.a You might have an older SATA (1.0) controller while your HDD is NCQ;
hence, your NCQ HDD might go "off-line" and needs a few secs to wake up -
while XP freezes.
2. Check that the SATA cable is correctly connected in the SATA Port 0 (you
should have 2 or 4 SATA onboard ports); try another SATA cable also and make
sure the SATA cable is not touched by other cables that might press it when
you install the case door/lid. Better test the machine w/out the PC case
cover and gently check the connections at both ends while in XP.
3. Go BIOS... check "Configure SATA as Raid" set to NO.
4. In BIOS check that the Boot Drive is set to your XP drive - at boot time,
F8 (or other key) might give you the option to pick a boot device.
5. HDD manufacturer's website should have downloadable utilities for testing
the correct installation of the HDD.
Michael

 

[John]

1. Go to Intel website and download the latest drivers for your
chipset; there's a Chipset Info utility on same site that you can use
to identify Intel hardware. Be sure to download the XP versions.
1.a You might have an older SATA (1.0) controller while your HDD is
NCQ; hence, your NCQ HDD might go "off-line" and needs a few secs to
wake up - while XP freezes.
2. Check that the SATA cable is correctly connected in the SATA Port
0 (you should have 2 or 4 SATA onboard ports); try another SATA cable
also and make sure the SATA cable is not touched by other cables that
might press it when you install the case door/lid. Better test the
machine w/out the PC case cover and gently check the connections at
both ends while in XP. 3. Go BIOS... check "Configure SATA as Raid" set to
NO.
4. In BIOS check that the Boot Drive is set to your XP drive - at
boot time, F8 (or other key) might give you the option to pick a boot
device. 5. HDD manufacturer's website should have downloadable utilities
for
testing the correct installation of the HDD.
Michael

Thanks greatly. I have RAID/SATA running fine now. The drive is faster than
any of the others I have. There is however a conflict with my drives on the
Promise card. I had to remove the disk that was in the drawer to allow the
SATA drive and the OS to boot. It now seems I can use only one or the other.
I have well over a dozen drives in drawers all on cable select so I guess if
one doesn't work they all won't. Do you have any ideas? I have not tried a
different plug in the Promise card which I will do now as an other last
resort.

John

 

[Phillips]

You have to install Promise drivers for your specific Promise controller
(probably 378); problem is that Promise does not offer drivers for Promise
controllers installed on motherboards - the mobo manufacturer is supposed to
do it on the mobo install CD; however, if you don't find the drivers on CD,
you can use some 'generic' Promise drivers - google for "WinXP Promise
SATA378(tm) IDE Controller." Download and install via Hardware Wizard or
Disk Manager - same as for Intel SATA. Also, these Promise drivers can be
loaded from a floppy (or on a custom XP Install CD) at F6 XP setup.
After you install the Promise drivers, go in BIOS and enable Promise IDE (or
such); the 378 controller can Raid both SATA and UATA (IDE) HDDs, so the
name of the option might not be "Promise SATA." Check your mobo manual for
(might be on mobo website) details. You might have to update (flash) mobo
BIOS as well.
Reboot and you should see, after the normal mobo boot, a Promise boot screen
"searching for IDE harddrive..." or such. It will load XP after a few secs.
For better disk mgt., I recommend a fresh XP install (have the Intel and
Promise drivers available on a floppy or create a custom XP install CD)
after adding the new HDDs. You must have the XP qualifing Win OS and you
will have to reactivate XP - but that should not be a problem.
Michael

 

[John]

