SATA drive

[tempest]

If i want install Win XP on new laptop with SATA drive type, when boot win
XP from CD, will windows XP recognize the hard drive? Laptop comes with
Linux.

 

[Terry R.]

The date and time was Wednesday, April 15, 2009 1:28:58 PM, and on a
whim, tempest pounded out on the keyboard:

If i want install Win XP on new laptop with SATA drive type, when boot win
XP from CD, will windows XP recognize the hard drive? Laptop comes with
Linux.

You just have to try it and see. If it's not recognized, go into the
BIOS and there should be an option stating legacy or compatible under
the hard drive section.

I've installed Windows on dozens of laptops (mostly Dell) when replacing
drives and have never had to change any settings. But on quite a few
desktops, I've had to use F6 to install the SATA driver.


Terry R.

 

[sgopus]

Some Bios will allow seeing of the SATA drive, best way to find out is to
boot using the install cd, and press F6 when prompted to install the Sata
drivers for windows, have them on hand (floppy) before you attempt an
install, it will not read from cd for the SATA drivers, it looks only for a
floppy drive.

 

[JS]

Check your BIOS settings, some will
have an "Enhanced" mode which should
do the trick.

 

[Terry R.]

The date and time was Wednesday, April 15, 2009 2:54:10 PM, and on a
whim, JS pounded out on the keyboard:

Check your BIOS settings, some will
have an "Enhanced" mode which should
do the trick.

legacy, compatible, enhanced... I wish they would standardize on what
to call it!


Terry R.

 

[JS]

Yes I know, I have one PC that even
has an "Auto" setting in the BIOS when using
IDE and or a mix of IDE (PATA) and SATA drives.

 

[Patrick Keenan]

If i want install Win XP on new laptop with SATA drive type, when boot win
XP from CD, will windows XP recognize the hard drive? Laptop comes with
Linux.

The answer is, it depends. What it depends on is the specific drive
controller and the way the controller is configured.

XP has support for some, but not all, SATA controllers. If the controller
isn't supported AND is in "enhanced" or AHCI mode, no SATA drives will be
found, unless drivers are successfully loaded during Setup via the F6 key.

However, it can happen that on some systems (*like the one I'm typing on*),
drivers appear to be accepted and loaded - but then are not used, and SATA
drives are not detected. In this case, it is necessary to boot to the
BIOS and turn down the SATA controller to non-enhanced or Compatible or IDE
mode, or whatever it's called on your system. Save the changes, reboot,
install XP, then install the SATA drivers, reboot back to the BIOS and shift
back to AHCI mode.

You really won't know until you try, and you can quickly try with just about
any XP CD that isn't bound to a specific BIOS signature (i.e. Dell).

If your system's controller will work, you will be asked what drive to
install to. If it won't work, or as is, you'll get a message that no
drives were found and install will come to a dead stop.

You *must* also be *sure* that XP drivers *are available for the laptop
hardware*, before commencing the install.

HTH
-pk

 

[tempest]

The answer is, it depends. What it depends on is the specific drive
controller and the way the controller is configured.

XP has support for some, but not all, SATA controllers. If the controller
isn't supported AND is in "enhanced" or AHCI mode, no SATA drives will be
found, unless drivers are successfully loaded during Setup via the F6 key.

However, it can happen that on some systems (*like the one I'm typing
on*), drivers appear to be accepted and loaded - but then are not used,
and SATA drives are not detected. In this case, it is necessary to boot
to the BIOS and turn down the SATA controller to non-enhanced or
Compatible or IDE mode, or whatever it's called on your system. Save the
changes, reboot, install XP, then install the SATA drivers, reboot back to
the BIOS and shift back to AHCI mode.

You really won't know until you try, and you can quickly try with just
about any XP CD that isn't bound to a specific BIOS signature (i.e. Dell).

If your system's controller will work, you will be asked what drive to
install to. If it won't work, or as is, you'll get a message that no
drives were found and install will come to a dead stop.

You *must* also be *sure* that XP drivers *are available for the laptop
hardware*, before commencing the install.

HTH
-pk

------------

so if winXP has not support for notebook SATA controller, the hard drive
need be switched to IDE mode (which is less efficient?), also messing with
drivers, etc?

Thanks.

 

[tempest]

Some Bios will allow seeing of the SATA drive, best way to find out is to
boot using the install cd, and press F6 when prompted to install the Sata
drivers for windows, have them on hand (floppy) before you attempt an
install, it will not read from cd for the SATA drivers, it looks only for a
floppy drive.

 

[Patrick Keenan]

------------

so if winXP has not support for notebook SATA controller, the hard drive
need be switched to IDE mode (which is less efficient?), also messing with
drivers, etc?

Yes. It's slightly less efficient, but no drivers are needed.

After the install, *if* there are XP drivers available for the chip, you
can install them, reboot back down to the BIOS, change the controller to
AHCI, and restart.

HTH
-pk