setting up sata card to boot

[zirath]

We have a via sata card vt6421 raid controller in a dell dimension xps r450.
The sata card has one sata rwdvd attached. The drive is recognized by win
xp.

I have read that when installing win xp there is a prompt to press F6 to
install the sata card drivers and that you can then boot from a device
attached to the card using a floppy disk.

Is there a way to set this up on a machine that already has win xp
installed?

Our bios is not seeming to recognize the card.

Thanks.

 

[Martin Potestas]

Is there a way to set this up on a machine that already has win xp
installed?

Our bios is not seeming to recognize the card.

Thanks.

Hi there,

First of all - if your BIOS does not recognize the card at all - you can
not boot on it.

If the BIOS is able to boot off the controller you could try to install
the drivers while running XP on another controller.
After that you will probably need to modify the registry entries as this
article says.
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/314082/en-us

I've done it, and it worked - but it is a lot easier just to reinstall i
think.

Good luck.

 

[sgopus]

it's not necessary to do a complete new install, but a repair install will be
necessary

 

[zirath]

Hi there,

First of all - if your BIOS does not recognize the card at all - you can
not boot on it.

Under "hard drives" in the bios, it lists our hard drives and also has a
listing for "bootable add-on card". It isn't listing the via vt6421
specifically so I'm not sure if it's seeing the card or not.

 

[M.I.5¾]

We have a via sata card vt6421 raid controller in a dell dimension xps
r450. The sata card has one sata rwdvd attached. The drive is recognized
by win xp.

I have read that when installing win xp there is a prompt to press F6 to
install the sata card drivers and that you can then boot from a device
attached to the card using a floppy disk.

Is there a way to set this up on a machine that already has win xp
installed?

Our bios is not seeming to recognize the card.

I think you have misinterpreted this F6 business. F6 drivers are required
when installing XP on a system where the BIOS does not natively recognise
the SATA drive interface. Loading an F6 driver then allows the installation
disc to access the SATA disc drive to install windows on it. The F6 drivers
have to be loaded from a floppy disc but only at the install time.