You have to install Promise drivers for your specific Promise
controller (probably 378); problem is that Promise does not offer
drivers for Promise controllers installed on motherboards - the mobo
manufacturer is supposed to do it on the mobo install CD; however, if
you don't find the drivers on CD, you can use some 'generic' Promise
drivers - google for "WinXP Promise SATA378(tm) IDE Controller."
Download and install via Hardware Wizard or Disk Manager - same as
for Intel SATA. Also, these Promise drivers can be loaded from a
floppy (or on a custom XP Install CD) at F6 XP setup. After you install
the Promise drivers, go in BIOS and enable Promise
IDE (or such); the 378 controller can Raid both SATA and UATA (IDE)
HDDs, so the name of the option might not be "Promise SATA." Check
your mobo manual for (might be on mobo website) details. You might
have to update (flash) mobo BIOS as well.
Reboot and you should see, after the normal mobo boot, a Promise boot
screen "searching for IDE harddrive..." or such. It will load XP
after a few secs. For better disk mgt., I recommend a fresh XP
install (have the Intel and Promise drivers available on a floppy or
create a custom XP install CD) after adding the new HDDs. You must
have the XP qualifing Win OS and you will have to reactivate XP - but
that should not be a problem. Michael

Perhaps you misunderstood. I already have the Promise card working with the
drivers on the Maxtor disk that came with the card. Do you mean I need a
different driver now that the SATA drive is installed? I updated the MoBo
when I installed it a few months ago if this means anything.

 

[Phillips]

Thought it's onboard Promise.... Reading again, I take it that you caannot
use both the Promise and Intel SATA at the same time. Ther is a conflict
between the two HDDs that might be cause dby your hardware setup.
Check that only one (the XP drive) is Master while the other one is Slave -
you might need to check jumper settings on the HDDs. Then, with both Intel
and Promise installed, check in BIOS that both are detected and in BIOS Boot
Order that the XP drive is the active boot drive.
Michael

 

[John]

Thought it's onboard Promise.... Reading again, I take it that you
caannot use both the Promise and Intel SATA at the same time. Ther is
a conflict between the two HDDs that might be cause dby your hardware
setup. Check that only one (the XP drive) is Master while the other one is
Slave - you might need to check jumper settings on the HDDs. Then,
with both Intel and Promise installed, check in BIOS that both are
detected and in BIOS Boot Order that the XP drive is the active boot
drive. Michael

The on Master drive is my System drive. The SATA is drive F: and the IDE
Promise card disk is drive E: set at cable select. I tried moving the SATA
to the other SATA connector and the IDE cable to another port on the Promise
cards but anyway I have it there is still a conflict. I see nothing in BIOS
to indicate there is something set wrong. In Computer Manager/Disk
Management the they both appear as Disk 1 while the System drive is Disk 0.
I wonder is I can get the SATA to become Disk 2 somehow.
John

 

[Phillips]

You should see them as Disk0, Disk 1, Disk2, etc.
Go here to see if you can find any solution:
http://support.microsoft.com/?kbid=309000
Check also the references at the bottom of the webpage.

Anyway, since SATA is faster, I would move/install XP on it - the SATA
drive - on a OS dedicated 20GB C: partition.
Michael

 

[John]

You should see them as Disk0, Disk 1, Disk2, etc.
Go here to see if you can find any solution:
http://support.microsoft.com/?kbid=309000
Check also the references at the bottom of the webpage.

Anyway, since SATA is faster, I would move/install XP on it - the SATA
drive - on a OS dedicated 20GB C: partition.
Michael

I have thought of that. I am using an old 80 Gig Western Digital that has
been around since it was new. I guess it is about time to upgrade that. I am
really curious about this situation. I am wondering if
others have SATA drive(s) operating with the presence of a Promise card. I
am also thinking of removing this card and trying to install it while the
SATA is active and see it that makes a difference. Thanks for the links. I
will see what I can learn.


John

 

[John]

You should see them as Disk0, Disk 1, Disk2, etc.
Go here to see if you can find any solution:
http://support.microsoft.com/?kbid=309000
Check also the references at the bottom of the webpage.

Anyway, since SATA is faster, I would move/install XP on it - the SATA
drive - on a OS dedicated 20GB C: partition.
Michael

I just reinstalled the Promise card and reset BIOS and all is well. I can
use the SATA and the IDEs together at last. I also cloned my System drive to
the SATA now I have to figure out how to set it so the System boots to the
SATA and then I can set the old System drive to a secondary drive.

John

 

[Phillips]

I would do a fresh XP install with the new hardware configuration - you can
restore your present installation if you do not like the result.
Michael